The Bold and the Beautiful’s Heather Tom is now a first time movie director! She’s at the helm of Serenity, a gripping film focusing on heroin and opioid addiction.
A Film Directorial Debut and A Family Affair
Daytime Emmy winner Tom is both excited, yet serious about the film that’s her first voyage into big screen directing. The 14-minute short story centers on Dane (Vince Nappo), an addict whose habit has destroyed his family.
Here’s the description of the film from the Short Film Catalog of the Cannes Film Festival:
In a story that confronts the American opiate epidemic head-on, one man recounts his tales of addiction, recovery, family and regret during a Narcotics Anonymous meeting that is anything but ordinary.
The film’s casting is all in the family for Tom, whose four-year old son Zane makes his film debut as Dane’s brother, reported our friends at the fabulous Soap Central. Tom told Chicago Now that the project struck a personal chord, so it meant all the more to her to have Zane in the film.
The Role of Heat in the Film
The Chicago Now article described how the short film was staged and filmed:
The action all happens at an unconventional 12-step-like meeting in a desolate warehouse. The heat that has seared the family’s spirit is palpable. In a case of life imitating art, Serenity was filmed on one of the hottest days of an L.A. summer with fires raging in the distance and ash in the sky.
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Personal Project
Tom said, “[Drug addiction] is a subject that’s near to me. This epidemic hasn’t left anyone unscathed. This is an epidemic that’s touching every part of society and you can’t get away from it. I look at my son, and he has so much promise. There’s so much future ahead of him. It terrifies me that one bad choice can lead to a wasted life.”
Tom added that she’s passionate about getting the message out that addiction touches every level of society.
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Audience Outreach
Serenity will be hitting the festival circuit, and, according to Tom, should be online in due time. “I want to keep the dialog going,” she said. “If we can use the film as an educational tool or to inspire activism or policy, then that’s my goal.”
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Tom, of course, isn’t entirely new to directing, having done so for episodes of B&B and GH. We at Soap Cities congratulate her on adding Serenity to her repertoire. We will bring you details on the film as we hear them!
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