As long as I can remember I’ve loved fairy tales. I’m fascinated by the stories that people pass down from one generation to the next that explain and tell us what is fair, what to fear, and how to live.

In developing the story, I found myself wondering, what kind of story inspired a tale like Red Riding Hood. What was the original, complicated truth, that inspired a simple tale of a girl who strays from the path.  From this story we know we must do as our mother says, stay on the path, don’t talk to strangers… But in the real world the path is not as clearcut.

Mothers abandon their children, strangers may be our only salvation, and we must question the intentions of those that come to our rescue.

This is a story of abandonment, abuse, redemption and the strange way love ties it all together. 

My hope for this film is to find a dark resonance with audiences who have been affected by abusive relationships and conversely, to expose some hard truths for those who haven’t. I hope the film encourages conversations that make victims feel less alone and reassures impressionable young people that sometimes they might find themselves in places they never intended to go.

Kelsey Taylor