David Kobzantsev’s short film Gold Hearts of Hot Rod County revs up a coming-of-age tale set against the backdrop of small-town America. With echoes of classic YA romances, the film explores the spark between a country girl and a rebellious bad boy.
Callie (Shayla Stensby) grows up in a quiet farm town where evenings with her father (Travis Joe Dixon) are filled with small moments of wisdom. Her mother once told her that “love is like holding the sun…hoping not to get burned,” a phrase that stays with Callie as she begins to notice Zack (Noah Fearnley), the town’s reckless bad boy. Zack is known for his souped-up car and fiery temper, telling them, “This is my lane.”
Zack’s interest in Callie quickly becomes a challenge to her father, as he goads him into a race to prove himself. Callie’s father stands firm, not wanting to let his daughter be drawn into Zack’s dangerous energy. Tensions rise as Callie wrestles with her attraction to Zack, while Zack continues to push her father over the edge with each rev of the engine.
That night at the local country-western bar, Callie imagines herself swept away into Zack’s orbit as he saunters in with the local hot girl (Emma Nasfell). Soon, the two share an intense dance, lost in each other as if the whole world had disappeared around them. But it was all a dream as Zack mocked her and headed out with his girlfriend. Reality hits as she is forced to recognize him for what he really is—the bad boy.
Callie shares a quiet country moment with her father in Gold Hearts of Hot Rod County.
“Lost in each other as if the whole world had disappeared around them.”
The next morning, Callie takes the initiative, issuing a challenge and daring Zack to a race—not in a flashy car, but on her tractor—determined to reclaim her own place in the story…hopefully.
Gold Hearts of Hot Rod County is a short film that knows what it wants to be. It harkens back to the old YA romances of the ’80s and ’90s involving the sweet country girl and the reckless bad boy. We know they’re not meant for one another, but one magical glance and a lot of strutting just might spark a bit of romance.
Writer/director David Kobzantsev pulls out all the stops, elevating his story into a true cinematic romance…with a bit of movie magic. He captures the beauty of middle America and swirls up the forbidden with an homage to Dirty Dancing.
Gold Hearts of Hot Rod County is a heart-racing ride of young love, rebellion, and the dream of something more. In the end, David Kobzantsev delivers a nostalgic yet fresh short film that blends heartfelt innocence with the thrill of danger, leaving us with a story that feels timeless and cinematic.
"…This is my lane."
