Experiencing Interruptions?

Scent of Ivory

Siblings Kaity and Jaime live on after the death of their hardworking mother. Past-due bills and disconnection notices have driven Kaity to be the best role model for the past few years. As she struggles with the weight of responsibilities and crippling anxiety, she begins to see flashes of time. Now, she must support her brother when his identity and future come into question before their relationship is severed.

  • Jared Palomares
    Director
    Hit Astray
  • Jared Palomares
    Writer
    Hit Astray
  • Jared Palomares
    Producer
    Hit Astray
  • Andrew Perez
    Director of Photography
    Hit Astray, A Long Way To Go
  • Jared Palomares
    Editor
    Hit Astray
  • Alondra Gonzalez
    Key Cast
    "Kaity"
    Hit Astray
  • Diego Garza
    Key Cast
    "Jaime"
    Hit Astray
  • Aaron Guerrero
    Key Cast
    "Jessy"
    Hit Astray
  • Jeremiah Gali
    Key Cast
    "Isaac"
  • Tom Torres
    Boom Operators
  • Jeremiah Gali
    Key Grip
  • Adrian Rodriguez-DiBella
    Assistant Director
    Hit Astray
  • Jared Palomares
    Production Designer
    Hit Astray
  • Andres Mezzei
    Production Designer
  • Imilce Palomares
    Production Designer
    Hit Astray
  • Erick Palomares
    Production Designer
  • Mario Zamarripa
    1st and 2nd AC
    Hit Astray, A Long Way To Go
  • Jose Zamarripa
    1st and 2nd AC
    Hit Astray, A Long Way To Go
  • Andres Mezzei
    Featured Artwork
  • Paula Gali
    Featured Artwork
  • Parker Weaver
    Featured Artwork
  • Jose Zamarippa
    Featured Artwork
    Hit Astray, A Long Way To Go
  • Melanie Reyes
    Hair/Makeup
  • Alfredo Olvera Flores
    Music Supervisor
  • Ashley Cantu
    Casting
  • Jared Palomares
    Casting
  • Ang C
    Production Assistants
  • Uriel Gonzalez
    Production Assistants
  • Johan Longoria
    Production Assistants
  • Thomas Harman
    Production Assistants
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    24 minutes 8 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    1,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Director Biography - Jared Palomares

Jared Palomares, filmmaker, director and writer is from McAllen, Texas where he studied Film Production along with areas of Journalism in Mass Communications at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. There he grew as a young filmmaker with skits, videos, and short films. Additionally, he worked as a student media reporter and editor for KVAQ-TV creating intriguing stories.

Jared’s first short film, Hit Astray (2024) back in 2023 received over 14 official selections, awards, and accolades. Through his storytelling, he tackles real-world topics, including gun violence, LGBTQ+ themes, and more. He continues to grow as an established filmmaker to create more stories and messages.

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Director Statement

This being my second film, I wanted to tackle something more grounded and expand my understanding of family ties. Specifically, understanding the love and care between siblings, mothers, and sons.

My grandmother often associated the colors white and ivory with Christianity and the concept of purity. Ivory, derived from elephant tusks, is an exceptionally rare and legally restricted material, prized across cultures for its association with wealth, superiority, and elegance. In some cultures, ivory symbolizes purity, cleansing, life, and renewal, while in others, it signifies nostalgia and new beginnings.

A "scent of ivory" implies that the characters in the story carry a lingering essence of lost purity. The term "scent" implies something left behind, (a memory) serving as a metaphor for the character's past experiences haunting them.

It was our job as a team to represent a group of people, a family who has a broken relationship, and find moments to show their vulnerability. So we decided to choose a family who may have a home thanks to their diligent mother but aren't necessarily living luxuriously. The inspiration for realistic dialogue along with the grunge feel of the characters allowed us to emerge ourselves in the world of these siblings and their financial struggles. Projects like the TV show Shameless, Good Will Hunting, and Manchester by The Sea, are what really inspired the creation of this film with its look and realistic approach to these issues.

Towards the conclusion of the story, a key problem that highlights is the mental health epidemic affecting young queer youth. Shockingly, statistics reveal that 41% of LGBTQ+ young people have seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. By shedding light on this issue, I hope to raise awareness and promote understanding of the struggles faced by LGBTQ+ individuals like myself.