21 BELOW is the story of a young woman going home to face family wounds that she had
hoped to escape. Sharon, who now lives outside of New York City, is pregnant with her first
child when she learns that the 14 month old daughter of her younger sister is dying from a
rare genetic disease. It's then she realizes that she can't start a family of her own until she
tries to help the family she’s left behind.
But back in Buffalo, Sharon discovers that the family feuds she hopes to alleviate could just
as easily destroy her. Her youngest sister Karen, 21, is pregnant with her third child, and has
a daughter, Maya, with only months to live. Their mother, Peggy is so hurt by Karen's life
choices that every gesture of help turns into a fight. It’s near impossible for her to accept
Courtney, the 29 year old African-American former gang member who's the father of Karen's
expected child. Can the family find some common ground before the damage is irreparable
and they splinter forever? Can Maya’s tragic circumstances bring some perspective to a
seemingly hopeless situation?
Shot in Cinema Vérité style, against the once industrial urban landscape of Buffalo, 21 BELOW
captures the real 'real life' of an American family in crisis. Angry, complex, and at times funny,
the family tries desperately to get out of their own way and find the path back to love.
In association with Indiepix
