The Candy Tin

Logline: An Irish immigrant purchases a candy tin and launches its century-long journey through the generations of a family in modern America and beyond.

Synopsis: A grimy, dented candy tin sits in a thrift store. How did it get there? What stories could it tell? Who used it, loved it—and left it?

An Irish immigrant picks up a gleaming “Ruth’s Home Run” candy tin in a general store in 1920s America. From the rocking 50s to the dour 2000s to The Future, the candy tin travels through modern America.

The Future is The Past.

  • Shane Butler
    Director
    The Fastest, Most Romantic Love Yet; Down the Cape
  • Shane Butler
    Writer
    The Fastest, Most Romantic Love Yet; Down the Cape
  • Shane Butler
    Producer
    The Fastest, Most Romantic Love Yet; Down the Cape
  • Lily Steven
    Key Cast
    "Aideen"
  • Kate Fitzgerald
    Key Cast
    "Saoirse"
  • Connor Murray
    Key Cast
    "Little William"
  • Paul Noonan
    Key Cast
    "William"
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Family Drama, Historical
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 30 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 21, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    16,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital Ultra HD, Panasonic GH5
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.35
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival
    Houston, TX
    United States
    Silver Remi Award Historical Short
  • Bare Bones International Film & Music Festival
    Muskogee, OK
    United States
    April 30, 2022
    Midwest Premiere
    Runner Up Best Family Drama
  • SENE Film Festival
    Cranston, RI
    United States
    October 15, 2022
    Best New England Narrative Film
  • Boston International Film Festival
    Boston, MA
    United States
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • LAVA Film Festival
    Greenfield, MA
    United States
    September 17, 2022
    Best Drama Film
  • Lonely Seal Film Festival
    Arlington, MA
    United States
    October 6, 2022
    Honorable Mention Best Short Film
  • Made Here Film Festival
    Burlington, VT
    United States
    April 22, 2022
    Official Selection
  • Transparent Film Festival
    New York City, NY
    United States
    May 12, 2022
    New York Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Shane Butler

Shane M. Butler is a 28-year-old writer-director from Massachusetts. He has written, directed, and produced two feature films, "Down the Cape" and "The Fastest, Most Romantic Love Yet," that played in film festivals around the country. He currently works as a Digital Content Producer at Harvard University.

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Director Statement

We come into contact with many objects in our lives, some for a few moments, some we keep for years—decades even. No matter what, they're all discarded. Sometimes we discard them unthinkingly into a trash can. Other times, we cherish them until they're left in a basement of an old house and our children or grandchildren donate or sell them.

What stories could those objects tell? The ones we pass by in a thrift store, the ones we walk by discarded in a back alley, the ones we inspect in an antique shop.

"The Candy Tin" is a deeply personal story of a simple candy tin, bought by an Irish immigrant in a general store, and passed down through the generations of an American family.

What stories does The Candy Tin tell? What does it say about this American family—and modern America?