MONKEYSHINE!
MONKEYSHINE! is Jared Youmans’ first short film writing, directing, and producing! It filmed at Beyond Costumes in Yonkers on November 9th & 10th. You can hear about updates and check out behind-the-scenes photos on the official MONKEYSHINE! instagram, @monkeyshine.film . We are now in post-production, and hope to be finished and begin submitting to festivals in May 2025.
Growing up biracial in America means having some of the most unwanted, awkward, or hilarious conversations, depending on who you're meeting. Through the lens of picking a costume for Halloween, we aim to poke fun and tell the story of biracial kids and their parents.
MONKEYSHINE is a story about Tommy; a half-black, half-white kid; and his white Daddy. They head to a Halloween store, it's Tommy's first time picking his own costume! But what should be a simple outing turns tense when Tommy excitedly decides he wants to be a monkey for Halloween. Daddy is immediately uneasy, aware of the hurtful racial connotations that come with that choice, and attempts to steer his son toward a different option. As they navigate clueless employees, unwanted encounters with other customers, and Tommy’s excitement at the prospect of his "monkeyfication", the simple errand becomes a balancing act between protecting his child from the world he lives in and avoiding ruining his Halloween. Through humorous social tension, the film explores the complicated dynamics of even talking about race and identity within a father-son relationship.
