Sedona News – The dramatic short film, STALLED IN EIGHT ETUDES, will be screening at the 31st Annual Sedona International Film Festival on February 27 at 1 PM and March 1 at 7 PM at Harkins Theatres Sedona 6, as part of the festival’s 2025 Narrative Shorts lineup.
STALLED IN EIGHT ETUDES follows a poised woman as she steps into the municipal courthouse’s restroom, only to find every stall occupied — each one identifiable only by the distinct shoes beneath the doors. The silence is broken by a loud ping from a cellphone inside one of the stalls. Returning to the mirror, she steadies herself for the difficult moment ahead: finalizing her divorce. As she exits, a stall door opens, revealing another woman — this one in a neck brace. STALLED IN EIGHT ETUDES is a whimsical, slice-of-life meditation on justice and perception. Eight women cross paths in a courthouse bathroom and find a surprising humanity: all in a short time and in a small space.
Directed and written by Kersti Bryan (Hustlers, Perry Mason, Ray Donovan), the film is produced by Connie Jo Sechrist and Cameo Wood of Charming Stranger Films. The cast includes Tracey Bonner (Raising Dion, Sweet Magnolias, Black Lightning) and Celine Jackson (The Stroll, All the Words But the One).
Director Kersti Bryan was selected as one of the recipients of the NYC Women’s Fund for Media, Music, and Theatre Fiction Short grant from the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) and the New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) for STALLED IN EIGHT ETUDES.
“I created STALLED IN EIGHT ETUDES as a playground for artists,” said director Kersti Byran. “Delicious roles for powerhouse actresses, a worthy delight for the gifted hair and makeup team, and the exciting challenge of achieving a ‘one-er’ for the camera. The humanity and success of the film flow from that collaborative spirit.”
Director Kersti Byran will be attending the festival.