Gardner, Macy Dive into Dramedy's Custody Battle

Heidi Gardner and William H. Macy are joining forces for the indie dramedy "The Swimming Lesson," with production scheduled to begin in summer. The film, written and directed by Casey Twenter, will shoot in Gardner's hometown of Kansas City. It tells the story of Tay, a single mother who relocates to her childhood home and becomes involved in a challenging custody dispute over her son, Albee. Albee is an autistic child with a deep fascination for the ocean, yet he is afraid of swimming.

William H. Macy is cast as Leonard, Tay's father. While often gruff, his character is portrayed as fiercely loyal to his daughter and grandson. This marks Casey Twenter's solo directorial feature debut, collaborating again with writer Jeff Robison, with whom he previously worked on Macy's directorial debut, "Rudderless." The film also features producers Dan Koetting, Jeff Robison, Jen Greenstreet, and Mandi Kearns.