Evie's Healing Conversation

Evie's Healing Conversation

Bruce Von Stiers

Evie is a twenty-something young woman. She has agreed to meet with Matt, who has sexually assaulted her when they were in high school. He wants to apologize for what he did. But he doesn't remember the assault, just that “something happened.”

This is the premise for a short drama film titled Wait. The film has been described as “a short social impact film about hope and healing after sexual assault.”

Evie is bulimic. Before her meeting with Matt, she finishes up a tub of ice cream, only to force herself to throw it up. Is this behavior an indirect result of the assault, which had occurred several years before?

Evie is ready to bail, not go meet Matt at all, when the 16-year-old version of herself appears. This teen is defiant and head-strong, more than ready to confront Matt.

The meeting is at a café and as Evie sits down across from Matt, there is a definite uneasiness between the two of them as a waitress serves coffee to them.

They have a bit of small talk where Evie says she's almost finished with graduate school. And that Matt, having once been a member of an up-and-coming rock band, has somehow spiraled downward and is now living back with his parents and working a menial job.

Then the real substance of the meeting begins. Evie recounts the events of the evening when the sexual assault occurred. These are shown as remembrances of her 16-year-old self. Although those scenes aren't overly graphic in nature, some are very intense. In fact, as the film begins, there is a warning that states there is material in the film of a very sensitive nature that may act as a trigger for some viewers.

Watching the film, I got a sense that Evie had somehow blamed herself for what happened. Especially after she reveals that she'd told her best friend about the assault, only not to be believed. That when the assault occurred, even when Evie told Matt to wait, to slow things down, it was still her fault.

But it's Matt's apology itself that causes Evie to come to a stark realization about the assault and about herself. That it could have happened to anyone, and that she really didn't need the apology anyway. She has the power to forgive herself and heal on her own.

Lexi Simonsen was Evie. She starred in Good Side of Bad, co-starred in the action comedy The 2nd and appeared in an episode of Tracker and an episode of S.W.A.T.

Eian O'Brien was Matt. He co-starred in the series Kold x Windy and co-starred in the crime film Chocolate.

Britt Birrer was the waitress in the film and was also the Assistant Director. Her behind the camera credits include locations for the drama film No Address and production duties on One Battle After Another.

Paige Morrow Kimball co-wrote the screenplay, was the director, co-produced and co-edited the film. She's been a Segment Director for Sesame Street, produced and directed several Reality TV shows and produced and directed some interesting narrative films and documentaries, including one I reviewed a while back, Powers

Jade Raybin was the other co-writer of the screenplay. She was the screenwriter for the short action comedy Two Bellmen and the action romance film Over The Moon.

Fearon DeWeese was the other producer. Stephanie Massman was the executive producer, Kelli A. White was the line producer, and Lisa Engel was the consulting producer.

The cinematographer was Trevor Hooper. He was the cinematographer for the thriller Moderator and the comedy Out of Context.

Catherine Joy composed the music for the film. Some of the other films she's done music for include Tapestry Brewing and Glass Casa.

The film was produced by Makazan Films, Kimball's production company.

The producers have stated that they didn't want Matt's character to be considered a “cardboard villain”. To be just the bad guy, because then the point would be lost. That the film is meant to be about “accountability, restorative justice and creating space for healing.” And that the film would hopefully “spark conversation between men and women about consent.”

I believe that the goals that the film set to achieve were met. The film began with Evie seeking an apology and concludes with a revelation about herself. And that Matt had no idea of the impact that the assault had on Evie, but possibly now understood. The acting was excellent as the interaction between the characters seemed real and the scenes of Evie by herself showed intense raw emotion.

At the end of the film there are phone numbers for the national sexual assault hotline and for the national eating disorders helpline.

Wait had it's World Premiere at the Cleveland International Film Festival on April 16th, 2026. It was also an official selection at the Napa Valley Streamfest on April 24th , 2026. The film is being considered for showing at several upcoming film festivals.

Wait is also available to screen for campus or organizational meetings, along with a discussion about cultural change, consent and the healing process.

You can watch a trailer for Wait and obtain additional information about the film at www.Waitfilm.com .

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