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Mile 2
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TYPE: Narrative Short
GENRE: Drama
STATUS: Development
LOGLINE
A dog connects them. The truth lives just beyond what either is willing to say.
SYNOPSIS
After losing his dog, Vern never stopped searching. Fran built a life around the one she found. When their paths cross, something special unexpectedly begins, unaware it’s built on a fault line. Mile 2 is a slow-burning story about guilt, denial and the fragile narratives we build to survive.
ARTISTIC STATEMENT
I wrote Mile 2 as a quiet tribute to the people, stories, and emotional undercurrents of New York City. It’s about two strangers who briefly collide, connected by a dog and the stories they’ve told themselves to survive. The film is subtle, emotionally layered, and haunting. It's the kind of story that unfolds quietly, then lingers. From the beginning, I knew this wasn’t a film that should explode. It needed to linger. In glances, in silence, in the emotional static between two people. It’s not about dramatic confrontation, but emotional unraveling. The city hums around them, alive and indifferent, full of people moving forward and barely looking up. That contrast, between connection and isolation, is the heartbeat of this film. Though Mile 2 is my directorial debut, I’ve spent years honing my perspective—waiting not just to make something, but to make something meaningful. My goal is to create something emotionally precise, visually restrained, and deeply honest. Anchored in performance and rooted in character, my vision is to tell a story that honors New York, the love of dogs, and the complexities of the human experience. I’m building a team around that vision: collaborators who understand how to hold space for complexity without needing to explain it away. I’m inspired by filmmakers who trust the audience—stories like Call Me by Your Name, Aftersun, Past Lives, Close and Never Rarely Sometimes Always. What unites them is emotional clarity through restraint. That’s what I’m chasing. Not a twist. Not a lesson. Just a quietly devastating truth about grief, guilt, and the fragile stories we build to carry on.
KEY CREW
Taylor Naslund - Writer & Director
Taylor Naslund is an award-winning writer and first-time director whose work explores the human experience. A graduate of the University of Minnesota’s film program, he tells character-driven, emotionally layered stories often set against the distinctive backdrop of New York City.
His short screenplay Mile 2 won Best Short Screenplay at the 2025 New York International Screenplay Awards and is currently in consideration at three other major festivals. Though Mile 2 marks his directorial debut, Taylor has spent years honing his perspective—waiting not just to make something, but to make something meaningful.
Influenced by filmmakers like the Safdie Brothers, Sofia Coppola, and Noah Baumbach, his projects in development favor striking visual tone, layered storytelling, and authentic dialogue. He has a deep love for New York City and can’t imagine making art anywhere else in the world.
Ali Klunick - Producer & Production Designer
Ali Klunick is a creative producer and production designer based in New York City. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin with a background in graphic design, she brings over a decade of senior-level art direction experience for a major NYC corporation, working with top-tier talent both domestically and abroad.
Ali is especially skilled in interior settings, visual world-building, and the graphic elements that shape a film’s aesthetic. Her ability to craft emotionally resonant environments brings subtle depth to every frame. As a producer, she offers a sharp eye, calm presence, and strong skills in location scouting, talent coordination, and working with animals on set.
She’s committed to bringing Mile 2 to life with clarity, care, and a deep understanding of its emotional core.
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