Southwest Gay & Lesbian Film Festival 2009

Jesse’s life seems bad enough, until her father moves her and her younger sister to a rural community, where everything suddenly looks even worse. There, the tomboyish Jesse becomes the target of the tiny school’s prissy girl clique; her dad’s new job and coworkers keep him even busier than usual; and – perhaps worst of all – Jesse’s been forbidden from collecting the tiger moths she finds so fascinating. But, even though she doesn’t know it yet, Jesse’s about to meet some of the best friends she’ll ever have, and tap into an inner strength that, much to everyone’s surprise, works wonders as a bully repellent A tender, poignant and genuinely funny portrait of how friendship can make the difference in a young person’s life, NIGHT FLIERS is appropriate for younger audiences while also being completely captivating for anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider in their own home or school. —Brian Herrera