On The Whistle is a tight, short film set and shot in Hartford, with most of its 40 person cast and crew coming from the area. The film is not so Hartford-specific that it loses meaning to outside audiences, but locals have the advantage of knowing what is meant when “Granby” is uttered early on in this teen-waking-up-to-his-own-privilege story.
TJ Noel-Sullivan, a Hartford native and recent college graduate, wrote the script in January 2019, a full year before filming. He said the idea “came from a mix of discussions both locally and nationally around the importance of teachers of color in schools,” and also from “a separate conversation around where to draw the line” when it comes to tough coaching styles. These threads make the film worth watching, even for those of us who do not gravitate toward basketball. What makes it palatable is the absence of heroes and villains in the short film. Its characters all feel human.
It concludes with a suggestion of what might happen next, but there is no gift-wrapped ending. This may be because Noel-Sullivan hopes to turn it into a feature length film, following the relationship between basketball player Luke and Coach Weaver over the course of a full season. The short film only treats us to scenes of grueling tryouts.
On The Whistle, produced by The Hartford Film Company, will have its online premiere today (Wednesday, September 2, 2020) at Film Shortage and Directors Notes.
