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Shallow Grave

A father's deal with the mob to save his son takes a dark turn when he is forced to choose between his son's life and his morals after the arrangement forces him to cover up the murder of an innocent child.

  • Jingyu Liu
    Director
  • Jingyu Liu
    Writer
  • Erin Lau
    Writer
  • Baxter Smith
    Writer
  • Zhen Lu
    Producer
  • Tim D. Walker
    Key Cast
  • Michael Anthony
    Key Cast
  • Ciprian Cosma
    Key Cast
  • Brady Bond
    Key Cast
  • Karter Simmons
    Key Cast
  • David Jay
    Key Cast
  • Yujie Tang
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Crime, Thriller
  • Runtime:
    10 minutes 52 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 30, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    4,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
Director Biography - Jingyu Liu

Jingyu has been passionate about filmmaking ever since she was a child, however, growing up in a small town in China, she never had the opportunity to pursue it as her career. Unfortunately, the only “right path” for a small-town girl like her is to have a safe and stable job. So, Jingyu became an engineer, but her passion for storytelling never faded. It defined her in every aspect of her life outside of her routine "stable job." After twelve years of fighting to stifle her true passion, she finally gained enough courage to quit her job, leaving the stable job and all of the hard work and achievement behind to start her life over again in film school. It was there that Jingyu, for the first time in her life, felt like she could finally do what she loves most and be proud to share her passion for film with the world.

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Director Statement

The film examines the moral dilemmas and the struggle to control one’s life. Often times, it is hard to find the clear line between right and wrong. Everyone has their own story and their own justifications for their evils. Even an unethical behavior might be driven by irreproachable motivations. Like the protagonist in our film, a gray line between morality and the greater good can make us question the decisions we have made even with the best intentions. In making a deal with the mob only to save his son, the protagonist comes to the painful realization that redemption is not always available for our choices. Sometimes, once a path is chosen, there is no going back.