THIS TOO SHALL PASS

description

Desperate for autonomy from his strict Mormon upbringing, a sheltered 16-year-old rebels by skipping town with friends for a weekend in Canada.

Going into his senior year, Simon Benson feels the cultural uncertainty of the year 1987. To add to his anxiety, his family is one of very few Mormon families in Syracuse, NY – suffocating him with strict rules. But Simon leads a double life. Away from his family, Simon is a lover of rock music who smokes the occasional joint. When a girl from school implies that she'd like to see him in Ottawa, Simon steals his father's church money and convinces his best friends – Tim, Chris, James, and John – to ditch their camping plans, and take a trip to Canada. Shot in Calgary, CUFF alum Rob Grant's (CUFF 2019 Audience Award Winner HARPOON) latest feature is a coming-of-age story about ever-escalating circumstances that force evaluations on one's perceived beliefs.

OFFICIAL SELECTION
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival 2024
Victoria International Film Festival 2025

DIRECTOR'S BIO
Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Rob Grant cut his teeth in the editing department on notable films such as CABIN IN THE WOODS, DEADPOOL 2, Steven Speilberg's THE BFG, and previz editor for Matt Reeve's WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES. He spent his free time writing and directing multiple award-winning feature films with notable premieres at Toronto International Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Austin's Fantastic Fest, Sitges, and Montreal's Fantasia Film Festival. With a unique genre-bending style, and his latest film HARPOON (CUFF 2019 Audience Award Winner) sitting at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, Rob tries to both entertain and subvert audiences expectations.