Rare

2011, 10 minutes

A study into the insecurities of teenage life.

Connor, 16, views the conquering of his sexual ambitions as the key to escaping the embarrassment of childhood. A jealous hatred of older boys seemingly fuels his desire to grow up quicker. With an empty house, he has invited his girlfriend Jade to stay the night. Jade, 16, is feeling the pressure mounting to give Connor what he wants, and so heads home to contemplate her decision. Meanwhile, Jamie, 17, is suffering from a recent bereavement. With his friends more interested in drink and drugs and less than caring towards his plight, he turns to Jade for comfort, requesting they meet. Impatient for Jade to return, Connor sets out into the village to try and find her, a trip that tests his own insecurities to the limit. Set in semi-rural West Yorkshire over the course of one autumn evening, ‘Rare’ is a coming of age story that captures its characters in trying to define what it means to become an adult. The film aims to highlight the insecurities they have and the decisions they must make whilst making this transition.

---