Across the Tracks 2015
Across the Tracks (2015) is a poignant short film by director Michael Cooke that explores the fractured bond between two sisters reunited by tragedy.
Director: Michael Cooke
Cast
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Across the Tracks (2015) about?
Across the Tracks follows two sisters, Tara and Ella Hines, who are reunited after 40 years by their mother's death. The film contrasts their lives—Tara as a successful architect in the city and Ella as a steadfast caretaker in their rural hometown—while uncovering their painful past through flashbacks of 1960s Georgia under segregation.
Who directed Across the Tracks?
Across the Tracks was directed by Michael Cooke, who crafts a deeply emotional narrative centered on family and historical injustice.
Who stars in Across the Tracks?
The film features Don Battee, Nicky Buggs, Berkeley Clayborne, Brynn Crosby, and Britney Heard in key roles.
Is Across the Tracks (2015) worth watching?
While brief at just 15 minutes, Across the Tracks delivers a powerful punch with its emotional depth and social themes. Its exploration of family bonds and segregation offers more substance than many shorts, making it thought-provoking despite its runtime.
How long is Across the Tracks?
Across the Tracks has a runtime of 15 minutes.
About Across the Tracks (2015) — A 15-minute film about sisters, segregation, and second chances
Across the Tracks (2015) is a poignant short film by director Michael Cooke that explores the fractured bond between two sisters reunited by tragedy. Set against the backdrop of 1960s rural Georgia, the story follows Tara Hines, a fiercely independent architect who fled her small-town roots for success in the big city, and her younger sister Ella, who remained behind to care for their family. When their estranged mother passes away after four decades apart, their long-buried past resurfaces through vivid flashbacks that reveal a childhood steeped in the harsh realities of segregation, from segregated bathrooms to the humiliation of side entrances marked "Coloreds only."
With raw emotion and quiet intensity, Across the Tracks paints a deeply human portrait of family, resilience, and the enduring scars of prejudice. The film's stark contrast between Tara's urban ambition and Ella's steadfast devotion to home creates a compelling dynamic, while Cooke's direction captures both the warmth of sisterhood and the weight of historical injustice. The result is a short but impactful meditation on reconciliation, identity, and the places we come from.