The Runner

A woman on the run can only hide for so long. In writer-director Andrew Medeiros’ short thriller The Runner, that reckoning takes place over a cup of coffee in a small town called Pinewood.

Samuel (Colby Cyrus) and June (Madison Bailey) live a quiet, simple life in the small town of Pinewood. They have settled into a comfortable domestic routine, far removed from the noise of the outside world. That peace is interrupted when Detective Martin (Andrew Medeiros) shows up at their door, badge in hand, with questions about a woman he’s been tracking across the country.

“As they look at the picture, an uneasiness fills the air.”

Martin explains that he’s hunting a notorious fugitive known as “The Runner” — a woman named Helen Eastman who allegedly stole millions of dollars and murdered her husband somewhere in California years ago. He pulls out a grainy surveillance photograph and slides it across the table. As they look at the picture, an uneasiness fills the air.

What I like about The Runner is that it is a very simple story that was shot in an indie DIY style. If you’re going to become a filmmaker and you have nothing by way of professional equipment and investors, do what you have to do to make your movie. While The Runner is no-frills in its production values, filmmaker Andrew Medeiros has a mystery to tell and a revelatory moment that can only be seen, not heard. Her story makes up for any shortcomings.

The Runner shows a compelling story that doesn’t need a big budget to land its punch. With the right idea and the nerve to see it through, the most important thing you can bring to a set is a story worth telling.