Serve the Country
From the Archives
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Drama, Short Films, 03-Sep-2025
A fast-talking man claiming to be a former tennis prodigy navigates a series of skeptical encounters. “Serve the Country,” directed by Fabian Velasco and Milos Mitrovic, delivers both dark comedy and double meaning to the sport of tennis and the concept of stolen valor. Frantically strolling down a sidewalk, the unnamed man observes some action on a local tennis court. Intrigued, he posts up next to a stranger and begins to offer anecdotes about previously playing the sport. The stranger agrees to rally with him but our protagonist doesn’t have a racket. When he goes to the sports supply store, rackets are expensive and he inquires about a veteran discount. The sales clerk responds by sharing a deeply personal story about 9/11, and the young man completely checks out, wondering how to re-approach his strategy. In a camouflage t-shirt, he solicits strangers for donations outside a local supermarket, making the mistake of approaching a group of off-duty soldiers. Several questions linger for this mysterious man in this mildly disturbing character study told with a looming sound design and telephoto angles. -JM. Director: Fabian Velasco, Milos Mitrovic. DP: Jesse De Rocquigny. Editor: Fabian Velasco. Cast: Milos Mitrovic, Cole Vincent, Gavin Reid, Ben Williams, Harley James Flett, Jason Krahn, Keith Jaeger, Sandro di Bari, Katy Slimmon, Beth Schellenberg, Tavis Putnam, Sam Singer, Stacie Hamulka, Britney Wilson.
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