Southern Winds Film Festival 2008

'Sympathetic Details' follows Jonathan, an assassin, through two assignments during which he makes a moral decision to leave his life of professional murder. It is a psychological thriller, defined by character and dialogue instead of the action typical of the genre. Jonathan's boss, Phillips, has essentially adopted Jonathan after the death of Jonathan's father and has raised him in the only world that he knows, contract killing. During Jonathan's first assignment, he finds that he has killed a little boy's father, which makes him question his occupation. Jonathan encounters Lena, a former love interest who represents hope for a life outside of the one in which he is immersed. Jonathan turns away from his organization and life of assassination after the accidental death of a child during an assignment. The secretive nature of murder demands his eternal silence and his compassionate vulnerability to moral righteousness makes his retirement bring the security of his secrets into question. The head of the organization, Carson, orders Jonathan's death and warns Phillips who, through torn loyalties, chooses to protect Jonathan. Carson eventually realizes that Phillips may interfere and tries to call off the hit in order to protect him. In the confusion of colliding parties, Phillips and his team are killed and Jonathan is pursued into the forest by Carson's crew. The film ends as a statement about the indifference of nature and the impossibility of anyone to protect the ones they love from the randomness of death.

Nominated for Best Feature Narrative!