A teenager with autism tap dances to escape gang life. | Tap Boy

» Subscribe for the world’s best short films: » Get some merch: Tap Boy is used with permission from Will Kenning. Learn more at . OMELETO ON SOCIAL Instagram: Twitter: Facebook: A local drug dealer has taken over his grandmother’s flat, using it as a base of operations and often terrorizing the senior to keep her quiet. Within this house, a young teenage boy named Noah works for the dealer, albeit out of fear, running for him or caring for the grandmother. But one night he encounters something that uplifts his imagination: a performance of tap dancing on the television. The dance ignites his imagination, giving him a spot of brightness in an otherwise grim life as a runner for the drug gang. But when his dream begins to take him away from his duties, he confronts the ire of his bosses and faces a terrible choice. Directed and written by Will Kenning, this unique, high-concept short drama is set in the gritty milieu of British county lines gang life, but it also captures how a glimmer of hope can catch fire, even in the most desolate of moments and the most unexpected of ways. It ruptures the naturalism that’s often characteristic of the crime/gang genre, infusing it with the fresh, unconventional energy of dance and using its movement to generate rhythm, propulsion and pure, unmediated emotion. The result is a film that takes risks and captures the imagination, resulting in a genuine sense of hope that is rare in such a bleak genre. Blending crime and dance/musical genres in a naturalistic milieu might seem odd on paper -- West Side Story notwithstanding -- but it works here, thanks to the film’s unvarnished and matter-of-fact portrayal of Noah’s squalid socioeconomic reality. Beyond the gritty naturalism and observational camerawork, the direction has an excellent eye for the seemingly offhand gesture or detail that conveys so much about character or relationship. Though there are some moments of human warmth -- the clasp of hands after a kind gesture, for instance -- Noah’s world is generally bleak. But when Noah discovers tap dance, he finds some joy. He dances in secret as an escape from his life, moving with a carefree energy that he otherwise never gets to feel. Actor and dancer Keenan Munn-Francis traverses the poles of desperation and joy adroitly, his performance is compellingly understated and open with every moment, whether he’s acting or dancing. At certain key moments, the dance clearly becomes metaphorical, serving as an embodiment of violence and pain. But the lines between metaphor and reality blur when Noah is faced with a terrible predicament, one that just might be a point of no return into a life of crime and a hopeless future. Full of excellent performances and powerful emotion, “Tap Boy“ is a high-concept, stylized take on the gang/crime film, folding in explorations of elder abuse and economic deprivation along with the realities of county lines gangs, who use kids to prepare, store, deliver and sell drugs in their community, often coercing or intimidating them into silence and submission. The scope of the narrative is wide and intriguing, and viewers could easily imagine a larger story, as hinted in brief flashbacks and the richness of the supporting characters. But this short has a complete and satisfying emotional arc, one in which a cowed and silent kid finds enough hope to fight back against all odds. ABOUT OMELETO Omeleto is the home of the world’s best short films. We showcase critically-acclaimed filmmakers from the Oscars, Sundance, Cannes and more! Subscribe now: A teenager with autism tap dances to escape gang life. | Tap Boy Omeleto @Omeleto 🎬 Got a film? Submit it to us for consideration at