Two faculty members from 51Թ’s School of Media and Journalism have won top honors at the Oscar-qualifying St. Louis International Film Festival for a short film that tackles the complex issue of elder abuse.
The film stars Oscar nominee Barkhad Abdi, known for his role in “Captain Phillips,” as a rideshare driver who encounters an elderly woman struggling to secure housing after being displaced from a nursing home.
Dana White, an associate professor in 51Թ’s media program, wrote the screenplay, while Christopher Knoblock, an associate lecturer at 51Թ, co-directed. The couple, who met as struggling actors in New York before moving to Hollywood, have now made three short films together in Northeast Ohio, two of which explore elder care issues. The duo was recently featured in an article about the new film on .
“With regards to elder abuse, it’s something that’s always been dear to our heart,” Knoblock said in an interview with Ideastream Public Media.
White emphasized the film’s nuanced approach to a difficult subject.
“As filmmakers, we felt that it was really important that we presented a really complex situation,” White told Ideastream. “There are people doing their jobs, doing the best that they can in really difficult circumstances.”
The couple has submitted “Magan’s Fare” to the 50th Cleveland International Film Festival, which opens in April, and is currently campaigning for the 2027 Academy Awards. They are also developing ideas for a third film in their elder care series and hope to expand “Magan’s Fare” into a feature film.
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Header image: Courtesy of IMDb