Vertical (2013)

Winner of the Best International Feature Film Award at the London International Film Festival in 2015, Vertical is a story of love and loss and the meaning of family. Alex Hunter (Morgan Lester) returns home from college for the funeral of the mother (Chuti Tiu) from whom she had become estranged. Through the stories and memories of her mother's rock climbing friends, a group of women known as the 'Rock Chicks', Alex becomes acquainted with the woman she never knew in life, and begins to find her own links to her mother along the way. Also starring Irene Bedard, Wolfgang Bodison, Carson Aune, Marshall Bell, and Elsie Kate Fisher, the film includes breathtaking cinematography by Ignatius Fischer, utilizing the scenery of the beautiful San Jacinto mountains of Southern California. With a strong cast of known actors and new talent, Vertical leans heavily on heartfelt sentiment and great dialog to drive this award-winning ensemble piece.