“Ben’s Sister” poster.
Emma Weinswig, is a talented Writer/Director/Actress who took home the SXSW Audience Award for “Ben’s Sister,” an 18-minute film that won the Narrative Shorts Competition at SXSW in 2025. The film depicts the high school antics of a group of teen-aged boys who are attempting to win the award for the Senior Scavenger Hunt. The Senior Scavenger Hunt has them doing a series of things that seem cool to senior boys and posting pictures of these antics online. What sorts of things must the young men do to win the Senior Scavenger Hunt?
SENIOR SCAVENGER HUNT POINTS
Poster for “Ben’s Sister.”
Make a halfcourt basketball shot: 30 points. Swallow a goldfish: 100 points. Kidnap a freshman: 500 points. Get Rachel M. to flash you and get Sebastian’s mom to kiss you: 500 points. Defecate on the Redwood home plate: 500 points. Ding dong ditch and get Lea to meet you at the swimming pool to swim and, last but not least, hook up with a freshman girl for 2,000 points.
I may have gotten the points to be earned slightly incorrect, but the last one is the one that causes the trouble within the group of testosterone-fueled boys. Ben discovers that one of his friends, Chase, hit on his freshman sister, Emma, to earn points for the Scavenger Hunt. The discovery seems to open Ben’s mind regarding the double standard that he has been living, vis a vis male/female relationships. It’s okay to behave like a predatory male animal when it’s somebody else’s sister, but when Ben thinks that his friend Chase has hit on his own freshman sister, Emma, his opinion changes. The behavior we see Ben emulating doesn’t seem as cool in the light of reality. One wishes that the leaders of our country had similar “Eureka!” moments. The indisputable fact is that every under-age girl is someone’s daughter or sister.
MICHAEL GANDOLFINI
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 10: Michael Gandolfini attends HBO’s “The Sopranos” 25th anniversary celebration on January 10, 2024 at Da Nico Ristorante in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/WireImage)
The role of Ben’s friend Chase is played by 26-year-old Michael Gandolfini, son of James Gandolfini. I’ve been following Michael Gandolfini since he appeared in 2021’s “The Many Saints of Newark” and in the 2024 hilarius short “Tea.” In “Tea” the young Gandolfini portrayed a Circuit City employee who is stung in the throat by a hornet. That 12-minute Blake Rice-directed short co-starred Olivia Nikkanen and was as absurd as it sounds.
When the young Gandolfini began acting in 2011 he was only 12 years old. Now, as a 26-year-old, Michael Gandolfini has amassed 21 credits, many of them shorts. It is only a matter of time until we see young Gandolfini dominating filmscreens, hopefully with the same charisma as his father.
MICHAEL GANDOLFINI TODAY
Michael Gandolfini today.
In the early years, young Michael did not look that much like his legendary father. As he has matured and filled out, he is resembling James, his father, more and more. It was remarkable, especially when I went back in the archives and looked at earlier photos. He is shaping up to look remarkably like his Dad and is definitely on target to build an equally impressive career.
BEN & EMMA WEINSWIG
Ben & Emma Weinswig
The lead in “Ben’s Sister,” Ben Weinswig, is actually the brother of Emma Weinswig, who wrote and directed this short. “Ben’s Sister” won both the Audience Award for a narrative short at SXSW and was also nominated for the 2025 Grand Jury Award in Austin. The music (April Harper Gray), cinematography (Shane Bagwell) and editing (Will Noyce and William Lancaster) were excellent and all performers were totally believable in their roles….(even if one of then was 26 while portraying an 18-year-old.)
MAIN MALE CAST:
Primary male cast of “Ben’s Sister,” including Ben Weinswig, Sam Rechner, Brian Niles, Michael Gandolfini
The main cast members were Ben Weinswig as Ben, Michael Gandolfini as Chase, Brian Niles as Sebastian “Sebi”; Sam Rechner as Ryder; and Charlie Brady as Jasper. In the photo, Ben is bottom left, Sebi (Sebastian) is upper right, and bottom right is Michael Gandolfini.
FEMALE MAIN CAST:
Emma Weinswig (also Writer/Director/Star) as Emma (Ben’s Sister); Alex Costello as Lia; Siena Werber as Stella; Alexis G. Lall as Lizzy; Natalie Rousseau as Ava; and Emma Kuhlman as Tallulah.
Other members of the Mill Valley, California T-High class were Sophia Grace Macy as Alyssa, Miles Elliot as Jack, Steve Weinswig as Mr. Pavolick, Madeliene Smith as Rachel M, Rachel Turner as Celeste, Lindsay Nelson as Emily and Luke Yellen as Turtle. “Ben’s Sister” will screen on Saturday, September 20th at 2 p.m. in Regal Green Hils Theater #14 at the 56th Nashville Film Festival and will stream to ticket holders from September 22nd (8 a.m.) until midnight on September 29th, 2025.
