Nighthawks

An introverted artist named Ray travels to a small midwestern town to paint a mural on the walls of the local motel. As he works on his “postcard” masterpiece, he meets a woman who has just returned to her hometown in hopes of reuniting with her long estranged daughter. Alone in a nearly empty roadside motel, these two find quiet solace together as they struggle to escape their painful pasts.

  • Dominic Howes
    Director
    The Listening Project, Canyon of Caves
  • Andy Froemke
    Writer
  • Dominic Howes, Joel Weber
    Producer
    The Listening Project, Canyon of Caves
  • Emily Fradenburgh
    Key Cast
    "Sam"
  • Steve Lattery
    Key Cast
    "Ray"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    28 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 25, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    35,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital - Arri Alexa Mini
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Minneapolis St Paul International Film Festival
    Minneapolis
    United States
    May 26, 2020
    World Premiere
    Audience Choice Award for Short Film Fiction
Director Biography - Dominic Howes

From his adventures as a gold miner in the Alaskan wilderness to his time spent studying music in northern India, Dominic followed an unlikely path to directing films. It was after a three-year stint in the jazz-fusion band, Rikshaw Quartet that he co-founded Rikshaw Films with band mate Joel Weber. Over the years, he's become an Emmy Award winning director, television writer and busy director/producer of commercial video content. With a rich background in documentary filmmaking, Dominic loves the hunt for a good story.

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Director Statement

This is a story about the toll that loneliness takes on the human spirit. I think we all want meaningful connection, to be seen and to be loved but fear often holds us back. We choose the relative safety of self isolation over the vulnerability that comes when we embrace the risks of real relationship. But this is also a story about the resilience of the heart and the healing that can be found even in life's brief encounters.