About The Shift

Film Synopsis:

The Shift is a modern-day retelling of the book of Job. Kevin Garner gets separated from Molly, the love of his life, when a mysterious adversary known as The Benefactor sends him to an alternate dystopian reality. Will hope and faith be enough to find his way back?

Logline:

After a tense encounter with a mysterious stranger with otherworldly powers, a man is banished to a tyrannical, parallel Earth where he fights to get back to the woman he loves.

Tagline:

Infinite worlds. Endless choices. One way out.

Fast Facts:

  • Kristoffer Polaha (Wonder Woman 1984, Mad Men) plays the lead role of Kevin Garner.

  • Neal McDonough (Minority Report, Yellowstone) plays the mysterious figure of The Benefactor.

  • Elizabeth Tabish (The Chosen) plays Molly Garner and Sean Astin (Stranger Things, The Lord of the Rings) plays Gabriel.

  • The film is produced by Ken Carpenter and directed by Brock Heasley.

  • The Shift will be distributed by Angel Studios.

  • The film will be released December 1, 2023.

  • You can Pay it Forward to The Shift to cover the cost of a movie ticket for someone who wouldn't otherwise be able to see it.

Social Media Accounts:

About the Cast and Filmmakers

Kristoffer Polaha

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Kristoffer Polaha

Kevin Garner

Kristoffer can currently be seen in Harlen Coben’s new series, Shelter, streaming now on Amazon. Probably best-known for starring in the critically-acclaimed CW series Life Unexpected, more recently Kris starred opposite Angie Harmon in the Lifetime movie, Barstow, and recurred on the cable series Get Shorty opposite Ray Romano and Chris O’Dowd as well as the limited series Condor opposite William Hurt and Max Irons. He also co- starred with Rainn Wilson in the Fox series Backstrom, as well as a number of TV series over the past ten years, including North Shore, Miss Guided, Made in Jersey, Ringer and Valentine, in addition to a multi-season recurring role on the acclaimed series Mad Men and numerous guest stars on both cable and network series. Kris is also well known for his many starring roles in the Hallmark Hall of Fame series of television movies.

On the feature side, Kris stars as the lead in the film The Shift for director Brock Heasley, being released December 2023. He was recently featured as ‘Handsome Man’ in Wonder Woman 1984 for Warner Brother Studios as well as the recently released blockbuster Jurassic World Dominion for Universal Studios. Kris has appeared in numerous independent features, including Where Hope Grows, Back in the Day, Devil’s Knot and Petty Crimes. He recently wrote, directed, and starred in the short film, "A Work of Art," which premiered at The Cannes Film Festival.

Neal McDonough

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Neal McDonough

The Benefactor

Trained at the London Academy of Dramatic Arts and Sciences, Neal McDonough has been a fan favorite since his breakout role of Lieutenant Lynn “Buck” Compton in Band of Brothers. and has been featured in popular shows like Justified, Van Helsing, Altered Carbon, and Suits, as well as films including THE WARRANT, RED, MINORITY REPORT, and his role as Timothy ‘Dum Dum’ Dugan in the MARVEL Cinematic Universe. Most recently, Neal delivered a standout performance as Malcolm Beck in Yellowstone, acting opposite Kevin Costner. Above all else, Neal prizes his relationship with his wife Ruvé, their five children, and his devout Catholic faith.

Elizabeth Tabish

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Elizabeth Tabish

Molly Garner

Elizabeth Tabish is an actress and independent filmmaker known for her portrayal as Mary Magdalene in The Chosen. She received her Master's of Arts in Theater and Bachelor of Arts in Screen Studies from Oklahoma State University.

Sean Astin

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Sean Astin

Gabriel

Sean Astin is an actor/director best known for his film and television roles such as Bob Newby, a former high school friend and love interest to Winona Ryder’s character, Joyce Byers in Season 2 of Netflix’s horror thriller Stranger Things. Astin of course is also known for his classic and beloved characters - Sam in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and the title character of Rudy and Mikey in the popular classic The Goonies.

Astin starred as Ed in Netflix’s family sitcom, No Good Nick, guest starred in Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Big Bang Theory. Astin joined the cast of NBC’s Young Rock, as Dwayne Johnson’s childhood nemesis. Currently, Astin will play Sunny Gryce, in S2 of HBO’s Perry Mason as a new client of Perry and Della’s. Astin has also been cast as Becky’s love interest, in S5 of ABC’s The Conners.

