Experiencing Interruptions?

Welcome Home

A queer college student must return to work at a burger joint in her hometown amid her parents getting a divorce and must confront her romantic feelings for her ex-best friend.

  • Juliet Bornholdt
    Director
  • Juliet Bornholdt
    Writer
  • Izzy Soden
    Producer
  • Sam Aupperlee
    Producer
  • Natalie Tell
    Assistant Director
  • Emilia Vizachero
    Key Cast
    "Lily"
  • Isabel Berg
    Key Cast
    "Frankie"
  • Nicole DeLong
    Director of Photography
  • Porter Selfridge
    1st AC
  • Reyna Hughes
    Script Supervisor
  • Ceri Roberts
    Production Designer
  • Juliet Bornholdt
    Editor
  • Natalie Tell
    Editor
  • Reyna Hughes
    Editor
  • Alexa Kenny
    Sound Mixer/Composer
  • Palmer Stratton
    Sound Mixer/Composer
  • Sydney Verlinde
    Still Photographer
  • Juliet Bornholdt
    Gaffer
  • Mehek Gupta
    Gaffer
  • Kenzie Newby
    PA
  • Melvin Johnson
    PA
  • Ulises Otero
    PA
  • Daniella Castillo
    PA
  • Izzy Chillian
    Intimacy Coordinator
  • David Marek
    Associate Producer
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Drama, Coming of age, Queer, Family, Indie, Romance, Small Town
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 53 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 2, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    2,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, URSA MINI
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2.39:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - University of Michigan
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Juliet Bornholdt

Juliet Bornholdt (they/them) was born and raised in Oakland, California, and is currently pursuing a BA in Film, Television, and Media at the University of Michigan. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area as a queer non-binary person, Juliet’s passions include uncovering historical queer narratives and learning how to represent multifaceted identities by blending cultural anthropology with documentary and narrative filmmaking. Their inspiration blossomed during a 2023 internship that they created with Frankly Speaking Films, a queer Indie film company. They researched and recommended film ideas based on Curve/Deneuve Lesbian historical magazine publications. That same summer, Juliet attended UCLA’s Film & Television Summer Program, where they were selected to produce a short film while learning about professional modes of filmmaking, such as lighting a soundstage and operating an ARRI Camera. Juliet enjoys directing, screenwriting, cinematography, and taking neighborhood photos with their 35mm film camera. They often find themself on adventures down the California coast or long hikes through the great redwoods. After graduating, Juliet plans to move to sunny Los Angeles to immerse themself in the queer and indie filmmaking community.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

“Welcome Home” is a blend of pivotal childhood experiences that have helped inform my queer identity, along with learning how to navigate parental relationships as we grow older. As I have been out as a queer, non-binary person for the past several years and returned home during breaks during college, I have thought more about my childhood friends and self. I realize I am still the same Juliet, even if I wasn’t comfortable with who I was yet. Coming to terms with romantic feelings towards past friendships was an important part of embracing my queerness, and affirming in understanding how aspects of my queerness were always present, even if I wasn’t always aware.

In our heteronormative society, we are taught that boys love girls and that their attraction towards each other is immediate, or that sex is always indicative of some sort of romantic relationship. Rarely are conventions of queer relationships highlighted, which is why Lily finds difficulty in confronting Frankie and telling her how she truly feels about her. Lily just hasn’t learned to love in this way yet. “Welcome Home” marks the beginning of an old, but new relationship, as Lily embraces her deeper, romantic, feelings for Frankie, and affirms that queer relationships form and develop in a variety of ways.

Although there is a constant rise of queer cinema, I have found that many queer films exploit the hardships that come from being gay: a coming out story, getting kicked out by family members, struggles with sexual partners…etc. Fewer stories provide positive representation, and queer people being people, which is why “Welcome Home” highlights the importance of Frankie and Lily reuniting and how their relationship is pivotal as they both go through difficult stages of life.

“...And that’s a wrap!” I yelled. Moments later, the entire cast and crew danced it out to all 3 minutes of Katy Perry’s “Firework” in a small-town diner. For this film, I have brought together a primarily queer, non-binary, and woman-identifying cast and crew to create a safe and non-hierarchical collaborative space. Each person excelled in their role and felt empowered to do so. When the camera was rolling, there were laughs, big smiles, and so much positive energy filling the space. I am so proud of what this group has made as a collective, friends, colleagues, and filmmakers who can relate to and further uplift this story. I can’t wait to explore the multitude of newfound friendships and collaborate further with this incredible group of people. I believe our process will shine through to further emphasize these themes, relationships, and intricacies within queer identities during a time of extreme change and growth, that are present in “Welcome Home.”