A 16-year-old makes an unusual request of his drug dealer classmate. Christian Meola directs “The Expanding Horizon,” a coming-of-age drama where a young man turns to peculiar measures in the hopes of making a connection. Sitting close to one another in their high school world history class, James eyes his peer, Derek. He’s anxious about getting his $40 weed after class ends. Adamant that they meet on the hillside behind the school rather than anywhere else, the hand-off occurs, but James offers another $100 but for a completely different request. The film’s account is awkwardly tense but remains subtle thanks to the understated deliveries of its two actors. -JM. Writer/Director: Christian Meola. Cast: Sebastian Perez, Javier Duran. DP: Nicola Newton. Producers: Landon Kovalick, Kevin Wall, Ryan Martin Brown, Paula Andrea Gonzales Nasser. Editor: Jake Hammond. Production Sound: Brendan Collins.