In an age where information is available within seconds and human interaction is increasingly filtered through screens, Last Minute looks back at a time when solving even the simplest problem required patience, creativity, and genuine connection. Written and directed by Michael Cusumano, the charming short film transforms a familiar childhood experience into a heartfelt reflection on nostalgia, single parenthood, and the small moments that quietly shape our lives. Ahead of the film’s New York premiere at the Tribeca Festival, I spoke with Cusumano and star/executive producer Charity Schubert about pre-internet childhoods, the emotional cost of convenience, and making a deeply personal film in just three days.
Michael, you described the film as coming from the realisation that your childhood memories have become historical. Was there a particular moment or memory that sparked the idea for the film?
Michael Cusumano: I remember writing it down on a Post-it note while I was in the office. I was talking to my sister, and I have three high school-aged nephews. We’d just had a big blizzard two or three years ago, and I said, “Oh, they must be enjoying their snow day.” She said, “Oh no, they’re just doing remote learning. They don’t have snow days anymore because thanks to COVID everyone has a classroom in the house now.”
That really hit me. My childhood was history now. They don’t know what a snow day is anymore, and the next generation after them will have no idea because the transition happened so quickly. It got me thinking about what we’ve lost forever.
I immediately thought about homework because I was a horrible procrastinator growing up. I remembered scrambling to finish projects without the internet, because I’m old enough that it didn’t really become a crutch until my high school years.
Charity, Jackie feels incredibly relatable as a mother trying to hold everything together under pressure. What drew you to the role?
Charity Schubert: I loved how Jackie doesn’t really relate to her son in the traditional mother-son way. Michael wrote this beautiful relationship where Jackie talks to Jason more like he’s a little adult rather than baby-talking him or talking down to him.
I think that comes from her being a single parent. It’s just the two of them and they’re in it together, so it really affects their dynamic. I’m not a mother myself, but I tend to talk to kids like they’re little adults, whether it’s my nieces, nephews, or my friends’ children, so that gave me an entry point into the character.
The fact that Michael wrote the role for me and writes so well in my voice made the dialogue feel seamless and effortless. Figuring out Jackie as a person was more challenging. I had to dig into who she really was and what motivated her.
What helped me unlock the character was her practicality. She’s working full-time, raising a son, and she doesn’t have time to mess about. But as the evening goes on and the project wears on, she starts to find joy in it. She gets into the creativity and the hunt for information. That helped me realise there’s still a spark and a sense of fun underneath all the stress.
“The heart of the film became about looking back and recognising the things we’ve lost.“
If Jackie’s story took place in 2026 instead of 1989, how different do you think the film would be?
Michael Cusumano: It’s almost impossible to imagine the film in the present day. Kids still wait until the last minute, and procrastination is always going to be human nature, but the heart of the film became about looking back and recognising the things we’ve lost.
Technology gives us conveniences, but you don’t realise what you’re paying for until decades later. You watch the film and think, “Oh, I don’t call my friends like that anymore.”
A kid today would probably stay in their bedroom and never interact with their mum. The mum wouldn’t reconnect with friends, and those chains of interaction simply wouldn’t happen. The 1989 setting is really part of the DNA of the film.
It started as a story about procrastination because that structure works perfectly for a short film, but as I worked on it, it became about that time period itself.
Charity Schubert: In 2026, Jackie wouldn’t have reconnected with Ken because she wouldn’t have needed to call him. She would have just gone online and found the information she needed immediately. The visual aid portion would still exist because someone has to physically build that project, but the emotional connection and reaching out for help wouldn’t happen in the same way.
“I think older generations are yearning for something we lost, while younger audiences are yearning for something they never had.“
The story celebrates resourcefulness and human interaction. Do you think younger audiences who grew up with smartphones experience the film differently?
Michael Cusumano: Yes and no. Younger audiences are definitely intrigued by it. There’s almost a longing to be free from technology. The more we use it, the more we want a break from it.
The film almost works as a wish fulfilment fantasy because the characters don’t even have the temptation of smartphones or constant connectivity. As inconvenient as it is for them, there’s also a freedom in it.
