Stuck (2001 film)

Plot

An elderly woman, Fern (Jeanette Miller), wakes up her girlfriend Irma (Jennie Ventriss). As they get ready to go to a bridge game, a young girl (Eden Sher) skateboards down a desert road. Irma makes a lime Jell-O dessert, which Fern is rude about. As Irma drives down the road on their way to the game, Fern berates her for driving too fast. They start arguing and their truck hits the young girl on the skateboard. Fern gets out of the truck, announces that the girl is dead, and starts shouting at Irma, insisting that she get out and have a look. Irma locks the truck doors. Fern continues shouting and starts smashing the truck headlights, while Irma refuses to speak or open the doors. Fern threatens to end their 45-year relationship, and when she receives no answer, she takes her ring from her ring finger, throws it at the truck, and walks off down the road. After some time, Irma opens the truck windows and smiles to herself.

Distribution and awards

Stuck premiered on December 9, 2001 and played at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. It features on Girls on Film, a DVD compilation of short films released by production company POWER UP. In 2002, Stuck won the Jury Prize at the Philadelphia International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival and an Honorable Mention at the Sundance Film Festival. At the 16th London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, it won the Film4 Prize for Best Short Film. Later that year the "wacky lesbian geriatric melodrama" won the Grand Prize at the PlanetOut.com Short Movie Awards.