🎬 Watch Safety (2019)—a gripping drama short film by Fabrice Joubert. Emotions, tension & powerful storytelling. Don’t miss it! The lives of a young boy, his classmates and their gym teacher are shattered forever by the presence of a shooter in their small-town elementary school.
🛡️ Safety (2019) — Drama Short Film by Fabrice Joubert
A tense, haunting, and deeply human look at a moment no child — or teacher — should ever have to face, Safety distills the terror of a school shooting into 14 minutes of pure emotional impact. Written, directed, and produced by Fabrice Joubert, and based on a short story by Lydia Fitzpatrick, this U.S.–France co‑production uses restraint, empathy, and craft to make its point: the conversation about gun violence cannot wait.
🧠Overview
- Genre: Drama / Social issue
- Director & Writer: Fabrice Joubert (based on Lydia Fitzpatrick’s short story)
- Producers: Fabrice Joubert, Samuel François‑Steininger
- Cast: Rob Nagle (Gym Teacher), Garrison Griffith (Michael), Gattlin Griffith (Dan), Marie Mouté (Mother)
- Music: Mathieu Alvado (performed by the London Symphony Orchestra 🎻)
- Runtime: ~14 minutes
- Premiere: 27 May 2019 — Krakow Film Festival
- Countries: United States 🇺🇸 & France 🇫🇷
- Production companies: Easter Moon Films & Composite Films
- Awards: Multiple wins including Best Drama, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Child Actor, Best Score at L.A. Film Awards; Best Short Film at Lift‑Off Los Angeles; Best Director at Peak City International Film Festival2
Watch full short:
đź“– Story in Brief
In a small‑town elementary school, 8‑year‑old Michael lies on the cold gym floor, stretching with his classmates. A sudden pop — the unmistakable sound of a gunshot 🔫 — shatters the routine.
The gym teacher, played with quiet urgency by Rob Nagle, ushers the children into his cramped office, locking the door as footsteps echo closer. Amid the fear, Michael senses something familiar about the shooter… and makes a split‑second decision that will change both their lives forever.
🛠️ Creative “Tools” & Style
- Minimal on‑screen violence: Joubert builds dread without showing gore — the horror is in what you don’t see.
- Close‑ups on faces: Young actors’ expressions carry the emotional weight, making the fear intimate and unforgettable.
- Sound design: Distant shots, muffled footsteps, and the gym’s hollow acoustics amplify tension.
- Deliberate pacing: Slow, careful camera moves mirror the characters’ breathless waiting.
- Score as heartbeat: Mathieu Alvado’s orchestration swells and recedes with the characters’ fear.
✅ Pros & ❌ Cons
Pros
- 🎯 Emotional precision: Captures the innocence of children under threat without exploitation.
- 🎥 Cinematic restraint: Proves you don’t need graphic imagery to make a point.
- 🎠Strong performances: Especially from the child actors, grounding the story in authenticity.
- 🏆 Festival success: Recognition across multiple continents.
Cons
- ⏳ Short runtime: Leaves you wanting more context about Michael and the shooter.
- 🌀 Emotional intensity: The realism may be overwhelming for some viewers.
🌟 Key Features
- Social relevance: Engages directly with the U.S. gun violence crisis.
- Adaptation: Faithful yet cinematic take on Lydia Fitzpatrick’s short story.
- International collaboration: U.S.–France production with global festival reach.
- Educational potential: Could be used to spark discussion in classrooms and community forums.
🎯 Use Cases & Applications
- Film studies: Example of tension‑building without explicit violence.
- Advocacy: Screenings to support anti‑gun‑violence campaigns.
- Acting workshops: Study in subtle, high‑stakes performance.
đź‘Ą Who Is It For?
- Social issue advocates: Those working to end gun violence.
- Educators & parents: Seeking conversation starters about safety and empathy.
- Cinephiles: Fans of short films that blend craft with conscience.
đź’ˇ Humanized Takeaway
Safety 2019 short film is not about spectacle — it’s about the fragility of ordinary moments and the courage found in impossible ones. Joubert’s choice to focus on faces, breath, and silence makes the fear palpable and the message clear: these stories are real, and they demand action.
🔍 Find More & Support
- Stage and Cinema review — analysis of its craft and emotional impact.
- Wikipedia entry on Safety (2019) — production details, plot, and awards.
- IMDb page for Safety — full cast, crew, and festival history.