Charity Schubert: I think older generations are yearning for something we lost, while younger audiences are yearning for something they never had.
Charity, as both an actor and executive producer, how differently did you approach the project behind the scenes compared to in front of the camera?
Charity Schubert: Luckily, the producing work actually informed my performance. Jackie is racing against time, working with limited resources, stressed and frazzled – and honestly, that’s exactly what producing a short film is like.
There was one scene where we were racing against sunset, our picture car had fallen through, Michael had to rewrite a scene, and we were waiting for a freight train to pass. So when it came time to perform stress and panic on camera, there was very little acting required.
Michael, were there any films, television shows, or personal influences that shaped the tone of Last Minute?
Michael Cusumano: Absolutely. The films of Mike Leigh were a huge influence, especially Happy-Go-Lucky. When you’re writing something with seemingly small stakes, there’s always that insecurity of wondering whether anyone will care.
But Mike Leigh’s films show that small, intimate moments can feel enormous if they matter deeply to the characters.
I was also inspired by Boyhood. Richard Linklater doesn’t force artificial drama into the story. He lets little memories and moments carry the emotional weight. There’s a scene where the boy’s stepfather makes him cut his hair, and it’s devastating because you realise this is a memory that will stay with him forever.
That’s what I wanted with Last Minute. What starts as a frustrating inconvenience becomes a memory this kid will treasure for the rest of his life.
Megan (interviewer)-It’s really interesting you mention Mike Leigh because I can absolutely see that influence in the film.
Charity Schubert: You just made Michael’s day.
Michael Cusumano: He’s the standard bearer of integrity and honesty that I aspire to. I even tried to steal his rehearsal technique by giving the actors space to build their characters themselves.
We live in New York but filmed in Louisiana, so we rehearsed a lot over Zoom. I wanted the actors to take ownership of the roles before filming. Once we were on set, we only had three days to shoot over two dozen scenes, so everything had to be incredibly tight.
Megan- You only shot over three days? That’s really impressive.
Michael Cusumano: It was a lot of preparation. Some filmmakers worry that too much planning drains the life out of a project, but I think preparation gives you freedom.
Because we knew the script worked, we could experiment on set without panic. We could let actors play and explore because we already had confidence in the foundation.
The film centres on the lengths parents will go to for their children. What conversations are you hoping audiences have after watching it?
Charity Schubert: I’d love audiences, especially people raised by single parents, to acknowledge and appreciate the parent who showed up.
There’s usually one parent doing the heavy lifting, whether the other parent is absent or just less involved. I’d love people to recognise the mums, dads, and parents staying up until 2am doing the project and carrying that responsibility. It’s incredibly hard work, and it matters.
Michael Cusumano: I’d like people to think about the price we pay for convenience.
There’s a wonderful monologue in Inherit the Wind about the price of progress. You can have a telephone, but you lose privacy. You can have an aeroplane, but birds lose their wonder.
Tech companies love the word “frictionless”. They want us to accept technology without thinking about it. Suddenly an hour has disappeared scrolling on your phone and you never consciously chose to spend your time that way.
I’m not trying to make an anti-technology film, but I do want people to make conscious choices. I want them to remember things like late-night phone calls with friends where there wasn’t even a reason to talk – you just wanted company.
The adults in the film unexpectedly have fun together because they’re forced to interact. Nobody would call someone today just to randomly discuss plutonium, but in the film they do, and they enjoy it.
I want audiences to think about what we trade away in exchange for convenience.
Throughout our conversation, it became clear that Last Minute is about far more than a rushed school project. Beneath its humour and nostalgia lies a thoughtful meditation on the value of human connection in an increasingly frictionless world. Whether reflecting on the sacrifices of single parents, the memories that define childhood, or the quiet loss of everyday interactions, both Cusumano and Schubert speak about the film with genuine warmth and sincerity. In revisiting a world before smartphones and instant answers, Last Minute reminds audiences that sometimes the most meaningful moments are born from inconvenience, chaos, and the simple act of relying on one another.
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