The Dead Kid

Gregory D. Goyins and his team created a short film that will touch your heart and awaken your soul. This period piece delivers a timeless message about bullying, racism and peer pressure that everyone can relate to.

I especially liked the narration of the older Annie Baxter looking back on her life and the valuable lessons that she has learned. The cinematography is just beautiful and the child actors did an amazing job. I loved everything about Mr. Dunbar and he eventually moved me to tears.

This is a short that I could see being made into a feature film in the near future as all of the characters have such an amazing amount of potential.

"The Dead Kid" is everything you hope for when you start watching a short film. The cinematography is strong, the sound and editing are invisible (sound is so often a short film's downfall), the score is present at all the right times but not overtly so—the film is feature- quality. But ultimately, what stands out most after viewing "The Dead Kid" is how well-written it is. The story has a forward-motion rarely seen in short films, and even features. Every scene matters in this film, nothing is nonessential. You find yourself deeply engrossed in every character, the main and the supporting. Dialogue is genuine, moments are real; you will find yourself moved to a multitude of emotions throughout the film's entirety. Well-crafted and meaningful, Gregory Goyins and his team of filmmakers have made a substantial piece of film that is surely the beginning of long-line of significant work to come.

It broke my heart, it touched my heart. Having been bullied many times as a child who was close friends with a 'black' girl in a very small segregated town in Maryland during the 70's, the story brought back all the memories of what she and I dealt with. I cried for Frankie, I cried for his parents and I cried remembering my friend Michelle. I love that the film showed that not only did Frankie's death affect his parents,but the whole community. It should do just that. Otherwise we can never hope for change. It's a beautiful film. It's genuine in it's truth and respectful in it's delivery of a very profound message. Annie being consumed with remorse locked in the freezer and then being forgiven by Frankie's spirit was incredibly moving. As was having Mr. Dunbar save Annie and carry her home with tears in his eyes as he held her tight to him, filled with poised yet obvious relief and concern for her. Through out the whole film you are made to revisit your own moral fiber. Loved it!

Filmmaker Gergory Goyins reminds us what it's like to be at the difficult and transitional age of late childhood in his film The Dead Kid. Annie Baxter lives a normal life. She plays with her friends, camps outside at night, explores her hometown, and she starts noticing boys, hoping they notice her too. Her innocent desire for one boy's attention allows her to look the other away as her crush bullies another child. After the bullied child goes missing, Annie is burdened by her lack of action to defend the boy. Goyins wonderfully illustrates the fear and guilt weighing us down from little mistakes we make for the sake of acceptance by our peers. Most importantly though, the film reminds us to forgive ourselves for these little mistakes. In only 27 minutes, Goyins tells a small story with a big and long lasting emotional impact. This film deserves to be seen and heard.

THE DEAD KID deals with the conflicts of childhood's mistakes. The protagonist knows she is complicit to wrongdoing even though she didn't do wrong, and she confesses her feelings of guilt in this touching, smart and wise little film. Deftly written with a realistic yet poetic tone, THE DEAD KID is directed with dark and vital imagery,illuminating a story that could have happened to anybody. The story deals with bullying--the kid who is innocent, bullied, yet takes it and perhaps expects it. Two girls observe the acts but do nothing to stop them, and one of them suffers for realizing that.

Watching THE DEAD KID reminds the viewer of those many omissions and slight transgressions of childhood and youth we were never punished for, except in our own hearts. Very touching, very well done. It is a remembrance and an apology for all of us.