Parity Pipeline

Genre

Synopsis

\*\*FILTHY\*\* - A darkly comedic coming-of-age story In Evangelical Arkansas, 13-year-old Cass lives with her grandmother, Memaw, since her mother Diana left for the Army years ago. Diana returns unexpectedly as a Born Again Christian, engaged to Hap after a whirlwind romance. Hoping to protect Cass from her own past mistakes, Diana enrolls her in a Purity Ball. Cass reluctantly agrees, fearing her mother's departure. However, Cass's accidental first orgasm throws her world into turmoil, setting the stage for her sexual awakening and challenging her newfound religious constraints. As Cass explores her sexuality (humorously experimenting with boys named after Biblical disciples), she confides in her best friend Esteban, who's struggling with his own sexuality and the threat of conversion therapy. Meanwhile, Memaw offers a contrasting view on faith, preferring her garden to hypocritical churchgoers. Diana's relationship with Hap crumbles due to his impotence, triggering Cass's fear of abandonment. She attempts to "save" herself by proposing to Esteban, who declines, accepting his homosexuality. As Diana retreats into depression following her breakup, she pushes Cass towards the Purity Ball, now escorted by Pastor Chuck.The Ball becomes a crucible for Cass, where she's shunned by peers and discovers a shocking truth: Pastor Chuck is her real father. Overwhelmed, Cass runs away during a thunderstorm, culminating in a misguided attempt at intimacy with her older neighbor, Johnny. In a dramatic turn, Cass and Esteban, who feel forsaken by God and family, attempt suicide by jumping off a cliff into the lake. Diana, with Johnny's help, races to save them. The near-death experience becomes a catalyst for change, leading to reconciliation and growth for all characters. The story concludes with Cass's family preparing to leave town, but not before engaging in a joyful act of rebellion by toilet-papering the church. Diana confronts Pastor Chuck and the congregation, while Cass finds hope for a better future, having navigated the complexities of faith, family, and her own identity. Throughout, the story balances its exploration of serious themes - sexual awakening, religious hypocrisy, family dynamics - with moments of dark humor and irony, creating a poignant yet comedic portrait of adolescence in the Bible Belt. **NOTE FROM THE WRITER/DIRECTOR**: FILTHY is deeply personal, born from my experiences growing up in Arkansas's Evangelical Christian environment. Indoctrinated by the Purity Movement and abstinence-only education, I was taught my body wasn't my own and that my worth lay in my "purity." This created an agonizing conflict with my natural development, leaving psychological scars I'm still healing from today. This film is critically relevant in light of the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade and the billions spent on abstinence-only programs still taught in 37 states. FILTHY challenges these regressive policies, asking why institutions prey on the innocent, why females are burdened as sexuality's gatekeepers, and why female pleasure is treated as taboo. FILTHY doesn't damn belief, but the systems that exploit it. It's a story of defiance, survival, and the radical joy of embracing one's authentic self. Through its young protagonist, it speaks to countless girls and women, offering a powerful message: hands off, Christian lobby - you've no right to a girl's sexuality. This narrative represents my healing journey and stands as a bold statement against the shame and control imposed by conservative agendas. It's a call for autonomy, understanding, and the celebration of female sexuality in all its complex beauty. ~Lisa Cole