Deep in the Appalachian Mountains, an isolated group worships the statue of the Straw Lady, a

maternal figure that protects them. Leonard and Clyde are the sons of the leader of this cult who

has just died unexpectedly. After his funeral, Clyde tells Leonard and their maternal caretaker,

Lydia, that he’s leaving the cult. After being manipulated by Lydia and being unable to convince his

brother to stay, Leonard’s psyche breaks, him hearing the voice of the Straw Lady. This leads to a fiery

confrontation between the brothers and a bitter end to Lydia’s manipulation that leaves Leonard free

from the confines of the cult, but with no clear way to go.

Director Biography - Liam Arnold

Liam a filmmaker from Baltimore, MD. He always knew he wanted to be an artist but his film career started in 2017 working on independent short films. Since then, he has worked in several departments including Production, G&E, Camera, and Sound as well as directed his own independent projects both professionally and at the Savannah College of Art and Design. This broad range of experience and strong artistic drive have given Liam the tools he needs to make The Straw Lady a great film.

Director Statement

With a flood of "content" in the current film market, independent pictures driven by unique filmmakers and unprecedented ideas are more important than ever. This project and the people involved support the idea that cinema is more than just a product. The goal of The Straw Lady is to unsettle viewers and make them examine the role religious and parental figures have on our community, relationships, and psyche. As a filmmaker, I aim to make art that provokes people to think deeply, and The Straw Lady is no exception.