Experiencing Interruptions?

Butch

At a dinner party with old friends (Mandy and Alan) and a new lover (Jules), Piper must face the danger of moving too fast in relationships...at her own peril.

Over the course of the dinner, the mysterious Jules only grows more mysterious (why does she know how to skin a cat??), while Mandy and Alan's marriage is put to the test (why does Alan love the sauna so much??).

When blood is spilled, Piper must decide where her alliances lay, and whether she truly knows the woman who has a key to her home.

  • Madison Gotthardt
    Director
  • Madison Gotthardt
    Writer
  • Tracie Laymon
    Producer
    Bob Trevino Likes It
  • Nia Aguinaldo
    Producer
  • Payton Wyatt
    Producer
  • Melinda Macklem
    Key Cast
    "Piper"
  • Abbey Irodistan
    Key Cast
    "Jules"
  • Hannah Klein
    Key Cast
    "Mandy"
  • Ryan Vásquez
    Key Cast
    "Alan"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Thriller, Comedy, LGBTQ
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 57 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 2, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    4,400 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39 : 1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Madison Gotthardt

Madison Gotthardt is an independent filmmaker based in San Francisco and originally from Santa Cruz, California. Her latest short film that she wrote and directed, "Butch," is a thriller-comedy hitting the festival circuit soon. Previous credits include work on Tracie Laymon's SXSW Award-Winning film Bob Trevino Likes It, starring John Leguizamo and Barbie Ferreira, and her own directorial project, “Girl Almighty.” Madison is deeply passionate about the power of storytelling in its ability to imagine new worlds, challenge our preconceived notions, and connect across barriers.

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Director Statement

This campy, scary short film arose from a desire to tell a queer story that focuses on neither coming out nor (queer specific) trauma. As a queer woman, right now is an odd and scary time for my community. Even compared to when I first came out in 2021, opposition to the LGBTQ+ community feels more outspoken and violent, and the rhetoric more dangerous (the Bureau of Justice recently released a report confirming this devastating reality).

Given this, LGBTQ+ representation matters more than ever. In the grand scheme of things, queer representation in media is relatively new, and much of the landscape is uncharted. Representation is increasing but not guaranteed and often taken away. We simply need more queer stories of all kinds, filled with all kinds of people. It matters that queer people's stories are told. Even the messy ones. Even the bloody ones. 

As for the short itself, it of course only exists in the context of a sapphic queer relationship. Our main character, Piper, exhibits many behaviors within the “U-Haul Lesbian” stereotype. Many a queer theorist could probably explain why women frequently move too fast in relationships with each other, but this film is much more about the results of this phenomenon—of not really knowing your partner.

Though Piper may inhabit a queer stereotype, very importantly, none of these characters are stereotypical in their essence, because queer folks are as vast and beautiful and messy and expansive as our boundless imagination. 

Beyond the essential ingredient of queerness of this short, fear, too, plays an important role. Each character in this film is operated by fear in some way. Piper lives in fear of never finding love. Jules lives in fear of judgement. Mandy lives in fear of serial killers (to distract from her fear of losing her husband). Alan lives in fear of his sexuality being discovered. 

And because fear only leads to destruction, this melting pot of fears is a recipe for disaster. It is through the extremes of both the thriller and comedy genre that we get to experience these perceived threats of each character at their highest intensity.