Watch Every Other Weekend (2024), a moving drama short film exploring family separation. An official short film from Mick Robertson & Margaret Rose. A young woman decides between going on a first date and staying at home with her baby.
💔 Every Other Weekend (2024) — Drama Short Film by Mick Robertson & Margaret Rose
A tender yet tense portrait of single motherhood, Every Other Weekend 2024 short film captures the push‑and‑pull between wanting a life of your own and being tethered to responsibilities you can’t — and won’t — walk away from. Co‑directed by Mick Robertson and Margaret Rose, and written by Rose, this 11‑minute Canadian drama unfolds in real time, turning a cramped apartment into a stage for love, frustration, and the quiet heroics of everyday parenting.
🧭 Overview
- Genre: Drama / Slice‑of‑life
- Directors: Mick Robertson & Margaret Rose
- Writer: Margaret Rose
- Cast highlights:
- Frosina Pejcinovska as Holly
- Jake Shannon as Chris
- Arthur Bathe & Franklin Bathe as Max
- Nina Gilmour as Nancy
- Runtime: ~11 minutes
- Release date: 6 September 2024 (Canada)
- Country: Canada 🇨🇦
- Language: English
- Budget: Estimated CA$20,000
- Festival spotlight: Premiered at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) 2024 in the Stories We Tell shorts programme
Watch full short:
📖 Story in Brief
It’s supposed to be Holly’s night off — a rare chance to go on a first date and maybe remember who she is outside of motherhood. But when her ex, Chris, is late returning their toddler Max on his custody weekend, the evening starts to unravel.
- The Waiting Game: Holly paces her small apartment, half‑dressed for the date, half‑distracted by the growing pile of toys and the sound of Max fussing.
- The Calls: She tries to reach Chris — first to hurry him along, then to ask for diapers on his way. Each unanswered ring tightens the knot in her chest.
- The Shift: As the clock ticks, the possibility of making her date fades. The walls feel closer, the air heavier.
- The Choice: Stay home with Max, or leave him with Chris despite her doubts. Either way, she’s reminded that freedom, for her, is never simple.
🛠️ Creative “Tools” & Style
- Real‑time tension: The story plays out almost minute‑for‑minute, mirroring Holly’s mounting frustration.
- Single‑location intimacy: The apartment becomes a character — cluttered, warm, and claustrophobic all at once.
- Performance‑driven: Frosina Pejcinovska carries the film with a layered portrayal of love, exhaustion, and longing.
- Visual storytelling: Photos on the fridge, souvenirs from a California trip, and the glow of a phone screen hint at a life paused.
- Sound design: The hum of appliances, the baby’s cries, and the muffled city outside create a lived‑in soundscape.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
Pros
- 🎯 Relatable core: Speaks to anyone balancing personal dreams with caregiving.
- 🎭 Strong central performance: Pejcinovska’s Holly feels real enough to know.
- 🎥 Tight focus: No subplots to dilute the emotional throughline.
- 💬 Social resonance: Highlights the invisible labour of single parents.
Cons
- ⏳ Short runtime: Leaves you curious about Holly’s life beyond this night.
- 🌀 Contained scope: The single setting may feel too enclosed for some viewers — though that’s part of the point.
🌟 Themes & Resonance
- Motherhood & identity: The tug between selfhood and caregiving.
- Co‑parenting tensions: The emotional toll of unreliable arrangements.
- Working‑class realities: How small logistical snags can derail big hopes.
- Emotional labour: The unseen work of holding everything together.
👥 Who Is It For?
- Parents & caregivers: Those who’ve felt the bittersweet pull of “me time” vs. “their needs.”
- Festival audiences: Fans of intimate, character‑driven storytelling.
- Social issue advocates: Viewers interested in nuanced portrayals of single motherhood.
💡 Humanized Takeaway
Every Other Weekend isn’t about a missed date — it’s about the quiet compromises that define a life. Robertson and Rose capture the bittersweet truth that for many parents, freedom is fleeting, and love is both the anchor and the weight.
🔍 Find More & Support
- IMDb page for Every Other Weekend — full cast, crew, and production details.
- TIFF 2024 trailer — official festival preview.
- Moveable Fest interview — Mick Robertson & Margaret Rose on crafting the film’s tension and intimacy.