Director Sophia Castuera’s film August at twenty-two is showing at the 2023 New Jersey International Film Festival on Friday, June 9th at 7 p.m. and online for 24 hours. Written and starring Ali Edwards, the narrative feature film details the post-graduate life of Cal, a floundering New York City actress who accidentally falls in love with her best friend’s girlfriend.

We first meet Cal a few months after her college graduation, “pursuing” acting full-time. She goes on auditions every so often, for which she is almost always unprepared, and her priorities lie more within her social life. Her best friend Bobby, played by Jorge Felipe Guevara, acts as her confidant and moral compass, reminding her not to lose focus on acting despite the social excitement of this new chapter. However, when she reunites with her childhood best friend, Jacob, her life begins to unravel.

Cal attends a party at her friend Jacob’s new apartment, where she meets his friends from college and his girlfriend, Emily. Cal is nervous around her, but viewers are left unsure about whether she is jealous of her relationship with Jacob or if there is a romantic connection between them. The tension between Cal and Jacob is palpable, but that same tension is present between Cal and Emily, which is apparent in Cal’s inquisitiveness toward her.

The handheld shots used throughout the film create a sense of intimacy and connection between the characters and the audience. They also add to the awkwardness exhibited by Cal; she presents herself as a character to simultaneously root for and root against. Her selfishness gets the better of her when she loses focus on acting and her friendship with Bobby to focus on Emily. During a photoshoot for which Cal models for Emily, their bond is intensified when both of them say they have dated girls. Cal begins to fall for her, and the pair get particularly close when Jacob and Emily’s relationship starts to fall apart.

August at twenty-two posits itself as an extremely relatable film for newly post-grad people. The feeling of not having control is tangible. Cal, like many people embarking on the terrifying journey into the “real world,” will inevitably hurt themselves and those around them in an effort to figure things out. When Jacob and Emily begin having relationship issues, Cal selfishly puts herself in the middle of it. Now that she is friends with both of them, her allegiances are blurry, but she still relies solely on her impulses despite the consequences they may yield.

The end of the film is a brilliant example of Cal’s selfishness and impulsivity. At Jacob’s parents' house, Emily learns he is going away on tour for a year, and he failed to tell her. Hurt and distraught, she runs upstairs and locks herself in the bathroom. Jacob runs after her and hides away in his room after she doesn’t let him in. Cal finds herself in Jacob’s room, and the childhood best friends kiss, a complete betrayal to Emily. Jacob, confused, leaves the room. Cal and Emily then meet up in the bathroom, where Cal professes her love to Emily. This scene was extremely well acted and filmed; the audience is tense watching Cal ruin her friendships and relationships in the name of impulse, but it also wants to see her succeed and make the situation right.

Casteura’s film is a reminder that early adulthood is messy yet forgiving. Cal perfectly represents the internal struggle that 20-somethings often find themselves in. Although they are expected to have their lives figured out after college, that doesn’t reflect the reality of most situations. Post-grad can be an extremely isolating time full of failed attempts and disappointments. However, Cal’s character is also indicative of the human ability to forgive oneself despite the inevitable mistakes people make.

August at Twenty-Two screens at the 2023 New Jersey International Film Festival on Friday, June 9. The film will be Online for 24 Hours and In-Person at 7 PM in Voorhees Hall #105/Rutgers University, 71 Hamilton Street, New Brunswick, NJ. Tickets are available for purchase here.