Samantha B. Northart

These Uncertain Times is an experimental short film conceived as a way to keep making films during the COVID-19 crisis. The first film maker was given no prompt, no story, no line of dialogue; nothing, and was tasked with filming and cutting the first 60 seconds of a short film. This was then handed off to the next film maker who continued the story with their own 60 seconds and handing it off to the next film maker. Each artist only having 24 hours to complete their section.

Inspired by true events, "The Tailor's Apprentice" depicts a struggling father-son relationship in the midst of a drug smuggling scheme. Helick hopes one day to pass on his South Philadelphia tailor shop to his son, Dovid. Their tense relationship stems from Helick's strict Judaic religious lifestyle. Using religion as a tool to hide from a dark past, he pushes his children away with his over controlling ways and neglects to show them love and care. In doing so, Dov impulsively runs away to aid in a drug smuggling operation in an attempt to prove his independence and finds that he has been manipulated and used for his tailoring skills to line drugs into suits. Trapped in the center of a world filled with drugs, sex and murder, Dov has no way to escape. With the absence of his son, Helick is forced ultimately to decide between his religion, or his family.