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Title: Horsewater
Runtime: 5 min
Country: USA
Director: Elizabeth Drew
Placement: Award of Merit
Competition: December, 2024
Synopsis: Chaotic effusive Elle pulls into a convenience store in her work van, thinking about pulling cash from the ATM for new tires. Coming up on straggler Ketch, there’s a spark – a memory? No. Meet cute, yes yes. Riding the wave, Ketch asks Elle for cash – she feels guilty after that, wants to get him something. When she reaches the ATM, her account balance has just enough to cover him and the tires and tax. She withdraws it and starts to leave – but! She remembers she wants to tip the guy at the tire shop, who is staying open late for her. She lets Ketch know she can’t do it this moment – but she’ll be back.
At the tire shop, Marcus and Dusty are done in a jif. When Marcus says tax is included in the price, she sees she has enough to tip him and also get Ketch a $20. She handshakes on the cash with Marcus and darts away before he can give her change. She drives back over to the convenience store, dreaming up a shoot-your-eye-out Christmas Story style wish that Ketch will still be there and she can just pass it off fast like a ninja, and get gone. Instead, seems like he’s gone. He’s in the back alley drinking with friends – a bit thrilled she came back. She mashes the 20 in his hands and heads to leave. Ketch is so taken by the gesture that he goes in for one of his own – and grabs her rear. Oh! She didn’t want that. She backs away to her van as her world gets smaller. She drives off, becoming a speck on the evening horizon.