A Normal Life

The first feature film from 19-year-old writer/director Alex Herz, A Normal Life is a semi-autobiographical character piece that explores what it means to have a family member with a high-functioning disability in the modern world. Michael, a week away from leaving for his first year of college, starts to become frustrated with his parents' overprotective tendencies toward his teen brother Nathan, who has Down syndrome. Shot over the course of several days, the story follows Michael as he attempts to grapple with the ambiguity of his situation, as well as the difficult emotions associated with leaving Nathan behind.