Private Project

Sage - short film

Sage is an 80’s-inspired comedy about a mixed-race Middle-Schooler facing the awkwardness of puberty, bullying, their parents’ divorce and the social challenges of being a smart kid from a poor family in a wealthy town.

  • Bryan and Vita Mei Hewitt
    Director
  • Vita Mei Hewitt
    Writer
  • Bryan and Vita Mei Hewitt
    Producer
  • Rhiannon Hewitt
    Key Cast
    "Sage"
  • Iris Klein
    Key Cast
    "Sarah"
  • Vita Mei Hewitt
    Key Cast
    "Sage's Mom"
  • Robby Kendall
    Key Cast
    "Ms. Sweet Nothing"
  • Colette Holt
    Key Cast
    "Brittany"
  • Maggie Foote
    Key Cast
    "Kaitlyn"
  • Freya Dupre
    Key Cast
    "Madison"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 33 seconds
  • Country of Origin:
    United States, United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    DCI 4K 4096X2160
  • Aspect Ratio:
    1.9:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Fishnets & Film: Drag Me to The Cinema
    Oakland
    United States
    January 21, 2024
    World, North American
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Bryan and Vita Mei Hewitt

Bryan Hewitt and Vita Mei Hewitt are LGBTQIA+ cross-disciplinary artists, writers, and film makers inspired by mythology, poetry and spirituality.

Vita grew up in San Francisco's Chinatown. Bryan's childhood was spent in the wild places of the Pacific Northwest and the Appalachians. They are currently living in Central California near the forest and the ocean.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Sage is a story about young people negotiating their way through challenging circumstances. In the process, they learn to find support when they need it, even if it isn't where they expect, or at first want it, to be found.

As directors, we set out to make a coming-of-age story about the challenges of Middle School where queer characters of all sorts are normalized. We wanted to give them the space to have a nuanced portrayal of the challenges they are confronting in their lives. They aren't the fringe characters that the main characters relate to for comedic effect or shock value, as was the case in so many of the films we watched growing up. The queer characters in Sage are the central points around which the story moves as they are learning how to get through the difficult parts of life in individual human ways that we hope are relatable for viewers.

The 80's coming-of-age films that inspired us growing up have many wonderful moments. They are also full of racism and homophobia. We loved them on some levels, but also didn't see ourselves reflected in them. Sage is for people who feel that way about mainstream cinema. We made it to reflect the beauty that we see and experience in our community so that the next generation of queer kids might be able to see themselves in this story.