Gainesville High School alumna produces feature film headed for national theater release

Press release from Alachua County Public Schools

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – New York Times film critic Alissa Wilkinson recently named it a “Critic’s Pick.’” Variety calls it a “brilliant, existential road thriller.” Rolling Stone described it as a “gem.” The Guardian (U.K.) rates it “among the year’s best,” and it has a 95% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

These are just a few of the glowing reviews for It Ends, a feature film co-produced by Gainesville High School alum Carrie Carusone, who was also the movie’s production designer.

It Ends follows four recent college graduates on a late-night drive for fast food that becomes a horrifying–and endless–road trip. It was produced by Growing Up Dead Films, an independent production company co-founded by Carusone, who is now a Brooklyn-based director and producer.

It Ends premiered last year at the prestigious SXSW Film Festival and was released for digital rental in December. Soon afterward, it was picked up by Neon, an independent film production and distribution company. Following a run in select theaters last week, It Ends is headed for a national theatrical release on August 28, with international releases to follow.

Carusone attended Florida State University’s College of Motion Picture Arts after graduating from Gainesville High School in 2016. While in high school, she took three years of digital video classes taught by veteran teacher Tony Malo, who still teaches the classes at GHS.

As a 17-year-old in 2015, Carusone was interviewed by a local reporter for a story about Malo’s program and said the class helped her discover her desire to be a filmmaker.

“This is what I’m going to do with my life,” she said at the time. “I’ve never met a teacher who cared so much…it’s changed my life drastically.”

Ten years after her graduation from GHS, Carusone and Malo are still in touch. She’s served as a judge for the film festivals Malo has organized for his students’ work, and she’s advised students interested in attending FSU’s film program. She also invited him out to O’Leno State Park in High Springs during filming of It Ends, and even gave him a few lines in the movie–although they didn’t make it into the final cut.

“This face is not meant for the big screen,” joked Malo.

In a recent text to Malo, Carusone echoed the sentiment she’d shared 11 years ago. “I am where I am because of your class,” she told him.

“When you get comments like that, it really keeps you going,” said Malo. “I’m very proud of her, but I can’t take any credit for her work. I give students the bones; they make the soup.”

And of course, he’s looking forward to seeing the film. “I’m going as soon as it comes out,” he said. “I can’t wait!”