Small Pond

It's summertime in Columbia, Missouri. The college students have all gone home and Kirsten (Hari Leigh), a blissfully irresponsible register jerk, reigns as the clown princess of the downtown bar scene. Kirsten works ten hours a week at Shakespeare's Pizza and is entirely satisfied with her humble but comfortable world, although she is despised by her long-suffering roommate (Amy Seimetz) and her best friend (Josh Fadem) has come to tire of shepherding Kirsten's drunken antics. While reluctantly reconnecting with an eccentric childhood friend (Susan Burke) who has recently moved to town, an ill-fated nitrous oxide bender unexpectedly forces Kirsten's first baby steps into adulthood.

Directed by Josh Slates, Small Pond leans on a strong ensemble — Hari Leigh, Susan Burke, Amy Seimetz — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2012.