🎬The Guest House

Rachel (Ruth Reynolds) is a smart, guarded recent high school graduate preparing to leave her small town for college at New York University. Before moving across the country, her wealthy father leaves for a business trip, leaving Rachel alone to spend her final summer weeks in their sprawling Los Angeles estate.

Things take an unexpected turn when Amy (Madeline Merritt), a former high school acquaintance who has recently fallen on hard times and dropped out of college, comes to stay temporarily in the pool guest house. Over the course of a sun-drenched, quiet week by the pool, the initial distance between the two young women dissolves into an intense, transformative romantic connection that forces both to confront their futures.

💡 Did you know?
Wolfe Video Release: The film was acquired and distributed by Wolfe Video, one of North America's oldest and largest exclusive LGBTQ+ independent film distributors.

Intimate Indie Production: Writer-director Michael Baumgarten also served as his own cinematographer, giving the film a naturalistic, sunlit Southern California visual style.

Breakout Lead Performances: Featured early lead performances from indie actresses Ruth Reynolds (Voodoo Possession) and Madeline Merritt (A Kind of Spark).

⭐ Film Evaluation & Ratings 📈
⭐ Global Critical & Audience Response: 6.0 / 10

Appreciated in indie queer streaming circles as a gentle, sweet "summer romance" drama focused on quiet character interactions and emotional discovery.

🎨 Visual & Ambient Aesthetics: 7.0 / 10

Employs warm, golden-hour cinematography and a relaxed indie soundtrack that mirrors the calm, isolated environment of the Los Angeles guest house setting.

Listen before watching Audio feature