Short Film AFIN 320
THE REACH
Directed by 
Luca Caserta
AFIN 2025 Winner
- 2025
- 28m
-
Italy - Italian
- MA15+
- Drama
- Fantastic
Stills
1 frame
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Credits
Produced by
Starring
- Jana Balkan Stella Flanders
-
Vincenzo Tosetto Bill Flanders (ghost) -
Paolo Rozzi Alden Flanders - Elisabetta De Gasperi Sarah Havelock
- Nunzia Messina Hattie Stoddard
- Loredana Sembenini Vera Spruce
- Sabrina Carletti Lois Perrault
- Gaia Carmagnani Missy Bowie
- Elisa Bertato
- Stefano Soprana Reverend McCracken
Cinematography
Editing
Music & Sound
Synopsis
Based on a short story by Stephen King. Featuring the song "Moonlight Motel" by Bruce Springsteen.
On Goat Island, elderly Stella Flanders must confront her past and the Reach that separates the isle from the mainland, in a journey between memories and love that transcends the boundaries of life.
Stella Flanders is the oldest woman on Goat Island. Throughout her life, she has never crossed the reach that separates the isle from the mainland. She has spent her entire existence in that small, close-knit community that is almost as welcoming as a family and in which she has always had everything she needed. But as a freezing winter descends upon the island, Stella begins to see visions of those she once loved, calling her toward the Reach. Perhaps the time has come for her to embark on that journey she never wished to take...
Director's Statement
“The Reach” is based on the short story by Stephen King, who granted me the rights to adapt it for the screen as part of his official Dollar Baby Program. While King is best known for his horror and supernatural fiction, he has also penned deeply moving, human tales. “The Reach” captivated me because it explores profound themes with a poetic touch: memory, roots, the cycle of generations, the unstoppable flow of time, and a love that transcends the boundaries of life - all wrapped in King’s signature supernatural atmosphere. The crossing that Stella, the protagonist, has always avoided carries both emotional and symbolic weight: it’s the moment she must confront her inner demons. “The Reach” is also a meditation on the delicate subject of the end-of-life, as well as a reflection on the climate instability of our times - embodied by the harshest freeze in fifty years, a central motif in the film. The story resonates with universal themes: isolation, personal growth, and the courage to embrace change. The border Stella faces is both literal and metaphorical. Crossing it marks a definitive “before” and “after”. What intrigued me most was exploring that precise moment - what happens when someone stands right at that threshold. The stretch of sea separating the island from the mainland becomes a metaphor for the passage between the world of the living and the world of the dead. While King’s original story is set on an island in Maine, the film was shot across several evocative locations in Italy: Verona, the Venice Lido, and the Lessini Mountains. In adapting the story, I aimed to preserve its emotional core while taking creative liberties to shape a personal vision. In my version, the Reach - so often spoken about - is rarely shown, becoming an almost supernatural presence looming over an isolated, self-sufficient community. I wanted to convey both the unity of its people and their detachment from the outside world. I also sought to instill a subtle ambiguity: are Stella’s visions real, or are they the product of a fading mind where memory, imagination, and reality begin to blur? The fact that the ghosts she encounters appear youthful and full of life - a detail that fascinated me in the original story - adds to this uncertainty. I paid special attention to the use of color as a storytelling tool - through lighting, production design, and costume. In particular, I focused on the contrast between red (recurring in Stella’s clothing and the blood symbolizing her illness) and the pure white of the snow, which represents resolution and the rebirth she moves toward as she finally chooses to make the crossing. The soundtrack features “Moonlight Motel” by Bruce Springsteen, used courtesy of the legendary artist and Sony Music. I had this song in mind from the very beginning, even while writing the screenplay. To me, it speaks of love and what remains of it - memories, the passage of time, and the ache of what’s gone. Its wistful melody and intimate lyrics perfectly echo the emotional world of the film, deepening its impact and adding further layers of meaning.
