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The Holdover

A junior employee is asked to escort her disgraced former boss from her office. The task transforms into a battle of manipulation, as both professionals reveal uncomfortable truths about the nature of their working relationship.

  • Max Nelson
    Director
    Left by the Wayside, Something's Wrong with Cameron, The Post
  • Ani Akpan
    Producer
    Mrs. Fletcher, Hugo Boss/WeWork/Canon branded content
  • Emily Killian
    Key Cast
    "Dawn Steele"
    Peppa Pig National Tour
  • Leo Goodman
    Key Cast
    "Ryder Faller"
    Dystopia, Receding
  • Qase Media
    Production Company
    Hugo Boss/WeWork/Canon branded content
  • Max Nelson
    Writer
    Left by the Wayside, Something's Wrong with Cameron, The Post
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Drama, Workplace, Crime
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 44 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 15, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    2,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, Black Magic
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Indie Short Fest
    Los Angeles, CA
    Outstanding Achievement Award: Film Noir Short, Outstanding Achievement Award: Best Acting Duo
  • Independent Short Awards
    Los Angeles, CA
    Silver Award: Best Film Noir Short, Silver Award: Best Supporting Actor
  • IndieX Fest
    Los Angeles, CA
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Max Nelson

Max Nelson is a New York-based filmmaker working in both the creative and corporate sides of entertainment. His first short film SOMETHING’S WRONG WITH CAMERON made its world pre- miere at the 2017 Reel Recovery Film Festival, and his senior thesis film LEFT BY THE WAYSIDE won him a $3,000 grant via the Joan Toretta Award. Max studied film at Northwestern University and spent two years working as CAA assistant. He currently spends his days as a Development Associate at Check Point Productions.

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Director Statement

About six months after the #MeToo movement shattered perceptions of Hollywood, I accepted an entry-level job at an established entertainment powerhouse. It was weird; weird to see everyone keeping the status quo while the cultural conversation continued to shift; weird to watch some people embrace change and others reject it; weird to know about the underbelly of this business before I experienced it myself. As a young assistant in this industry, I was forced to ask myself how I plan to act morally within a broken system. Furthermore, I had to reckon with my own complicity in this world.

THE HOLDOVER attempts to depict this internal struggle, using the all-too-familiar Boss/Junior Employee dynamic to cast our protagonist as a vocal hero and a silent vil- lain. On the one hand, she’s the victim of an unsafe work environment, and we root for her triumph over a problematic former CEO. But on the other hand... She’s not exactly a great person, either. Whereas some stories might paint this picture as one of good vs. evil, this short film attempts to subvert that narrative by depicting multidimensional characters and real-world stakes.