Director: Ben Smallbone
A twelve-year-old with a sharpshooter's instincts becomes the last line of defense for her family in Homestead, a 2024 American thriller that plants a western standoff on modern, unsettled ground.
What is Homestead about?
When a gang of outlaws corners a family of homesteaders on their own land, the situation quickly outstrips what the adults can handle alone. Survival ends up depending on Irene, a loud, headstrong twelve-year-old whose knack with a gun makes her far more capable than her age suggests. The film builds tension through close quarters and dwindling options rather than large-scale action, following the family as they try to outlast a siege with limited supplies, no easy escape route, and outlaws who are patient enough to wait them out. Adult authority in the household keeps bumping against Irene's instincts, and the story uses that friction — a girl forced into a role no child should have, adults forced to trust her anyway — as its emotional core. The western trappings (isolated land, armed strangers, a family defending what's theirs) sit inside a tighter, more contemporary thriller structure, with a short runtime that keeps the pressure constant rather than letting it slacken.
Cast & crew
Dawn Olivieri and Neal McDonough anchor the adult roles as parents trying to hold the family together, while Susan Misner, Bailey Chase, and Jesse Hutch round out the ensemble on both sides of the standoff; the young actress playing Irene carries much of the film's tension in scenes built around her character's unlikely composure.
Context & significance
Directed by Ben Smallbone, Homestead runs a lean 79 minutes, a length that suits its siege structure and keeps the western-thriller hybrid from padding out a fairly simple premise.
Where & how to watch
Homestead is available on K-Time with both Persian dub and Persian subtitles, giving viewers the option that suits them best. Watching only requires a free K-Time account and login, and the platform's Farsi-language interface is built with Iranian diaspora audiences in mind.