Short Film – Atlanta – 2025 – 10 min – Color | English | 1.90 | 5.1
LOGLINE
An angry former stunt woman struggles as a caregiver for her neurodivergent brother. Spray Bottle is about their worst day.
TRAILER
HOCA STUDIO presents
a WAX&WANE FILMS production
CAST & CREW
written and directed by Jenna Kanell
produced by Thang Ho
produced by Sean Valdivieso
executive producer Jason Reitman
starring Jenna Kanell, Vance Kanell
cinematography Kristian Zuniga
production design Erin Day
editing Raymond Wood
post-production sound One Thousand Birds
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Co-Starring Joshua Mikel, Jason Francisco Blue, Danielle Lyn, Robert Walker Branchaud, Mickey Manschot
Co-Executive Producer Ben Olasov, Matthew Zuk, Dan Rosenfelt, Mickey Manschot, Marcus McGill
Co- Producer Raymond Wood, Samantha Weissert
Assistant to the Producer Alon McKlveen
1st AD Raymond Wood
Key PA Alon McKlveen
PA Sidharth Singh
Script Supervisor Chelsea Zotta
Security Gregory Hopkins
1st AC Vyvy Thai
2nd AC Almendra Fuentes
Camera PA Ysa Lopez
Sound Mixer / Boom Op Eduardo Castro
Gaffer Dennis Albert
Swing Alejandro Valdez
Key Grip Ronen Schechter
Best Boy Grip Kaitlin Williams
Art Production Assistant Robie Duchateau
HMUA/ SPFX Mickey Busch
HMUA/ SPFX Izabel Ruzicka
Stunt Coordinator Dante Ha
Driving Stunt Coordinator Ronny Matthew
Caterer Chef Von
Crafty Frances Weissert
EPK Glen Kwon
Still Photo Rachel Lanquist, Ysa Lopez
Location Home Grown, Chapman Drug, Bedroom - home in Druid Hills
Key Holder Carlos Hernandez
Composer The Threadbare Skivvies
Acting Consultant Matthew Zuk
Colorist Raymond Wood
Sound Design + Mix Torin Geller
Sound Executive Producer Guin Frehling
designed by David Rumppe
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
I've known since childhood that I'll eventually assume the role of my brother's sole caregiver. So when a filmmaker I admire urged me to write an action comedy I could direct, act, and stunt in, I looked no further than the abundant absurdity of my fears. Fears of financial instability, of protecting my brother, of whether I'm enough, of navigating a world that wasn't really designed for either of us. Life itself is terrifying. And ridiculous.
Then I immersed myself in the action genre to unearth what was missing. We see very few action heroes who aren't assassins or a product of the military. There don't exist many action films helmed by women. Every so often we're treated to a well-rounded female action hero, but most are defined by their conventional beauty, their strong sense of motherhood, their lovers, or their rapists. Even rarer still are differently-abled main characters, especially ones played by actual members of the community. Those that do make it to the screen typically either display well known physical challenges easily visible to the naked eye, or are some kind of superhuman savante. My brother has a total of eight disorders, but more importantly, he's authentic and quirky and charming and kind. I'll never forget the way he watched some of his performance on the monitor and exclaimed, "it's so cool to see myself on screen."
The best part of filmmaking is watching the story take flight off the page, little by little, as each addition to the team hopped on board to bring it to life in a new way. I'm still floored at the range of talents and diversity of voices who believed in this, and continue to. Our cast and crew took on the challenge of finding the humor and the fun, creating movement, and exploring the possibility in each moment, all while guiding a pair of siblings as they arc from obligation to belonging.
The future's still uncertain, except for one piece: together, we've made something pretty special.
AWARDS & RECOGNITION
2025 Official Selection Florida Film Festival
2023 Film Impact Georgia Finalist
2023 Vanishing Angle Post Grant Winner
DIRECTOR
JENNA KANELL
As an action actor, Jenna Kanell has performed while riding motorcycles, stunt driving cars, airborne in harnesses, underwater, hanging from a helicopter, with weapons, and in countless fight scenes.
Jenna delivered a TEDx Talk on the experience of stepping behind the camera alongside her neurodivergent brother. She has since written, assistant directed, and produced features, directed and edited fundraising videos, and written and directed numerous award-winning short films with worldwide festival runs.
Jenna also taught her cat how to high five.
BEHIND THE SCENES
captured by Rachel Lanquist, Ysa Lopez