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The Lesson - A Short Film

After a harrowing sexual assault on the NYC subway, a woman buys a gun for self-defense. But during her first shooting lesson, she begins to realize that a gun may not be enough.

  • Kimberly Kalaja
    Director
  • Kimberly Kalaja
    Writer
  • Kimberly Kalaja
    Producer
  • Molly Leland
    Key Cast
    "Keller"
    Ozark, Law and Order SVU, FBI Most Wanted, Grey’s Anatomy
  • Alimi Ballard
    Key Cast
    "Ty"
    Queen of The South, Queen Sugar, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, NUMB3RS, Men of Honor, Deep Impact
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    28 minutes 22 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 11, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    50,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Kimberly Kalaja

Kimberly Kalaja is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter, author, & Fulbright. She is an alumna of Scripps College, The Queen’s University of Belfast, and Princeton University. She was a literature professor for over 20 years and proudly worked with incarcerated students across the U.S. Prison System for over 12 years. "The Lesson" is her first film.

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Director Statement

“The Lesson” is about what it means to survive violence, and the power each of us has to determine our own lives. As our country becomes more and more fractured, as more and more of us experience violence first-hand, and many of us feel more isolated, defensive, and cautious than ever, this vigilantly non-partisan film is an exploration of how our private decisions really do matter, how every choice we make as individuals resonates in and impacts the world around us. And we are accountable for every choice we make.