Private Project

CANCR

Logline: New possibilities open for two young men who share a brief but tender summer romance after meeting on a dating app for people with cancer.

Summary: Tomas’ world has gotten small since his cancer diagnosis and treatment. Now in remission, he meets Dustin on Cancr, the dating app for people with cancer. Their summer romance may be brief, but the care and understanding that passes between them opens something beautiful for both young men.

Official Selection of:
KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival
Out South Queer Film Festival
Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ International Film Festival
Seattle Queer Film Festival
Aks International Minorities Festival, Film – Art – Dialogue

Note: Subtitles available in both English and Spanish in the "files" section of this page.

  • Brittany Alsot
    Director
    A Meal With Dad, Tides
  • Zak Payne
    Writer
    Kissing Walls, Damaged Goods
  • Nelson Rodriguez
    Producer
    A Place to Be
  • Bryan Bosque
    Key Cast
    "Tomas"
    Chicago Fire, Princess Cyd
  • Michael Turrentine
    Key Cast
    "Dustin"
    South Side, The Red Line
  • Linh Tran
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Romance, Drama, LGBTQ
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 26 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 21, 2022
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival
    Mumbai
    India
    June 1, 2022
    World
  • Out South Queer Film Festival
    Durham
    United States
    August 13, 2022
    US
  • Reeling: Chicago LGBTQ International Film Festival
    Chicago
    United States
    October 1, 2022
    Chicago
  • Seattle Queer Film Festival
    Seattle
    United States
    October 18, 2022
    Seattle
  • Aks International Minorities Festival, Film – Art – Dialogue
  • PRIDE Queer Film Festival
    Perth
    Australia
    March 9, 2023
    Australia
  • Pink Lobster LGBTQIA2 Film Festival
    New Brunswick
    United States
    March 20, 2023
Director Biography - Brittany Alsot

I am a queer, feminist, anti-racist white filmmaker. I believe in the healing power of storytelling and art that represents the outsider experience. I see the process of making a film as inseparable from the content created. As such, I focus on creating inclusive, empathetic working environments for the cast and crew.

I am an editor, script supervisor, and non-profit marketing videographer. For the right project, I produce, direct, and shoot documentary-style. My queer short films have screened at over a dozen festivals around the country and in India. I continue to use "A Meal with Dad" (2016) as an educational tool in lectures about personal storytelling. I'm currently in post-production on a feature documentary about comedy and Alzheimer's called 'Finding Your Laughter.' I started my career in Seattle in 2010. Since 2015, I work and find home in Chicago.

Pronouns: she/they

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I’m so thrilled to put this tender story on screen. Building off Zak Payne’s script, which is filled with subtleties, humor, and a deep respect for consentful intimacy, we filmed so that the camera mirrors Tomas’ progress from claustrophobic to expansive as he learns about self-acceptance.

We have assembled an awesome team of creatives from the LGBTQ community in Chicago. We committed to making it a collaborative and positive growth opportunity for everyone involved. We hired crew who were enthusiastic about the project. Most identify as LGBTQ and BIPOC. Our filming spanned only three days (pre-COVID-19), yet the safe environment on set allowed everyone to reach deep into their respective reservoirs of honesty, vulnerability, and empathy to create a moving piece of art.