Recent films include; Astin’s powerful performance as Jeremy in Julianne Moore’s film Gloria Bell, Mayfield’s Game opposite Mira Sorvino, Charming The Hearts of Men opposite Kelsey Grammer, Hero Mode, Adverse, Rose Island and is the voice of Shazam in Lego DC Shazam – Magic & Monsters.

Astin is no stranger to thrillers, with dramatic turns in numerous television, film and series, including Guillermo Del Toro’s The Strain on (FX) and the fifth season of 24 (Fox).

Recently Astin narrated and produced Playing with Power: The Nintendo Story. In 2019, Astin reprised his iconic role of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger as Colonel Sanders in KFC's 'Rudy II' commercial ads.

Astin directed and produced the short film "Kangaroo Court," which earned him an Academy Award® nomination for Best Live Action Short Film. Astin also directed and produced the live action short film "The Long and Short of It," an official entry in the Sundance Film Festival. Astin has journeyed into episodic television, directing episodes of Angel (WB) and Jeremiah (Showtime).

The veteran actor recently narrated Dreamworks’ original series Captain Underpants and has voiced many animated characters in films and television including Raphael in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Nickelodeon), Bunnicula (WB), Justice League (WB), Special Agent Oso (Disney), Micronauts (Paramount) and Minecraft: Story Mode (Telltale).

Astin is an avid long-distance runner and triathlete. He completed the IRONMAN World Championship Triathlon in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii on October 10, 2015. He has also completed 12 Full Marathons including the 2016 New York City Marathon in honor of his late mother, Patty Duke for her life's work as an advocate for mental health.

Paras Patel

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Paras Patel

Rajit Nadir

After completing his schooling in finance, Paras decided to do a complete 180 and follow his heart to pursue a career in acting. After several years of training, Paras made his acting debut in the Freeform TV Movie "Teen Spirit" playing the lead role of Raj Kukuri. With a career spanning over a decade, Paras has made several TV appearances that include ABC's Nashville, Fresh Off The Boat, and Showtime's Ray Donovan. On the feature front, he had a supporting part in Lionsgate's THE DUFF, opposite Mae Whitman and most recently can be seen in a cameo in Lionsgate's JESUS REVOLUTION opposite fellow Chosen castmate Jonathan Roumie. Paras will also be seen in a strong supporting role in the upcoming Angel Studio's feature, THE SHIFT, slated for a theatrical release on December 1st.

Paras just completed filming season four of the global hit series, THE CHOSEN, and is looking forward to beginning Season 5 next year. In his free time, Paras enjoys spending time with his family and friends, the outdoors, cooking (sometimes terribly), watching Bollywood films, as well as (trying to) learning new languages! Paras speaks fluent Hindi and Gujarati, but is also learning Spanish and Portuguese. Paras is also very passionate about creating stories and collaborating with other South Asian creatives to increase visibility in the industry.

John Billingsley

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John Billingsley

Russo

John Billingsley has been a prolific character actor working across stage and screen for over three decades. In film, he is perhaps best known for his lead role in OUT OF TIME (starring opposite Denzel Washington), and as a series regular in the television series Star Trek: Enterprise.

John can next be seen recurring in Apple TV+s limited series MANHUNT, based on James Swanson’s bestselling book, and the Angel Studios sci-fi thriller THE SHIFT.

John was a series regular on Intelligence, starring opposite John Holloway and Marg Helgenberger, as well as on The Nine and The Others. He has memorable recurring roles on numerous hit series including Masters of Sex, Turn, Suits, Prison Break, The Bridge, Grey’s Anatomy, NYPD Blue and many more. Notable guest starring appearances include Pam & Tommy, This is Us, Blue Bloods, Shameless, All Rise, Twin Peaks, The Conners, The Good Wife, Southland, Nip/Tuck, The West Wing, Gilmore Girls, and many more. Feature films include John Patton Ford’s EMILY THE CRIMINAL, Roland Emmerich’s 2012, Mike Mills’ 20th CENTURY WOMEN, and Carl Franklin’s HIGH CRIMES.

A graduate of Bennington COllege, John spent fifteen years pursuing a stage career, most notably in and around Seattle, WA. John founded a Seattle-based theater company called Book-It, which was devoted to adapting fiction for the stage and which still flourishes in the Pacific Northwest.

