Always Shine

Two women with differing degrees of success travel north from Los Angeles to Big Sur for a weekend vacation. Both see the trip as an opportunity to reconnect after years of competition and jealousy have driven a wedge between them. Best friends Anna and Beth take a weekend trip to Big Sur, hopeful to re-establish a bond broken by years of competition and jealousy. Tensions mount, however, leading to an unexpected yet inevitable confrontation that changes the lives of both....forever. On a trip to Big Sur, two friends, both actresses, try to reconnect with each other. Once alone together, the women's suppressed jealousies and deep-seated resentments begin to rise, causing them to lose their grasp on not only the true nature of their relationship, but also their identities. Beth is a moderately successful actress, primarily known for roles in thrillers and commercials. Her best friend Anna is a struggling actress, with her career mostly limited to appearances in student films. The two women plan to spend quality time together in a weekend getaway. Early in their trip, Anna reveals that she just ended her relationship with her boyfriend. Both women flirt with men in a bar, but Anna finds herself ignored in favor of Beth. Meanwhile, Beth is frustrated when Anna demonstrates better acting skills than her own. The hidden tensions in the relationship of the two women escalate to a fight. —Dimos I