Kris Shuman
Family Tradition

Family Tradition

In this family, inheritance doesn’t come with money—it comes with blood.

Format Short Film — Southern Gothic / Drama
Status Post-Production
Comps The Hateful Eight meets August: Osage County

There’s things in this town much worse than murder.

— Gray Harris

Overview

On a storm-soaked night in a dying Southern town, three estranged siblings reunite at a diner after their father’s funeral, hoping to put the past behind them. Instead, old wounds split open as buried truths about their family begin to surface—rumors of murder, secrets about their mother, and the dark legacy tied to their land. As tensions rise, one brother reveals he may be more like their father than anyone wants to admit. What starts as a conversation turns into a reckoning, as the line between victim and monster blurs beyond recognition. When the past finally walks through the door, it becomes clear—this family’s story was never over.

Themes

  • Identity
  • Family Legacy
  • Inherited Violence
  • Truth vs Denial

Tone

Contained tension. Intimate. Volatile. Darkly human.

Stills

Another name is carved.

Another name is carved.

A moment of silence in the rain.

A moment of silence in the rain.

They’re here.

They’re here.

The loving sister.

The loving sister.

What’s this all about?

What’s this all about?

There’s things worse than murder.

There’s things worse than murder.

If this kind of story fits what you’re building—let’s talk.