Manufactured Luck

Genre: Scripted Narrative

Synopsis:

Manufactured Luck dives into the day to day life of a young Appalachian girl and her grandfather as the two attempt to win a bike in a local grocery store sweepstakes.

Manufactured Luck follows Ash and her grandfather Jim as the two introverts from vastly different generations try to bond. A semi-successful local "sweeper", Jim spends most of his retired life entering local grocery store sweepstakes, radio contests, and the occasional church raffle.

To Ash, Jim is ancient. Someone who she doesn't really understand, and someone with who she has little in common. The two are able to bridge the gap between their generations when Ash notices a sweepstakes display with a new bike at a local supermarket. Jim, seeing this as possibly his last chance to connect with his granddaughter, works diligently to win the bike.

However, what they both learn, is that the connection they've made in the last days of Jim's life is far more valuable than any bike or contest could ever be.

Credits:

Director: Kevin Keck

Writer: Kevin Keck

Producer: Brandon Evans

Producer: Lucas A. Ferrara

Producer: Tyler Oxendine

Cinematographer: Adam Chapman

Production Designer: Carrie Ferrelli

Editor: Breeana Kovelman

Composer: Robert Mai

Costume Designer: Chelsey Paige

Key Cast “Ash”: Azra Basile

Key Cast “Jim”: Peter Aylward

Key Cast “Lilly”: Amelia Bartlett

Director Bio:
I was born north of Knoxville, Tennessee in a little town in the shadow of the Great Smoky Mountains. After making homemade short films throughout high school I moved to Orange, California where I attended Chapman University and graduated with a BFA in Film Production in 2018.

For nearly a decade I have had the pleasure to screen films at multiple national and international film festivals on four continents. For an East Tennessee boy, it has been a truly humbling experience to see these stories and films enjoyed and honored with awards. But I am ever-conscious of the responsibilities of a storyteller. My hope is that I can use my content to break down stereotypes and misunderstandings. I want to portray underrepresented and diverse cultures, like the Appalachian region I call home, in an honest and intimate way.