Lockdown with Post-Film Discussion

Inspired by real events, Lockdown follows a mother who arrives to pick up her daughter from school and suddenly finds herself trapped in a terrifying fight for survival. Without relying on graphic violence, this short film creates tension through uncertainty, fear, and emotional realism, capturing the psychological impact of school violence with restraint and humanity. Lockdown film was the recipient of the David Brower Filmmaker Grant and then premiered at the 2025 Sidewalk Film Festival. The film has since screened around the world and has won awards in Berlin, The Hague and most recently took home the Jury Award at the ATL Shorts Festival. Writer and director Melanie van Betten Jeffcoat brings both personal experience and documentary storytelling instincts to the project, crafting a film that feels urgent, intimate, and deeply affecting. Her work consistently explores difficult subjects through character-driven storytelling that stays grounded in empathy.