A Daughter’s Silence and a Mother’s Distance: “There’s Something I Have to Tell You” Awarded Best Short of May 2025

Independent Shorts Awards has awarded There’s Something I Have to Tell You, written and directed by Jamie Savarese (USA), Best Short of May 2025—one of the top recognitions of the monthly cycle and a strong candidate for the upcoming Annual Awards, to be held on September 6 at Regal LA Live in Los Angeles.

A Personal Story Set Against the Landscape of the Bahamas

Set in a small town in the Bahamas, There’s Something I Have to Tell You follows a young woman and her mother as they work together to build a house—an act of physical construction that parallels their tentative attempt at emotional rebuilding. Beneath the physical labor lies a deeper, more painful task: the daughter is struggling to find the words—and the courage—to share a long-held secret that has shaped the distance between them.

Portraying the daughter is actress Reagan Kelly, who brings a restrained and deeply felt performance to the role. Her character’s internal conflict is portrayed with quiet intensity, allowing viewers to sense the weight of unspoken truth beneath every glance and pause. Opposite her, Suzanne Kovi delivers a nuanced portrayal of the mother—strong, loving, and unknowingly distant. Together, the two create a believable and emotionally charged dynamic that carries the film with authenticity and compassion.

Reagan Kelly in **There’s Something I Have to Tell You**

Suzanne Kovi in **There’s Something I Have to Tell You**

A Cathartic and Thoughtful Work

“This film is a deeply personal story for me,” said Savarese in a director’s statement. “Though it’s not an exact retelling of my own life, it shares many of its emotional truths and themes. I wrote it as a cathartic expression—both to process my own story and to hold space for others who’ve carried similar pain.”

Jamie Savarese, director of **There’s Something I Have to Tell You**

That emotional clarity carries through the film’s tone, which avoids overt dramatization in favor of quiet tension and naturalistic rhythm. The Bahamas setting is rendered with a sense of stillness and warmth, contrasting the internal struggle of its characters. With a restrained visual style and subtle performances, Savarese creates a space where emotional truths unfold organically, often in silence, gesture, or hesitation.

An Emerging Voice in Queer and Family-Centered Storytelling

Jamie Savarese, a Texas-born LGBTQ+ writer and director, continues to expand her body of work across genres. In addition to There’s Something I Have to Tell You, she has developed projects including the satirical dark comedy Hazewith, the queer coming-of-age feature Ciao Bella, and was part of the writing team on The Big Leap (Fox). Her screenwriting has earned accolades such as the Out Loud List (best unproduced TV pilot scripts by queer writers), the Love List (feature romance scripts), and finalist placements in both the Black List x GM Incubator and The Black List To Be Commissioned Initiative.

Currently, Savarese is developing Everyone is Welcome Here, a queer horror romance feature, which further reflects her versatility and commitment to telling emotionally driven, often genre-blending, stories through a queer lens.

Honoring a Quietly Powerful Film

There’s Something I Have to Tell You stood out in the May 2025 competition for its intimate writing, thematic clarity, and strong personal vision. The Independent Shorts Awards’ recognition of the film speaks to its emotional resonance, particularly in its exploration of family bonds and the healing strength of vulnerability.