Node

A young girl diagnosed with cancer in a small Idaho town explores her feelings on mortality, self-acceptance, and the importance of family. Through her innocent yet profound perspective, NODE uses tender vignettes to open a dialogue on facing hardship and leaning on those around you.

  • Cole Ashlynn Wells
    Producer
  • Sara Kirby
    Director
  • Sara Kirby
    Writer
  • Dominik Czayczk
    Cinematographer
  • Ellison Pipe
    Key Cast
    "Sara"
  • Estelle Skinner
    Key Cast
    "Leah"
  • Sara Kirby
    Key Cast
    "Mom"
  • August Gladstone
    Key Cast
    "Dad"
  • Clare Larsen
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Family, Biography
  • Runtime:
    21 minutes 4 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    August 18, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    25,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • California Women's Film Festival

    January 9, 2026
  • Marina del Rey Film Festival

    June 19, 2026
Director Biography - Sara Kirby

Sara Kirby is a French-American filmmaker of many talents. Since 2017, Kirby has been working behind the scenes on shorts, features, and music videos functioning as production assistant,
director’s assistant, and script supervisor. Her dedication
and love of film is reflected in all her work. Her experience with cancer as a child and the correlation to the topic in media prompted her to write a script that outlines a different kind of experience. “I think it's important for families going through a similar situation to see a story that brings hope and humor to something that can be terrifying".

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

NODE is my personal story of going through cancer at 11 years old. I wrote the script using memories I have from the time. It started as a slow process, writing a memory every so often, till I realized I had twelve pages; which was almost a short! For me, it’s important to share this story from a fresh perspective. Most people are affected by cancer in one way or another. I want families going through a similar situation to see a story that’s not just heartbreaking, but has humor and hope mixed in. This comes from the film being centered on the children and what they see. As a kid I didn’t even know what cancer meant, it didn’t have the weight and panic that comes from the word as an adult. I think this helped me not worry so much. There were still very difficult times and it introduced me to the world of sickness and death as a young kid, but that also gave me perspective in my own life on what’s important and not to take anything or anyone for granted. I hope NODE shares a slice of life that is relatable and inspiring to those facing challenges.