A Disturbance in the High Desert

In the wild 1920s West, two lovers grapple with a violent incident that forces them to ask - what happens when those we love betray us?

July 27, 2025

10m

Western

Drama

Overview

A DISTURBANCE IN THE HIGH DESERT is a dramatic short-film that transports us to 1920s Eastern Oregon in the shadow of Mt. Hood. As economic hardship spreads, hateful forces and laws threaten the safety of those deemed "inferior" or "defective". Mare and Gemma are lovers who find each other while living a fragile existence in this rugged, unforgiving west. We meet them after Gemma endures a nighttime assault by an unexpected perpetrator on the outskirts of their ranch, a tenuous safe haven. The certainty of right and wrong blurs. Familial ties are tested.

Directed by

Brynn Mitchell