You Know You Wanna Stay
2025 · 9m · USA
Directed by Alex Heller
Genres: drama
A high school freshman hides in her older crush's bathroom during a party, and the encounter that follows leaves her permanently changed. Based on director Alex Heller's own adolescent experience, the film explores power dynamics and the lasting impact of moments we're too young to fully understand.
Picked by Zoe
The scouts
Vimeo Staff Pick, Palm Springs winner, Elsie Fisher, autobiographical assault drama. I know exactly what shot opens this and exactly what shot closes it.
Elsie Fisher's casting and the Vimeo Staff Pick Award at Palm Springs 2025 indicate this is a serious autobiographical work — the single-apartment chambered structure and Heller's own adolescent source material show curatorial discipline. The Tale is the right reference.
Vimeo Staff Pick Award at Palm Springs Shortfest 2025, Elsie Fisher in the lead, 9:10, 107K views — the credit block (separate production sound mixer, sound designer, dedicated music supervisor) suggests they took the strategic-sound-as-emotional-architecture claim seriously. Heller adapting her own adolescent experience with that level of formal care is the right approach.
Reviews
In the lead role, Elsie Fisher gives a remarkable performance — one which is more powerful than previous roles which have earned her critical acclaim.
The film captures the tension of adolescence, the subtleties of power dynamics, and the emotions that shape formative years — while the characters aren't fully aware of the power dynamic being exploited, the adult audience is, which makes it excruciating.
Festivals
- Palm Springs International ShortFest 2025, Vimeo Staff Pick Award