Summer of 71

In 1971, after his family relocates to rural Oklahoma, a long-haired California boy and his older brother are placed under the rigid authority of a devout caretaker, where he must survive a summer of harsh discipline meant to “make a man” of him—without surrendering the freedom that binds the brothers or losing who he is.

Summer of ’71 is a nostalgic coming-of-age drama set in rural Oklahoma. When their parents leave for college classes, two long-haired California brothers are placed under the stern watch of their Bible-thumping Mamaw, an old farmhand, and a small-town preacher determined to “make men” of them.

What begins as a summer of chores, discipline, and church becomes a season of rebellion and discovery. The boys find refuge in a secret hideout, clash with country kids, and endure trials of hunger, storms, and fire. For Steve, the younger brother, the struggle becomes more than survival—it becomes a search for his own voice, faith, and freedom.

Based on true childhood memories, the film blends humor, heart, and grit in a timeless story of brotherhood and resilience.

One summer. Two brothers. A fight for freedom they’ll never forget.

Story has always been my way of connecting to the giants who came before me—my uncles who fought in WWII, my mother who raised me on stories of resilience and defiance, and the brothers I served alongside in Special Forces. Their lives, their sacrifices, and their voices shaped me into the man and writer I am.

Summer of ’71 is my most personal work. It draws from childhood memories in rural Oklahoma, where my brother and I—long-haired California kids dropped into a world we didn’t fully understand—were shaped by fire-and-brimstone sermons, hard farm work, and the defiance we found in each other.

Not every moment happened exactly as written. It’s a mosaic of five summers distilled into one story. Some of it is true, some imagined—but the hunger, the fear, the laughter, and the brotherhood are real.

This film isn’t about chores, fights, or even faith alone. It’s about discovering freedom in a world determined to crush it—and realizing that strength doesn’t always come from the lash or the sermon.

If you asked me whether it’s a true story, I’d tell ya—Sure. To the best-a-ma recollectin’. 🤓