John has been a Los Angeles resident since 1995. He is a voracious reader, and he is blissfully married to the accomplished actress, Bonita Friedericy, who has appeared on stage and screen with him on multiple occasions.

Rose Reid

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Rose Reid

Tina

Rose Reid is an American actress, writer, and producer from Nashville, Tennessee, embarked on her creative journey by writing her first script at 14 and producing a short film at 16. Rose starred in the feature films Surprised by Oxford, Finding You, The World We Make, and A Welcome Home Christmas. She ardently supports various charities like Horse and Man Foundation, and The Hands and Feet Project.

Jordan Walker Ross

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Jordan Walker Ross

Brendan

Jordan is an actor, screenwriter, host, and public speaker based out of Dallas, TX. He was born in 1990 in Arlington, TX, two months premature. This led to several medical issues -specifically minor cerebral palsy, severe scoliosis, and even more severe asthma. Because of these conditions, Jordan spent much of his early life in and out of hospitals, undergoing countless medical procedures. Unlike other children, Jordan was never able to play sports or overexert himself. So, he was forced to find other hobbies. He was 6 when he discovered his love for acting after being cast in a local production of A Christmas Carol (playing Tiny Tim). By the time he was 16, Jordan had appeared in over 40 professional productions throughout Texas and California. He ventured into the film/TV when he was 12 - following in his grandpa’s footsteps - actor Barry Corbin. Jordan is currently a series regular on The Chosen, playing the Apostle Little James. His other credits include 1883, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and the upcoming Angel Studios film THE SHIFT.

Ken Carpenter

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Ken Carpenter

Producer

Producer Ken Carpenter most recently produced Surprised By Oxford in the UK, featuring Phyllis Logan (Downton Abbey) and Mark Williams (Harry Potter). He produced Finding You in Ireland, which was released in 2021 by Roadside Attractions/Lionsgate/Amazon Prime with Academy-Award winner Vanessa Redgrave. He also produced Roll With It with Endeavor Content, releasing in 2022. He produced Run the Race, released theatrically by Roadside Attractions in 2019, as well as Don't Sweat the Small Stuff in 2021, featuring Heather Locklear. Before producing feature films, he produced and directed music videos, commercials, documentaries, and branding films for a wide array of artists and organizations, including dc Talk, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman, Compassion International, Blood Water Mission, Prison Fellowship, Joni & Friends, and many more. He and his family reside in Nashville.

Brock Heasley

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Brock Heasley

Director

Brock Heasley is a writer, filmmaker, and artist. After graduating from California State University Fresno with a degree in Graphic Design, Brock became a full-time Graphic Designer and, later, an Art Director. In 2006, he launched the online comic The SuperFogeys, and then co-created the online comic Monsterplex in 2010, which went on to win the DC Comics Zuda competition. In 2018, Brock’s YA Contemporary novel Paper Bag Mask (Pen Name Publishing) was published, reaching the top of Amazon’s Young Adult Fiction New Release chart in the first week. Brock’s debut memoir, The Other Side of Fear: A True Coming-of-Age Story of Murder, Forgiveness, and the Peace Only Faith Can Bring, released in Fall 2020 from Cedar Fort Publishing. His writing has appeared on the Independent Journal Review and at ForEveryMom.com.

In 2015, Brock left the Graphic Design world for the film world, working on and producing feature films for Tremendum Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, New Line Cinema, Warner Bros., and Lionsgate. In 2017 he released his directorial debut, "The Shift," about an ordinary man receiving a job offer from the Devil himself. The short film earned him an Outstanding Filmmaker of the Year Award from the Hollywood Dreamz International Film Festival and you can watch it here. His second short film, "The Two Hundred Fifth," about a young college girl with a dark past that comes back to haunt her on the day she chooses to reveal all to her best friend, had its World Premiere at the renowned Fantasia International Film Festival in 2019.

In early 2023, Brock turned his short film, THE SHIFT, into a feature film to be released theatrically by Angel Studios in December 2023. Expanding on the story from the short, it stars Kristoffer Polaha, Neal McDonough, Elizabeth Tabish, John Billingsley, Rose Reid, Paras Patel, Jordan Alexandra, Jordan Walker Ross, and Sean Astin.

Brock lives with his wife, three daughters, two dogs, and one cat in California. Brock didn’t want another dog, but his girls made a pretty killer PowerPoint presentation and he didn’t want to look like a jerk.