Bench Seats

Bench Seats explores how the patterns of the past echo into the present and how we reflect the stories of our parents. The film follows Dani, a woman at an emotional crossroads after an argument with her wife, Erin. When a song on the radio jolts her memory back to the summer of 1989, Dani recalls riding shotgun in her mom’s oversized Buick, navigating the complexities of her parents’ recent divorce and her mother’s struggle to rebuild their lives. Through a series of nostalgic vignettes, we see young Dani’s world unfold and transform as she grapples with change, independence, and the weight of unspoken worries. In the present, Dani catches her 9-year-old son’s concerned gaze in the rearview mirror, recognizing in him the same shadow of uncertainty she once carried. In that moment, she sees how the patterns of the past echo into the present, prompting her to reconcile with Erin and show their son that love endures—even through conflict.