Navigating adulthood as a young woman in the 2020’s can be fraught with uncertainty, fear and anxiety. For Ava, it’s even harder. After the death of her best friend, Ava is thrown into her senior year of high school alone.

This gripping, raw and realistic narrative follows Ava as she fights to find her way forward. Young women will find the story relatable, as will their friends who are men. When asked what attracted this male filmmaker to this female-driven story, McGowan replied, “was attracted to the story first. But, any story I write needs to be authentic. So if there was ever a moment I was unsure about its authenticity, I have a wonderful network of people I trust and rely on to tell me it is or isn’t authentic.”

AVA confronts head-on to some of our society’s most pervasive and difficult issues – mental health, date rape, and loneliness – from an intimate first-person perspective. All of which continue to be socially stigmatized. “Humanizing an experience is a great way to destigmatize.  Once we see that the people experiencing something we might read about on social media or in the press, the taboo of it all fades away and we’re left with people having a life experience with which we can empathize,” according to McGowan.

The film features talent from the regional area including: Lysia Modford (Ava), Olivia Gardella (Olivia), Steve Reazor (Dr. Enos), Jody Reppert (Ava’s Father), Amy Hudak (Diana), Alexander Stunz (Dean) and Annie Kitchell (Lexi). Profanity and themes of sexual violence and suicide are present throughout the film. However, the filmmaker takes great care in presenting these issues accurately and sensitively, making this film an important “must-see” for older teens and young adults, along with their parents, guardians and teachers.