Heightened

2023, NR, U.S., Comedy, 98 minutes
  Florida Premiere
  Filmmakers in Attendance

Director: Sara Friedman
Producers: John Hermann, Matt Ratner, Sara Friedman
Writer: Sara Friedman
Cast: Sara Friedman, Dave Register, Mike Mitchell, Xander Berkeley, Sarah Clarke

After pulling a fire alarm to escape a particularly bad panic attack mid-bar exam, Nora (Sara Friedman) returns home to live with her emotionally distant parents (Xander Berkeley and Sarah Clarke) in Maine. While she undergoes court-ordered psychiatric treatment, Nora struggles to navigate both therapy and her tenuous relationship with her parents. Nora’s world is further upended when she is assigned to volunteer at her local state park. Luckily, her nature-induced panic attacks subside in the company of her new supervisor, Dusty (Dave Register), and they strike up an unlikely friendship as fellow outsiders. When Nora realizes Dusty suffers from an undiagnosed anxiety disorder, she commits to helping him pass his law enforcement exam so that he can fulfill his dream of becoming a real park ranger. Nora and Dusty explore their relationships with their families — including how to deal with Dusty’s bullying step-brother Mitch (Mike Mitchell), Nora’s occasionally destructive coping mechanisms and their own expectations of themselves, all amid their blooming romantic feelings for one another.