What makes this one special
- Nominated in 2 AFIN categoriesBest International Short Film · Best Visual Effects
From the Judges
From the Judges
A quiet story of age and memory set on a small island off a distant mainland, this short builds its world with patience and care. The lead performance drew real admiration for its emotional clarity, and the panel responded to the technical craft throughout, from the sweeping opening image to the wintry landscape and the lived-in production and costume design that carry a sense of history worn into every surface. Blocking is handled with a light touch, letting small shifts of power play out within scenes.
Director's Biography
Luca Caserta Director
Luca Caserta is an Italian filmmaker, graduated in film direction and screenwriting at the Movie Academy of Cinecittà (Rome), where he studied under renowned masters such as Carlo Lizzani, Giacomo Scarpelli, Mario Brenta, and Giuseppe Pinori. At Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome he deepened the study of direction of photography with Giuseppe Lanci. After writing and directing several plays, achieving important recognitions (including the "Premio Calcante" by SIAD - Italian Society of Dramatic Authors), he has dedicated himself exclusively to cinema and audiovisuals for several years now. He's author of medium-length films, short films, documentaries, and art videos. His work has been presented at many Festivals including Cannes Film Festival, David di Donatello Awards, Burbank International Film Festival, Sedona International Film Festival, Flickers’ Rhode Island Film Festival (Oscar-qualifying), Carmarthen Bay Film Festival (BAFTA-qualifying), and San Diego International Film Festival (Canadian Screen Award Qualifying). He wrote, directed and co-produced the short film "Inside the Mirror". The editing supervision is by Ugo De Rossi, editor, among others, of Fellini, Pasolini, Bertolucci, Petri and Rosi. The film, along with the following "Out of the Depths" and "The Other Side of the Moon", is part of a trilogy exploring the double and the hidden depths of the human soul. His experimental documentary "The Canvas Forge" focuses on the birth of a painting and the crafts behind it. His acclaimed short film "Tell Me Who I Am" won 181 awards globally, including the Award of Excellence for Direction at the Best Shorts Competition (USA). The film explores with deep intensity important and contemporary themes such as memory, violence against women, and the search for one's lost identity and dignity. The soundtrack includes the song "Piccola stella senza cielo" by the Italian rockstar Luciano Ligabue. In 2024, he wrote and directed "The Reach," which is officially based on the eponymous short story by Stephen King. The soundtrack features the song "Moonlight Motel" by Bruce Springsteen, courtesy of the artist and Sony Music. The film is currently touring the festival circuit and gaining important awards, including the Best Foreign Short Film Award at 17th Burbank International Film Festival (USA), the Best International Short at 32nd Sedona International Film Festival (USA), and the Best Live Action Award at 59th Balticon Film Festival (USA). Luca Caserta's works are characterized by touching different genres, styles and themes, from comedy, to social/civil commitment and human rights, to the investigation of the most obscure aspects of the human psyche, to the supernatural, highlighting a certain artistic versatility. Most of his short films are available on YouTube, Vimeo and Prime Video. He’s a member of ANAC (National Association of Film Authors), of SIAD (Italian Society of Dramatic Authors) and SIAE (Italian Society of Authors and Editors) and he's a juror for the Sunset Film Festival (Los Angeles) and served as curator for the Short Film Section at Schermi d'Amore Film Festival (Italy). He is also an Honorary Full Board Member of the Independent Film Festival Association (IFFA), an international organization that brings together the leading figures of global independent cinema.
Fuller cast & crew
- Leonardo Grandi David Perrault
- Damiano Danese Tommy Hal Perrault
- Gemma Portinari Lona Perrault
- Michele Carrera Richard Dodge
- Enrica Ghiglione Mary Dodge
- Isabella Caserta Radio announcer (voice)
- Mario Puliero Anchorman
- Luca Barbieri Tommy Frane (ghost)
- Andrea Bendazzoli Big George Havelock (ghost)
Story
Stephen King
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THE REACH was Winner of Best Lead Performance and a Nominee for Best International Short Film and Best Visual Effects at the AFIN International Film Festival 2025, a Top 100 Best Reviewed and IMDb-qualifying festival.
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