A Short Film About Hidden Agendas and Flashes of Danger

Thought the election was tense? Take a look at our newest Screening Room short, “The Mulberry Bush,” a short film written and directed by Neil LaBute. Two men—a suited-and-tied lonely luncher (Victor Slezak) and a younger, wiry guy in a Carhartt hoodie (J. J. Kandel)—sit down next to each other in Central Park. They get to talking about sports and the weather, then begin sharing details about their families. You might think that these strangers are unusually talkative. You might notice the presence of what the youngsters call “side-eye.” You may suspect that one of the men isn’t really talking about the weather—he’s “talking about the weather.” He has a hidden agenda. There’s something he wants to say or do: his body is saturated with barely restrained energy. Let’s just say that “The Mulberry Bush” isn’t a film about two guys in a park. It’s about pain, guilt, and how we respond to the threat of danger.