Your birthday cake's still warm. The government's already at the door.
A short film that revisits the Lavender Scare, when the U.S. government tracked those labeled as having “weak morals”—including suspected gays, Black and Native Americans, intellectuals, and feminists. When a family’s matriarch is targeted by a secret unit on her son’s birthday, her loved ones are thrust into danger, revealing unexpected strength. A chilling tale of survival, it reflects a past America that feels disturbingly close to today.
Direction
Raymund's debut packs a feature's worth of dread.
Acting
Cordileone's eyes do what dialogue can't.
Production
Period detail that whispers 'this could be now.'
Director
Monica Raymund
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Lavender Scare ran parallel to McCarthyism but targeted queer federal employees specifically—thousands fired, lives destroyed.
Raymund, known for Chicago Fire and Hightown, made this her directorial debut after discovering her own great-aunt was investigated.
US
