Merle finds her life beginning to splinter when Sinaloa, the musican half-sister Merle never knew existed, appears on her doorstep in Texas. Although distrustful of this enigmatic woman, Merle allows her half-sister into her life. A bond quickly forms between the two women. But soon Sinaloa shows her dark side and threatens to place Merle’s career aspirations, her relationship to her mother, and even her impending marriage in jeopardy.

„But ultimately, it’s the tragic, unexamined complexity of the feelings that Sinaloa brings to Merle, and the sophistication of Reid’s and Tolman’s performances as opposite sides of the same coin, that elevates LA BARRACUDA above the ranks of the countless family dramas and psychological thrillers to which it might otherwise be compared. It’s a film that showcases Cortlund’s and Halperin’s skill as storytellers, by resonating with audiences while challenging their expectations.“ (Todd Gilchrist, The Wrap; https://www.thewrap.com/barracuda-review-alison-tolman/)

Jason Cortlund and Julia Halperin are a directing team based in Austin, Texas. Cortlund studied film and writing at the University of Oregon and earned a Master’s in screenwriting at the University of Texas. Halperin received her B.A. summa cum laude from Hunter College and her M.F.A from the University of Texas. Both served as programmers for Cinematexas International Film Festival from 1997 to 2004. Their debut feature NOW, FORAGER premiered at the 2012 International Film Festival Rotterdam. It received “Two Thumbs Up” from Roger Ebert. They were included in The “Independent’s 10 Filmmakers to Watch” in 2012. LA BARRACUDA is their second feature film.