Strawman follows an 11-year-old boy named Angel as he escapes into an abandoned barn to confront the “bad” he believes lives inside him. After being emotionally isolated at home, Angel finds unexpected comfort in a forgotten, crumbling scarecrow buried beneath the hay. What begins as a strange companionship slowly becomes a fragile lifeline, revealing how deeply Angel has internalized the anger and fear projected onto him.

Through surreal imagery, haunting sound design, and quiet moments of vulnerability, Strawman explores the cyclical nature of abuse, the power of language, and the way children learn to see themselves through the eyes of others. Angel’s relationship with the scarecrow reflects his longing for understanding, safety, and control in a world that feels unpredictable and unforgiving. As his emotions build toward a devastating breaking point, the film asks how far a child will go to feel heard — and what it truly means to let the “bad” out.

Strawman was awarded the James B. Pendleton Student Research and Production Grant.