In a devout Kentucky town where masculinity and reputation define belonging, high school basketball star Brady Miller has his future mapped out—until his growing feelings for his best friend and teammate, Josh, begin to surface. When a private moment crosses an unspoken line, the fallout is immediate and brutal, fracturing their relationship and exposing Brady to the judgment of his team, his family, and his community. As isolation, pressure, and violence close in around him, Brady is forced to confront the truth he’s spent his life avoiding and decide whether to keep performing the life expected of him or risk everything to live honestly.

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?

“Beyond The Arc” is the story of a gay high school basketball player in rural Eastern Kentucky. Who, at the top of his game is outed and ostracized by his ultra conservative community. He has to reclaim his identity and love for basketball at a small college.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?

It is first a coming of age drama that uses sports as a metaphor.

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?

So many coming of age, lgbtq films offer one of two endings, either the totally wrapped up happy ending, or the eternal suffering of the protagonists. While this story can be bleak at times, it’s ending is more ambiguous. What makes it so important in this day and age, is that while things are better for gay youth, there are still places where being gay is seen as a failing.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?

Keep Going.

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?

Citizen Kane

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?

I originally wrote a version of this script 25 years ago, but coverage at the time stated that it was totally “unrealistic” and “could not happen in this day and age” and that was 2001. LOL

7. How many stories have you written?

I currently have 4 screenplays, that are in various forms of completion, I am constantly trying to get evaluations on them in order to make them better.

8. What motivated you to write this screenplay?

How difficult it is for teens in rural communities to come out, without feeling ashamed,

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?

Getting coverage from readers who don’t get the LGBTQ angle.

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Before I hurt my back, and became disabled I was an avid golfer. But now that I have the time, writing is something I have truly became passionate about.

11. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?

It was the first festival that I entered, mainly because of the LGBTQ nature of the festival, I really wanted the gay perspective on my scripts. I have only received the video, and have not received any written feedback as of yet.