Pet Names

Leigh’s young-adult life has come to a grinding halt now she has to support her very sick mother during her trying chemotherapy. Leigh has stopped studying, sleeps, concerned, beside her mother and has seen her own social life almost disappear. It’s time for a break, Leigh’s mother thinks. She forces her daughter to go camping in the woods; away from it all, without any cares. Because Leigh hardly has any social contacts, she decides to take her ex-boyfriend along. The combination feels familiar, but drink-fueled campfires, a magic mushroom trip and a stray pug re-open old wounds.

This sensitive, contemporary drama about sorrow, broken hearts and growing up in a far-from-ideal world was written by the protagonist Meredith Johnston, drawing on her own experience. While the themes are pretty heavy, there’s lightness – and even humour – in the finely-honed dialogue.

Trailer

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