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Grandpa and Shorty
September 26 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
A grandfather and granddaughter forge a special connection in Grandpa and Shorty, the next screening in The Lindsay Theater and Cultural Center’s Emerging Filmmakers Showcase series.
Grandpa and Shorty is a 51-minute drama about a military family who begins to repair fractured relationships by bonding over shared values. It hails from Pittsburgh-based White Ball Productions, which was co-founded by Grandpa and Shorty director Jeff Balmert and writer John Rokosz. The goal of Grandpa and Shorty was always “to highlight the emotions and drama that military families struggle with everyday,” explains Rokosz.
The Thursday, Sept. 26, screening starts at 7:30 p.m. with opening remarks by combat veteran and bestselling author Sean Parnell. The film will be immediately followed by a Q&A with Balmert and Rokosz. Tickets are free, but guests are encouraged to RSVP in advance via The Lindsay’s website to ensure seating for all.
“With a story aimed at bringing soldiers and civilians together, we’re delighted to work with The Lindsay Theater to share this message free of charge with our hometown,” says Rokosz. “We recognize the opportunities that The Lindsay Theater has given to emerging filmmakers in Pittsburgh and honor the contributions they’ve made to our beloved Pittsburgh community at large.”
This Pittsburgh-filmed project follows Al Androwski, a 70-year-old Army veteran and grandfather (Howard Elson) whose wife recently died and whose estranged son (Curtis Caldwell) is currently serving as a medevac pilot in Afghanistan. Al is thrown for a loop when his daughter-in-law (Se Marie Volk) unexpectedly needs him to babysit his granddaughter (Tori Flanders).
Balmert is a Duquesne University and Carnegie Mellon University graduate, veteran filmmaker and experienced voiceover artist. Rokosz is a fellow Duquesne alumnus and classically trained musician who both composed and performed Grandpa and Shorty’s score.
“Producing this film has been a 6-year labor of love,” Rokosz continues. “I’m grateful for our team’s dedication, and for our united belief in the film’s authentic message of faith, family and duty. We can’t wait to share this story with our hometown, the world at large, and especially all active and veteran military families who we strive to honor through this film.”
