Failure to Thrive

Maria Santoro has been keeping the families' secrets for generations. She and her sister grew up in a religiously oppressive household, and that trauma has informed many of her life choices. As mental illness and dementia burn their way through the family, and Maria's grasp on reality dwindles ... she begins to tell some terrifying tales. But are her graphic confessions simply manic delusions borne out of the loneliness and pain she endured? Or are the horrifying "memories" a reckoning of her own crimes and regret?

  • Deborah Rayne
    Writer
    Flawless: A Feminist Fairytale, Kingmaker, The Accidental Housewife
  • Deborah Rayne
    Director
  • Kerri Lynn Miller
    Producer
    Tox, The Luckiest Man Alive
  • Deborah Rayne
    Key Cast
    "Maria"
    Law and Order, The Equalizer, Ramy, The Affair, The Changeling, FBI
  • Kathleen Garrett
    Key Cast
    "Mona"
    Inventing Anna, The First Lady, Power, FBI, NCIS, Billions, American Gangster
  • Kerri Lynn Miller
    Key Cast
    "Jena"
    FBI, The Blacklist, Tox, The Luckiest Man Alive, Blue Bloods
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Psychological Thriller, Drama
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes 18 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 1, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    15,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Anamorphic
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:40:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • None
Distribution Information
  • None
Director - Deborah Rayne