Animals disperse. Madellyn looks through the hole in the wall. A boy has died. Her graduation comes soon, then college next. Celandine flowers take over.

The Forward Momentum of Madellyn Knightley is a character study about surviving the opioid epidemic. Madellyn is an introverted high school senior. She gives insight into a closing chapter of her life, raising numerous questions.

This story of the opioid epidemic expands into a playful tool. During interview sessions, Madellyn’s surroundings speak for the unutterable. The result is dynamic and personal, with hints of New Gonzo. The film is a sister-work to Kinkead’s previous short documentary KYLE CHANT. Both share themes, such as demands for a new journalism, cybernetic memory, and nonlinearity of consciousness.

This project was created by Jackson Kinkead in response to NOW WHAT open call written by Anise S. Hines Theus, Daleen Saah, Jasmine Lin, and Joal Stein.