I had the opportunity to speak with Jac Cron about her feature debut “Chestnut.” We talked about how she came to this project, and how her time after college was very pivotal for her. We talk about her star Natalia Dyer (Stranger Things), and how perfectly, authentically, and vulnerably she played the main character Annie. And we talked about how Queer stories don’t have to be about coming out, it doesn’t need to be the main event. Loved my conversation with Jac, and can’t wait to see what she does next.
“Chestnut” is now in theaters, and on digital. Rent now on digital: https://bit.ly/chestnutmovie. Starring Natalia Dyer, Rachel Keller and Danny Ramirez. Directed by Jac Cron. Produced by Lizzie Shapiro and Lexi Tannenholtz.
SYNOPSIS
After graduating college, Annie is the only one of her friends who stayed behind in her small college city of Philadelphia for the summer. She has a good job lined up in LA come fall and is seemingly ready to make the leap, but things still feel unfinished. During this aimless in-between period, Annie finds herself entangled with Tyler, a woman she meets out at a bar one night, and Danny, Tyler’s co-worker… or best friend… or more? Annie is never quite sure. “Chestnut” follows Annie through a summer of self-discovery as all three of them battle for unrequited connection, ultimately helping Annie find her voice in desire, independence, and the comfort in change.
Jac Cron (Writer/Director) is a filmmaker born in New York and based in Los Angeles. She graduated from Drexel University where she studied Film, Finance and Astrophysics. She creates films centered around human connection, particularly in the LGBTQ+ community. She aims to tell stories about diverse characters, not solely about, but parallel to their identity. Her short, HOUSE SIT screened at film festivals nationally and internationally, including SF Independent, Philadelphia Film Festival, and won best director at BELIFF. CHESTNUT is her feature debut. Her other interests include playing instruments: guitar, piano, clarinet, and cello; taking 35mm film photography, and writing poetry. She is conversational in Hindi and French.
DIRECTOR’S NOTE
I’ve always been interested in liminal periods- that in-between stage where things have
changed, but you can’t exactly see the changes yet. I have a love/ hate relationship with change;
I am both comforted with the idea that everything will pass, but I grieve loss greatly.
The period of time that “Chestnut” is based on taught me a lot about loss- the loss of innocence,
loss of home, loss of friends and lovers, and even myself. Graduating college was supposed to
be this sense of accomplishment and right of passage— which it was for a moment… but when
everyone left to start their new lives in new cities and I was left behind for the summer, the
charade of this milestone became clear.
It was never about graduating- it was about what happens after.
That is where the love kicked in. After I realized that there was not enough time to start a new
life, but too much time to sit stagnantly, I felt a massive sense of liberation. I started seeing this
stale city I already spent 4 years in in a new light, being inhibitionless, going to new places,
meeting new people. I had nothing to do and nothing not to do. I found the answers to all the
looming questions that were left over from graduation in the time and way I least expected to.
This lost pocket of time- this period that I thought would be insignificant was filled with pain,
love, lust, fear, and most importantly growth. I hope “Chestnut” helps people recognize the
importance and beauty in the present before they move on, out of their own in-between.
