Short Term 12 (2013)

Short Term 12 is a 2013 American drama film written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. The film is based on Cretton's short film of the same name, produced in 2009. It stars Brie Larson as Grace, the supervisor of a group home for troubled teenagers.

Cretton was inspired to write Short Term 12 based on his own experience of working in a group facility for teenagers. He first wrote and produced a short film based on the idea and later adapted it into a feature-length screenplay. While Larson and John Gallagher, Jr. won their roles after auditioning through Skype, most of the children featured in the film were cast through open casting calls. Filming took place over 20 days in Los Angeles, California in September 2012.

Short Term 12 premiered on March 10, 2013 at the South by Southwest film festival and was released in theaters on August 23. It grossed over US$1 million and was met with critical acclaim. Reviewers praised the film's realism and intimacy, drawing particular attention to Larson's performance and Cretton's direction. The film won numerous accolades, including South by Southwest's Grand Jury and Audience Awards for a Narrative Feature, as well as three Independent Spirit Award nominations.

Synopsis

Grace is the young supervisor of Short Term 12, a group home for troubled teenagers. She lives with her long-term boyfriend and coworker, Mason, but finds it difficult to open up to him emotionally. When Grace finds out she is pregnant, she schedules an appointment for an abortion; she eventually tells an overjoyed Mason about the pregnancy, but not about her plan to have an abortion. At the facility, Grace and Mason focus their efforts on Marcus, a Short Term 12 resident who is about to turn 18 and is struggling with the prospect of leaving the facility.

Actors