Gardner, Macy Dive into Indie Drama 'The Swimming Lesson'

Heidi Gardner and William H. Macy are headlining the new indie film, "The Swimming Lesson," penned and directed by Casey Twenter. Production is slated to commence next month in Kansas City, Missouri, the hometown of star Heidi Gardner. This marks Twenter's solo directorial debut after co-writing the 2014 drama "Rudderless."

The narrative follows Tay (Gardner), a single mother who returns to her childhood home and becomes embroiled in a custody dispute. The focus is on her son, Albee, an autistic child with a deep fascination for the ocean despite a fear of swimming. William H. Macy portrays Tay's father, Leonard.

Joining the lead actors are Lamorne Morris as swim instructor Caleb, Abby Elliott as Tay's ex-wife's new partner Vickie, Michael Strassner as Tay's friend Reiger, and Joey Bicicchi as Albee's father, Steve. Newcomer Hudson Escudero makes his feature debut as Albee, with the production prioritizing casting an autistic actor for the role.

"From top to bottom, this is a murderers' row of talent," stated Twenter. He expressed gratitude for the actors' commitment to the deeply personal story. The film is produced by Dan Koetting, Jeff Robison, Jen Greenstreet, and Mandi Kearns. Mark Williams is the director of photography, and Mateo Messina is composing the score.