A man's wife and kids suddenly disappear without explanation and are replaced by a Strange Woman claiming to be his wife. Who is she? What is she planning? Where is his wife? And why will no one believe him?
The Softening (2023)
REVIEWS
PHILADELPHIA UNNAMED FILM FESTIVAL said it was “A good low budget debut... [it had a] great beginning, good acting and admirable camera work... [with] interesting twists and turns.” - PUFF Judges Panel 2023
AUSTIN REVOLUTION FILM FESTIVAL said “Excellent performances, particularly from the two leads... Gripping story that takes you on a mind-bending journey... Hard to believe this is a debut feature! I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of Simon Stockdale soon!” - ARFF Judges Panel 2024
THE INDIEFEST FILM AWARDS said it “Featured an exceptional story line and ensemble cast... [Director Simon Stockdale and his team] have joined the ranks of the others... [that have helped] set the standard for craft and creativity.” - IndieFEST Judges panel 2023
ALLENTOWN FILM FESTIVAL said “[It was an] engaging thriller with plot developments that leave the viewer with an uncertainty of reality. An unexpected ending pulled everything together and allowed viewers to rethink the entire film. The Softening was the perfect anchor for our Thriller Block.” - AFF Director Alan Younkin
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
was born December 5th, 1995 in Philadelphia, PA. He worked briefly as a missionary before moving toward film critcism and eventually filmmaking - his true passion. After spending 5 years as a film critic and comedian on YouTube under the name SIMONSRANTS he was in a near fatal car accident with a drunk driver. The collision left him with vertigo, extreme pain, and the inability to discern the difference between hot and cold. He decided in that moment that if he recovered fully, he would pursue the dream he always wished he could - FILMMAKING. So he cashed in all his savings, pulled out multiple loans and did whatever he had to do to bring his dream to life. His feature film debut went on to garner a total of 15 NOMINATIONS across its festival run including 6 AWARDS. Among the awards won are BEST IN SHOW at the AUSTIN REVOLUTION FILM FESTIVAL, BEST ACTOR at the AUSTIN REVOLUTION FILM FESTIVAL as well as the ALLENTOWN FILM FESTIVAL, BEST ACTRESS at the AUSTIN REVOLUTION FILM FESTIVAL, and the AWARD OF MERIT for both ENSEMBLE CAST and FEATURE FILM at the INDIEFEST FILM AWARDS.
Simon Stockdale
THE CAST & CREW
LOGAN MCCURRY & MITCH WORKMAN co-founded ELEMENO PRODUCTIONS together, a video production company in Philadelphia, PA. They worked together to create countless commercials, videos and now even short films together - including the AWARD-WINNING SHORT FILM CANVAS. They met SIMON STOCKDALE through an online search and became instantly attached to the project, determined to bring the vision to life.
DEVYN HOSIER is an actress based in the greater Philadelphia area. Her upcoming projects includes short film The Cure For Depression, a dark comedy about the exploitation of mental health through consumerism, written and directed by the Philadelphia-based independent film group UglyArt. She was nominated for BEST ACTRESS at the AUSTIN REVOLUTION FILM FESTIVAL and won the AWARD OF MERIT - ENSEMBLE CAST at the INDIEFEST FILM AWARDS for her work in THE SOFTENING. She has also starred in many commercials as well as short films.
JASVEEN SINGH is a New York based realtor who decided to take a stab at her life-long dream of being an actress. The result? She won BEST ACTRESS at the AUSTIN REVOLUTION FILM FESTIVAL as well as the AWARD OF MERIT - ENSEMBLE CAST at the INDIEFEST FILM AWARDS for her work in THE SOFTENING.
