HUNTER GATHERER American Independents

Fresh from a three-year prison stint, wiry and high-strung Ashley (Andre Royo) returns to his mother’s South LA home determined to pick up his life where it left off, including a longstanding relationship with Linda, who reveals she’s since taken up with a local garbage man. Ferociously determined to improve his lot in life and win Linda back, Ashley quickly improvises an outlandish hustle, digging himself deeper into his own brand of trouble. He forms an unexpected friendship with the shy, awkward Jeremy, who’s on his own quest to save the life of his bedridden grandfather. With each man hungry for connection and needing support, the pair come to rely on one another, each struggling to turn back the clock while somehow moving forward to a place of unexpected grace. Challenging common depictions of life in South LA, director/writer Josh Locy’s HUNTER GATHERER is a sly, intriguing and frequently funny feature debut, anchored by Royo’s exceptional performance. — Cedar Sherbert