Step Back, Doors Closing (Feature Film) - CIFF

Step Back, Doors Closing

Directed by: Carter Ward

Starring: Carmen Berkeley, Reilly Walters, Michelle Macedo, Ashley Romans

Run Time: 1 hour 38 minutes 17 seconds, United States

Premiere Status: Arizona Premiere

Step Back, Doors Closing is a charming love story between two young adults who long for authentic and emotionally intelligent relationships. Ryan (Reilly Walters) is witty, down-to-earth, and newly single for the first time in four years. He’s excited for a night on the town, but when his old friend bails on him at the last minute, he gets on the DC metro with the intention of going home. Julisa (Carmen Berkeley) is open-minded with lots of self-imposed pressure and is considering dropping out of grad school. After flying from Los Angeles to DC, she manages to break both her phone and tablet. Unable to contact her friend, she gets on the DC metro, unsure where to go next. Over the following twenty-four hours, Ryan and Julisa bond by discussing their hopes, dreams, and fears. Their courtship is universal, in that they present their best, most curated selves first, but as they spend more time together, they encounter obstacles that chip away at their armor. Slowly but surely, they reveal more and more about themselves, and fall in love.

Host or Publisher Chandler International Film Festival