On February 12, 2008, in Oxnard, California, eighth‐grade student Brandon McInerney shot his classmate Larry King twice in the back of the head during first period. When Larry died two days later, his murder shocked the nation. Was this a hate crime, one perpetrated by a budding neo‐Nazi whose masculinity was threatened by an effeminate gay kid who may have had a crush on him? Or was there even more to it? Looking beyond all the copious news coverage of this tragic event, Valentine Road tells the story of two victims: the deceased and the murderer. With keen insight, the film connects the human wreckage of Larry’s and Brandon’s troubled lives—both physically abused, both from broken homes, and both searching for a sense of belonging. Filmmaker Marta Cunningham puts a human face on a critical issue challenging communities everywhere. Namely, how do we help kids like Brandon and Larry before tragedy happens? Haunting, infuriating, and powerful, Valentine Road shakes us to our core as it calls to question our very notion of justice.

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Eight characters (four men and four women), are destined to cross paths on New Year's Eve in Rome. With alcohol and a romantic atmosphere playing their part, assisted by a sudden black out during the toast, the eight friends will find themselves caught up in unexpected confessions, revealed secrets and impulsive decisions that will reignite overwhelming (as much as unlikely) passions. Dawn will thus salute four couples rapturously passionate and... ready to explode like a pressure cooker, with betrayals and setbacks already looming on the horizon.

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