Sunshine State

On the verge of parenthood, a woman travels home to learn how not to become her mother. 

Determined not to follow in her mother’s footsteps, a woman returns to her parents' pink plastic house in the sunny suburbs of Florida to unravel a 20-year-old mystery: why her mother cannot get rid of her ex-husband. Delving into Super 8 reels, VHS tapes, family photos, personal relics, and conducting daring interviews, she uncovers the challenges some women face in leaving unwanted relationships. As the daughter searches for guidance that her mother’s wave of feminism should have provided, the investigation evolves into a poignant conversation about growing up female, family sexism, and an intergenerational quest for self-actualization.

Directed by Katherin Machalek

Release: Spring 2025