After a terrible day at work, Kate is accosted by Jack, a stranger. Jack leads Kate on a quick journey that could change her, might kill her, may test her or, perhaps, she may find herself transformed.

Directed by V.K. Shah, this 10-minute high definition film is a dramatic short featuring outstanding performances from April Wade, as Kate, and Sigmund Watkins, as Jack. Having had its festival debut as the recent Los Angeles Shorts Film Festival, "The Nice Girl" benefits from a strong chemistry between Wade and Watkins that is edgy without being over the top and a strong musical accompaniment from Holly Amber Church. Sam Rosenthal keeps the camera work simple, deferring to the characters and allowing the story to shine on its own.

Shine it does.

While the film's modest budget is a tad obvious in a couple spots, Shah clearly knows his strength lies in Miceal Og O'Donnell's solid script and in giving his cast room to flex their muscles. Filmed using a Panasonic HVX-200 with a 35MM adaptor, "The Nice Girl" is proof positive that a talented director, writer and cast can nearly always overcome the inherent limits of low-budget filmmaking.

"The Nice Girl" is an intelligent and insightful film from a promising director, a gifted writer and two actors whose names you will likely be hearing in the future.