RUN

A lonely rural mechanic battles for survival after a tragic accident robs him of the life he's known. As he learns to love himself, he finds in the worst losses lie the greatest gains and in the most deafening silence lies the loudest song.

  • Craig Otto
    Director
    Drawing Home, Flaming Screens, Dune Shacks
  • Craig Otto
    Writer
    Drawing Home, The Kaylie Kronicles, Flaming Screens, Dune Shacks
  • Frankie Valenti
    Writer
    Tiger Orange
  • Craig Otto
    Producer
    Drawing Home, The Kaylie Kronicles, Flaming Screens, Dune Shacks
  • Frankie Valenti
    Producer
    Tiger Orange
  • Melanie S. Otto
    Producer
    The Kaylie Kronicles
  • Frankie Valenti
    Key Cast
    "Nick Paxton"
    Tiger Orange
  • Alan Cumming
    Key Cast
    "Steve"
    Instinct, GoldenEye, X2: X-Men United, Son of the Mask, Battle of the Sexes
  • Marlee Matlin
    Key Cast
    "Holly"
    Children of a Lesser God, Law and Order: SVU, Quantico, The L Word, Picket Fences
  • Barbara Rosenblat
    Key Cast
    "Maria"
    Orange is the New Black, Gotham, House of Cards
  • Frank DeCaro
    Key Cast
    "Bob"
    Englishman in L.A., Spooners, The Frank DeCaro Show
  • KateLynn E. Newberry
    Key Cast
    "Emma"
    Auditorium 6, Widow's Point
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Genres:
    Drama
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 41 minutes 13 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 20, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    89,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Craig Otto

Craig Otto started off his career as a Billboard-charting recording artist and performer. After much success writing music and producing his own music videos, Craig turned his sights toward storytelling through TV and film.

He has directed and produced TV shows, commercials, music videos and web series. In 2014, he was hired to work on his first film, "Drawing Home," starring Rutger Hauer, Kate Mulgrew, Wallace Shawn and Juan Reidinger.

That experience propelled him to begin writing "RUN," his directorial debut. Self-produced, Craig served as the cinematographer, editor, music supervisor, sound engineer, lighting and production designer for this project.

Margarethe Baillou, executive producer of "Call Me By Your Name," says "RUN is a powerful debut by director Craig Otto who, with this much-needed celebration of human diversity, delivers a masterclass in independent filmmaking."

Craig is currently in production directing the feature-length drama "The Kaylie Kronicles."

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Director Statement

What would life be like for a lonely Midwestern mechanic who loses everything due to a tragic accident? What would it be like to go deaf while living on a farm, disconnected from the world?

The plot of “RUN” came to me while having lunch at a Subway sandwich shop in NYC. I don’t know if it was the extra sauce on my meatball sub or divine intervention, but this tale of Nick Paxton hit me in the gut and wouldn’t let go.

My mother, who was also my best friend, had passed away after battling breast cancer, and the sense of loss, isolation and despair was something I was yearning to pour into a story. As Carrie Fischer said, “take your broken heart, make it into art.”

My very first boyfriend (from many years ago) is deaf, and for years, almost every deaf character I’ve seen portrayed on TV/film has simply been defined by that one characteristic: their deafness. I felt compelled to tell a different story.

After a week of letting my narrative percolate, I asked my friend Frankie Valenti to star in the picture as well as to develop the story with me. He has family members who are deaf and hard-of-hearing—he has signed and studied ASL for 20+ years.

Frankie enlisted half of his family to play roles (even the cat is related to him!), we found some great local talent in Ohio, and off we went.

Weather plays a major character in this film, and since the seasons were changing fast, we were forced to write the screenplay as we went along.

I directed, produced, was the cinematographer, production designer, lighting, props, audio engineer and editor, and Frankie acted and handled craft services and wardrobe. He always made sure I was well-fed.

Our little production gained the respect of the largest deaf organization in Ohio, and they helped connect us with 25 deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals who drove from Pennsylvania, Michigan, Tennessee and Indiana to be part of this production. We shot 9 scenes with them in 2 days, and the authenticity these kind people bring to this film is immeasurable. It was a joy and an honor to work with them.

After wrapping our shoot in Ohio, we were thrilled to have Alan Cumming, Barbara Rosenblat and Marlee Matlin join our cast. To be finishing-up production with these three quality actors was a huge blessing, and they deliver incredibly touching, nuanced performances.

There is a gay subplot to “RUN” which is vital to the protagonist’s development. However, this is not a “gay” or “deaf” movie—it is an awakening story about the resilience of the human spirit. It is my wish that audiences, after experiencing Nick’s journey, are left with a feeling of hope.

We are all born of this earth destined for journeys greater than we could have ever imagined. Making a difference in others' lives starts by truly knowing and loving yourself.

- Craig Otto, writer/director/producer “RUN”