“Shadows” is the story of Max (4) and Noah (7), two brothers living with their single mother. Max is energetic and wild, and Noah, fighting a life-long illness, loves to help guide him. With huge imaginations, they exist both in this world and another—a magical universe where only kids can exist, where their belief in everything makes life bright and beautiful. Together, they create an imaginary world made of shadows, where they can play endlessly. But Noah is keeping a big secret from Max—something that will change the course of their lives forever.

When Noah collapses in the shadow world, he must finally tell Max the truth. Together, the boys face their fears, and Max does all he can think of to help his brother. Armed with flashlights and their dreams, the brothers ultimately find that the harshness of reality is closing in on them, whether they like it or not.

A story of grief, of friendship, and of family, “Shadows” tackles a topic that many of us would rather not face. But there is a Max within us all—a child who has felt the distinct crack of loss and hasn’t known how to fill it. This film hopes to shed a light on the process of losing our childhood innocence, and how we may one day begin to “take away the dark.”