Take Me Back

Alex and Jess are at the tail end of their marriage because of a secret he has kept for many years. As they struggle to find their way forward, Alex's estranged mother resurfaces forcing him to confront his secret or lose Jess, and himself, for good.

  • Jonathan Jordan Medina
    Director
    Primo, The Purge, The Terminal List
  • Jonathan Jordan Medina
    Writer
  • Jennifer Lee Laks
    Producer
  • Henri Esteve
    Key Cast
    "Alex"
    Primo, Revenge
  • Jennifer Lee Laks
    Key Cast
    "Jess"
    Natty Knocks, Seal Team, Shameless
  • Denise Blasor
    Key Cast
    "Amia"
    Coco, Snowfall, The Sopranos
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    28 minutes 10 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    July 13, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    12,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    RED Komodo
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Jonathan Jordan Medina

Jonathan Medina is an actor, writer, director, and producer. He is a series regular on the critically acclaimed Mike Schur / Shea Serrano comedy, PRIMO on Amazon. He is also a recurring character on a new Marvel animated series.

Recent credits include star and producer of The Stratum - listed by The New York Times as one of the top five streaming science fiction movies to watch in 2023 (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/14/movies/science-fiction-movies-streaming.html). Recurring guest star role on Walker: Independence, The Cleaning Lady, and The Purge. Guest star roles on The Terminal List, Leverage: Redemption, Fear the Walking Dead, Law & Order: SVU, family comedies Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion and The Villains of Valley View, and a supporting lead on Blumhouse's Bingo Hell. Functional Spanish and Italian, great with accents. Strong theatre credits, navy veteran, New York native, Los Angeles resident.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

My whole life, as far back as I can remember, the majesty and mystique of film filled me with wonder and influenced my vision of storytelling. I wanted to block like Spielberg, frame like Cassavetes, see like Fellini, and hold the world like Tarkovsky.

Most of that life was spent studying the filmmakers who wove their magic into every frame, whilst trying to carve out a living that would keep me off the streets. It was, at times, an impossibly difficult series of choices that kept me at arm's length from fully immersing myself into art. I could see it, hear it, even taste it, at times; but I could never practice it.

Ten years ago, a pivotal moment in my life put me to a decision. It was either now or never. I gave up everything I had, all that I had built, to pursue a career as an actor. It paid off. Working two, sometimes three, jobs while going on auditions I was able to learn from the inside of the business, and see how to implement all the knowledge I had accumulated over the years.

This short film is very personal to me, and has been living inside me for all that time. Abuse is not just one thing. It doesn't happen to just one type of person. It has a lasting effect that most people will never recover from, or be able to face. I wanted to make this a topic of conversation. Shine a light on it from my own perspective.

I played with time, space, perspective, distance, color, sound, and music in this film. All of these elements are not just tools, they are characters in the story. They add depth, substance, humor, and healing. I hope people are moved by the film, and that it inspires conversation. I hope people are thinking about it hours and days afterwards. And I hope everyone gets something out of it.