Experiencing Interruptions?

Hex The Patriarchy

Fed up with being bullied in high school, demisexual and asexual best friends Bex and Wren strike back with a bit of magic that has unintended consequences.

  • Anne Brashier
    Director
    The Cypher (2020, OutFest, ABFF,Tribeca Official Selection), The Dugout (Stowe Story Lab), Us vs Us (Catalina Film Festival, Global Shorts Festival2021)
  • Heather Muriel Nguyễn
    Writer
    THƠ (Outfest 2021, CAAMFest 2022, OutMuseum 2022 Ace Of Hearts Exhibition)
  • Anne Brashier
    Producer
    The Cypher (2020, OutFest, ABFF,Tribeca Official Selection), The Dugout (Stowe Story Lab), Us vs Us (Catalina Film Festival, Global Shorts Festival2021)
  • Heather Muriel Nguyễn
    Producer
    THƠ (Outfest 2021, CAAMFest 2022, OutMuseum 2022 Ace Of Hearts Exhibition)
  • Xan Churchwell
    Producer
  • Heather Muriel Nguyễn
    Key Cast
    "Wren"
    THƠ (Outfest 2021, CAAMFest 2022, OutMuseum 2022 Ace Of Hearts Exhibition)
  • Xan Churchwell
    Key Cast
    "Bex"
  • Jerry Ng
    Key Cast
    "Evan"
  • Ben Ubiñas
    Key Cast
    "Danny"
  • Natalia Caraballo
    Key Cast
    "Charlie"
  • Michelle Mao
    Executive Producer
  • Catalina Parra
    Cinematographer
  • Blaine Morris
    1st Assistant Directors
  • Catelin Shane
    1st Assistant Directors
  • Missy Pawneshing
    1st Assistant Camera
  • Megan Lau
    Gaffer
  • Katrina Skender
    Production Designer
  • Matt Perez
    Boom Operator & Location Sound Mixer
    Love You Anyway (2022), Happy Birthday, You Made It (2022)
  • Ashanta Morris
    Makeup & Hair Stylist
  • Sam Cota
    Makeup Artist
  • Mel Orpen
    Production Assistant
  • Pablo Langaine
    Composer & Music Supervisor
  • Blaine Morris
    Editor
  • Catalina Parra
    Colorist
  • Jax Savage
    Post Sound Mixer & Sound Designer
  • Joseph Cruz
    Visual Effects
  • Rachel Lazarus
    Witch Consultant
  • Jaki King
    Poster Design
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    6 minutes
  • Production Budget:
    10,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - USC
  • Outfest Fusion - Opening Night Gala
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    March 24, 2023
    Theatrical Premiere
    Opening Night Gala
  • DisOrient Asian and Pacific Islander American Film Festival
    Eugene, OR
    United States
    March 13, 2023
    Virtual Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Wicked Queer: Boston's LGBTQ+ Film Festival
    Boston, MA
    United States
    April 9, 2023
    East Coast Premiere
    Official Selection
  • NewFilmmakers Los Angeles
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    June 17, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Outfest Los Angeles
    Los Angeles, CA
    United States
    July 21, 2023
    Official Selection
  • PrideFull Fest 2023
    New York, New York
    United States
    September 12, 2023
    New York Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Fargo Moorhead LGBT Film Festival
    Fargo, North Dakota
    United States
    September 16, 2023
    North Dakota Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Viet Film Fest
    Santa Ana, CA
    United States
    September 30, 2023
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Anne Brashier

Anne Brashier makes emotionally gripping, physically dynamic, boldly engaging film and theater.
She holds an MFA in film production at USC, where she directed Us vs Us, a documentary about political polarization during the 2020 Fall General Election (Global Shorts Festival, Catalina International Film Festival).

Her film The Dermatologist, about a spy who discovers that her target is her mom, premiered at the 2019 Broad Humor Festival. She co-produced The Cypher, a short that is an official selection at 2020 Tribeca.

She was recently accepted into the Stowe Story Lab to develop Dugout, an adaptation of MacBeth set at a Little League game.
She was a 2019 NBCUniversal Writer's On The Verge finalist, and her scripts have won several competitions.

Her work has appeared at Indiecade, Company of Angels, Some Assembly Required, Sacred Fools, and the NYC, New Zealand, and Hollywood Fringe Festivals. She directed the LA Webfest award-winning webseries Corporate, and was nominated for Best Choreographer at the LA Weekly Theater Awards with the LA Theatre Ensemble. She is also a former sailing instructor who performed for years as a singing & dancing microwave oven.

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Director Statement

Hex the Patriarchy is a heartfelt celebration of loving who you are and inviting everyone around you to embrace themselves. We wanted to explore what it'd be like to have magic in high school, often the most confusing place and time, especially as a young queer and trans child trying to make friends and not understanding why they're not liked.

Our writer Heather survived childhood with her own best friend, respectively queer and trans before they knew those terms existed. They wished for magic to counter bullies' hurtful words but also unleash vibrantly queer joy and self-love as the ultimate revenge, because what's more terrifying to a bully than to see themselves in the ones they try to ostracize? Hex the Patriarchy is a love letter to their younger selves, who didn't know such an affirming story and world could be theirs.

And, how can you not fall in love with a story about two queer witchy teenagers who try so hard to make friends and care for each other? I adored these characters so much that I could not wait to get them on screen. As someone who came to be brave about my queerness later in life, I wish my teenage self had friends like Bex and Wren. I was honored to work with Heather on their hilarious and loving script, and it was a joy to bring it to life with a talented cast and crew. Here's to shouting it from the rooftops and chanting it on repeat: being queer is beautiful.