Logline: Jerry, sentimental about his fading twin identity, reunites with his reluctant brother Paul for a weekend of revelry at the world’s largest congregation of twins.

Length: 16 min

Director: Joe Garrity

Producers: Kyle Parker, Kate Charlotte Hodges

Writer: Joe Garrity

About the writer, director: Joe Garrity is a writer, filmmaker, and improviser based in Oakland, California who has worked with the Telluride Film Festival, Pacific Film Archive, and NBC’s Saturday Night Live. In 2012, he joined the Editorial department at Pixar Animation Studios.

Key cast: Joe Garrity, Phil Garrity, Tess Hodges, Kate Charlotte Hodges

Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): All of the above

Funders: Kickstarter

Release date: TWINSBURG will have its Southern California premiere at the 2016 Dances With Films, screening Sunday, June 5th at 2:45 PM at the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, CA. The film is also an official selection of the Lower East Side Film Festival, Palm Springs ShortFest, and Nantucket Film Festival.

Phil Garrity and Joe Garrity reconnect at the world's largest gathering of twins in TWINSBURG (2016).

Congratulations! Why did you make your film?

I grew up making movies with my twin brother, Phil, and when we first visited Twinsburg, Ohio in August 2011 during the annual Twins Days Festival, I knew I had found our next project. The story was very different then, but what I discovered amidst the parades, pageants, and even experimental research, was the setting of a film I knew I needed to make, an authentic story of twinship.

Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?

My hope is that TWINSBURG offers a perspective on twins that hasn’t been seen before, one that defies the many simplistic depictions that are out there. It’s a personal story that takes place where myth meets reality.

How do personal and universal themes work in your film?

The film is essentially the story of my own twinship, about two brothers struggling to reconcile their diverging paths. Growing up and growing apart is something all siblings experience, and I believe it’s what makes the film relatable to a wide audience.

How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development and production?

The story went through many phases in its evolution to short film. What began as an absurdist mockumentary transformed into a deadpan dramatic comedy about the bond between two brothers. Even during production we were still honing the story, trying to depict a relationship that was as much in progress on the page as it was in real life.

What type of feedback have you received so far?

I’m continually impressed at how connected people are to the film, and that it speaks to relationships in their own lives that are in transition. Whether they are a twin or not, the theme of interpersonal identity seems to resonate broadly.

Phil Garrity and Joe Garrity ride the famed tandem bicycle in TWINSBURG (2016).

Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?

It reaffirms a belief of mine that personal storytelling is universal. At points during the process of making the film I was unsure whether the story would translate to a largely singleton audience, if a twin story would really matter to them. In fact, a lot of people seem to recognize something familiar in Jerry and Paul’s struggle.

What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?

I think the film is just beginning to gain traction in film festivals and in the press, and my hope is that it continues building momentum.

Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?

All of the above!

What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?

I want to offer audiences an original voice, both in content and form. My hope for the film is that it opens dialogues about twin relationships, about family, and about individuals in community more broadly.

What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?

I believe every film should ask a question to which it doesn’t know the answer. Most simply, mine is this: how can one be two?

Would you like to add anything else?

I’d like to thank my brother Phil for making this journey possible. The dedication says it all: “For us.”

What are the key creatives developing or working on now?

I’m currently developing a short-form episodic series called REALITY.