During hot summer days in contemporary rural America, brothers Tommy and Eric pass carefree hours amongst their respective clans of buddies, tromping through the hilly woods around their home, swimming in the murky lake, holding wrestling competitions in the grassy fields, all while hoping to stumble upon something that might capture their wandering attention. Suddenly, an unexplained accident forces death into their young lives, leaving them confounded with devastation, confusion and anger.

In a stunning feature film debut by Daniel Patrick Carbone, Tommy and Eric quietly stumble through their summer dealing with a fundamental certainty in life, struggling to process death in vastly individual ways. Utilizing delicate storytelling and breathtaking photography, Carbone dives into the very nature of boys and, most poignantly, the relationship between brothers. He elegantly illustrates how both violence and support play pivotal roles in how they coexist. With incredibly sensitive performances by young leads Ryan Jones and Nathan Varnson, Hide Your Smiling Faces is filled with moments that remind us all of the heartbreaking realities that come with adolescence and how, in the blink of an eye, everything can change.

—Liza Domnitz

Directed by

Daniel Patrick Carbone