The Cinderella Effect

Randall Grimm has arrived in Los Angeles in search of his very own happy ending. Within moments of arriving, however, Randall is thrust into the very high-pressure networking atmosphere of a local LGBTQ film festival that his friend insists on attending. Awkward and out-of-place, Randall holds fast to the notion that Hollywood produces its very own happy endings. Soon, he imagines the high-pressure after-party to become the all-too-familiar royal ball of a fairytale; the cynical partygoers adopt the characteristics of evil stepsisters, and Prince Charming exists in the body of a Hollywood Leading Man. However, no Cinderella story can exist without a Fairy Godmother, and Randall deconstructs his happy-ever-after notions so he can discover that the only thing real in Hollywood is the FINAL REEL of whatever genre we write for ourselves.

Directed by Shane Morton, The Cinderella Effect leans on a strong ensemble — Matthew Montgomery, Myko Olivier, Ryland Dodge — 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 music titles of 2012.