In 2023 I won first prize in Remix the Script short screenplay competition awarded by Open Screenplay and ADC (Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee). Draws on being the only left-hander in my family, yet departs from our family life by depicting a father coming to terms with his past culture/religion and letting his son find his way. I’ve always been interested in being hyphenate, these new terms in identity that move away from the “melting pot” of America and assimilation, more curious about the intersecting lines that our family navigated. But Lefty is also a baseball story and about running the bases, even if we feel a step behind, getting a pitch under control, trying to compete, the anxiety and pressures of growing up and just trying to feel like a normal kid.
Script is 7 Pages and I’m turning towards making it animated, since finding a version of me (left-handed Palestinian-Mormon) at either 7-years-old in the 80’s or 17 in the 90’s is incredibly challenging. Plus, my dad had a 1980’s Dodge Omni and later a Colt Vista and I don’t know where to find one of those. Would love to use a combination of Blender, After Effects, using family photos and moments to guide the look and style of the animation.
Jacob Kader 