Some bonds are unbreakable.
Unbreaking
In Select Theaters
Written, Directed & Produced by
J. Andrew
Executive Producers
J. Andrew
Stiven Olivares
Producers
Ryan LaLonde
Philly Lasiter
Chris Moody
Luke Powell
Micaela Presti
Lynn Riordan
Associate Producers
Randy Clay
Harold Cottman
Grishma Kalote
Roberto Novoa
Co-Producers
Scott Boswell
Vishnu Prasad
Mandy Schnatter
Starring
FARBER MOODY-LALONDE
TERYN MACALLAN
COPNEY TOLER
GRANT POLICAR
DJ Tinaz
Production Designer
Cliff Chapital
Director of Photography
Marilyn Flores
Year
2024
Official Movie Poster
Tagline
Some bonds are unbreakable.
Logline
An otherworldly child finds healing and a new best friend through the Japanese art of Kintsugi.
Watch the Trailer
Coming soon to a festival near you
Winner Winner Winner!
Unbreaking is working its way through the film festival circuit, and we are excited to be sharing this film with new audiences. We are so grateful to the festivals that have invited us—and event bestowed an award!
We are so excited to be able to bring this film audiences at festivals around the world. We began production in December 2022, completed post-production in August 2024, and we are thrilled with the film’s reception since its premiere at the SF Queer Film Festival.
Our film community has been so supportive throughout this film’s journey, and we are excited to take the film on the road.
Next Screenings: Lake County, IL & Atlanta, GA
Join us soon in Lake County. Illinois outside Chicago and in the Fall in Atlanta, Georgia.
We are excited to screen Unbreaking at festivals around the world. We’ve got a bunch more festivals that we hope to receive official selections and awards.
Once ticketing links for our screenings are sent by the festivals, we’ll post them here. Get your tickets early to ensure you have a seat for these special festivals.
Purchase Tickets for The Lake County Film Festival: TBA
Purchase Tickets for the Atlanta Children’s Film Festival: TBA
Film Synopsis
After witnessing the tragic death of their father, 10-year-old Ollie Holmes, a non-binary neurodivergent child, experiences an Autistic shutdown, withdrawing into an interior world. Ollie deploys sensory armor—ski goggles, mittens, a tutu—shielding themself from a world that no longer feels safe. Their mother, Siobhan, desperate to help them heal, turns to a therapist who introduces them to Jeremy, a patient and kind ceramicist whose work in the Japanese art of Kintsugi—repairing broken pottery with gold—offers a quiet but powerful path toward healing.
As Ollie begins working with Jeremy, the broken pieces of their grief and trauma slowly start to mend. What begins as silent observation transforms into connection, and Ollie’s first spoken words in months mark a turning point in both their recovery and the relationship with their mother.
At its heart, Unbreaking is the story of a mother's love for her child—an unbreakable bond. Unbreaking is a tender and visually rich short film about trauma, resilience, and the transformative power of art to reconnect us—not just with others, but with ourselves.
Crossover Characters
This uplifting tale serves as the “origin story” for the character of Ollie who is the main character in a feature-length script who, in Pretty Broken People, helps Perry find ways to heal his own trauma and find a path to recovery and a better life.
back this project
Help us raise funds to support this story!
Join the team of award-winning writers, directors and producers on Unbreaking.
Meet the Characters
Ollie
FARBER MOODY-LALONDE
As a gender non-binary child on the Autism spectrum, Ollie has quirks, but a recent traumatic experience has left them feeling profoundly unsafe. Ollie dresses in a way to cover up every part of his skin, and they have reverted to non-verbal communication. This is the story of how Ollie makes a new friend and learns new ways of communicating that give their mother reason to hope.
Jeremy
TERYN MACALLAN
Jeremy is a gentle soul who treats Ollie like a true, fully-formed person. His inviting nature makes him a good balance to Ollie’s shy, reserved, quirky ways. Jeremy is entirely without judgment. Through a practice of Kintsugi, Jeremy delicately brings Ollie just a little bit out of their shell. This is the beginning of a lifelong friendship.
Siobhan
COPNEY TOLER
Siobhan recently lost her husband (Ollie’s father) in a traumatic way—one witnessed by Ollie. As a loving mother, she is struggling with how to reach her child who has retreated to an inner world. Ollie no longer speaks, and is terrified of having his skin uncovered. Siobhan wants Ollie to feel safe and find ways of expressing himself. This is the story of a mother’s love for her child.
Ryan
GRANT POLICAR
Ryan is Ollie’s therapist. He’s been working with this family for years, and has established a good rapport with both Siobhan and Ollie. We meet Ryan on a house call in the weeks after the funeral of Ollie’s father. Ryan is sensitive not to try to push Ollie—or Siobhan for that matter—past their limits and suggests art therapy for Ollie.
At Liberty Lane Films, we’re building a distinctive story universe—The Pretty & Broken Cinematic World—where complex, emotionally rich characters reappear across multiple films.
These stories stand alone but are deeply interconnected, revealing different chapters in the lives of characters as they grow, stumble, heal, and collide with one another in surprising ways. Across timelines and tones, the films share a thematic heart: resilience, identity, and the messy, beautiful work of becoming. Central characters—like Ollie and Perry—appear across multiple titles, creating a narrative tapestry that invites audiences to witness how people change, unravel, and hold themselves together.
Unbreaking is the first film in the chronological timeline of this world, and the second film to wrap production. It is an intimate portrayal of both grief and resilience, telling the story of the intrepid young person, Ollie, and how they start to become the person we know them as in Pretty Broken People.
Pretty Broken People was actually written before any of the other stories in this timeline, but it remains a script in development. PBP follows Perry Lockhart on his journey of recovery, and his unlikely friendship with Ollie as they go on late-night adventures in San Francisco. If you are interested in helping bring this story to the big screen, please say hello!
The Business of Hope tells the story of the wonderful and dynamic characters who inhibit an inpatient mental health and addiction treatment facility. While Perry, a fictional character, makes a brief appearance at the beginning of the film, The Business of Hope is based on the true story of a trans woman and former Blood gang member who finds a way to become who she was always meant to be.
Here For Now was produced and released in 2022, after two years of development and production. It explores what happens in the aftermath of an individual’s self-destructive choices. Learn more about this award-winning story here.
Let the Man Play is the final chapter within the Pretty & Broken Cinematic World and tells the story of Perry’s father who finds love in an unexpected place in the twilight years of his life.
About the Director
I am an award-winning film director, writer, producer and production designer based in San Francisco. After a successful career in photography and advertising, I decided to go back to school to study film. In 2021, I graduated summa cum laude from City College of San Francisco with an Associate’s degree in Film, Television & Electronic Media, and a Certificate of Achievement in Directing. I earned my BA in Cinema Production at San Francisco State University's School of Cinema.
Behind the Scenes
Behind-the-scenes production photos from the making of Unbreaking.
