For anyone who's ever imagined quitting their 9-to-5, felt lost, or felt
confused about what it means to be 'good.' Or all three.

Director's statement
The Volunteer was a film I wrote after suffering an illness. Initially, I wanted to explore the idea of a woman considering herself "damaged goods" and how that would affect her life, her work, her relationships. As the story developed, I became less interested in something happening to the lead character versus the lead character making a decision and taking action to change, ruin, and/or improve her life. Leigh gets lost in a spiral but it's a spiral with a safety net. She still has her nice house and her nice car and her nice money. It's only when she meets Ethan, a man affected by mental illness, that she truly sees someone in free-fall. This awakens her from an apathetic (and selfish) fog. I'm interested in stories where characters (and specifically women) complicate their lives for what, on its face, looks like no reason. The reason becomes the fascinating piece.
This is part of our Love is Love is Love playlist.
Reviews
Ebon Moss-Bachrach’s performance as Ethan highlight’s the private pain of mental illness without any of the stigmatizing horror twists made standard by other movies, and Aunjanue Ellis’ turn as Leigh is so natural and compelling that she often speaks volumes in scenes that are absent of dialogue.
Charles Bivona - charlesbivona.com
Other titles you might like
How I Got to the Moon by Subway
After being diagnosed with ALS, Sol and his partner go to the hospital to record his "voice bank" before he loses the ability to speak.
Over the course of 17 years, Alvin Tsang confronts memories of migration and images of his once intact family.
More from the Love is Love is Love Playlist...

Deciding what to watch? Take our personality quiz and we’ll curate a set just for you. Get ready to meet your match.
Take the quizDeciding what to watch? Take our personality quiz and we’ll curate a set just for you. Get ready to meet your match.


Maxed out on reruns? Tired of endlessly searching for a movie? Let’s help you discover some fresh new voices.

Quiz Progress
{{ question.text }}
Calculating your results
Pick a place to start!
Save one (or more!) films from your results.
Watch ‘em free.
You've got a whole month to watch.
Find your own faves!
The results are just the tip of the cinematic iceberg! Continue your journey through our library with unlimited access for plans starting from $3 a month. No strings attached.
Oops, you have to be signed in first!
You have to be a full Seed&Spark member to watch! Join for 1 free month or log in.
For plans starting from $3 a month, you get unlimited streaming to all our original movies and shows, while supporting independent creators! Seed&Spark pays out more per minute watched than almost anywhere else. Because supporting creators matters.
By continuing, you agree to our terms of use & privacy policy.
You must be a subscriber to watch. Join today & get a free month!
Support artists
Seed&Spark pays filmmakers hundreds of time more than other streaming platforms, and you benefit when they retain creative control.
Commitment-free
Take us for a free test drive with a month to watch everything you want. Not your jam? Cancel anytime, seriously. No tricky stuff.
Watch anywhere
Watch on mobile, tablet, computer or TV (Roku). Watch shorts on-the-go or binge your favorite series on a big screen all weekend.
Nice! Account created. One more step: membership starts at $3 a month, and you can cancel anytime!
You're upgrading to become a full Seed&Spark member! Membership starts $3 a month, and you can cancel anytime.
Subscribe to start watching!
Membership starts at $3 a month, and you can cancel anytime!
You are awesome.
Welcome aboard! Thanks for supporting independent creators and diverse voices.
Continue
Your subscription is now active. Enjoy unlimited streaming on Seed&Spark!
UrbanWorld Film Festival, Provincetown International Film Festival, North Carolina Black Film Festival, Pan African Film Festival, Houston Cinema Arts Festival, Great Cleveland Urban Film Festival
Terms
>
Basic Info
Before we get started, please confirm the following:
By starting a project you agree to Seed&Spark’s Site Guidelines.
Terms
>
Basic Info
Saved to Watchlist
Way to go, you just added something to your watchlist for the first time! You can find and view your watchlist at anytime from your profile.
Pay what you can.
Watch wild and wonderful movies and shows from independent filmmakers and get a new handpicked playlist every month.
Subscribe to Seed&Spark