Since film is one of the first things we connected over, please enjoy the beginning of our story, presented in the format of a screenplay.

And some context important for the story: Parker's sister Julia, a friend of Tamsyn's from her graduate program, first introduced them (thanks, Julia).

INT. JULIA AND ETHAN’S WEDDING RECEPTION-NIGHT

Through the doors of the barn enters TAMSYN RANDALL wearing a dark dress. She has arrived alone and scans the room looking for familiar faces. She finds two, JULIA GEHRING and ETHAN KNOWLTON.

JULIA

Tamsyn! I’m so glad you could make it!

Julia and Tamsyn embrace.

TAMSYN

You look amazing, I’m so happy for you!

JULIA

Thank you so much! So, how are things?

The two begin to catch up but are quickly interrupted by a passing figure wearing a white shirt. Julia stops him. It’s her brother, PARKER GEHRING.

JULIA

Oh, Parker, this is Tamsyn.

CUT TO:

INT. KITCHEN 88-NIGHT

Members of the MPA program reuniting, a smattering of people. TAMSYN sits near LISSIE and across from them both sits JULIA. A discussion continues. The topic: dating.

LISSIE

So yes, I’ve visited him in California twice now and it’s going really well!

The rest of the MPAers erupt into applause and cheers. Once the noise dies down, one of them turns the conversation to Tamsyn.

MPA-ER

So Tamsyn, how is dating going for you?

TAMSYN

Well... it’s not, really.

She chuckles a little as she says this.

MPA-ER

Hey, that’s okay!

A brief pause follows but is filled quickly as Julia tilts her head and speaks.

JULIA

So as you know... I have a brother.

Tamsyn laughs.

TAMSYN

Yeah... we follow each other on Letterboxd!

JULIA

Well, if you're interested... he's single and I could give him your number...

Tamsyn raises an eyebrow.

TAMSYN

Okay, sure!

CUT TO:

INT. AMC PROVO 8 THEATER-NIGHT

Parker sits in an emptying movie theater next to NATHAN GEHRING. In his hand, a phone and on the phone an opened app. Letterboxd. Nathan talks while Parker reads reviews of the film they just saw.

NATHAN

I heard that there was anime influence in the film and I was curious to see what that would be like.

Parker continues to scroll but then stops on one review in particular from someone he follows. Tamsyn Randall’s CREED III review:

“My favorite part about being on planet Earth is that Michael B. Jordan is also here.”

Parker smiles which then turns into a brief chuckle. He pauses for a moment before closing out Letterboxd to open up messenger, specifically a message from Julia.

A single contact: TAMSYN RANDALL

NATHAN

This is why you really need to watch Attack on Titan Parker

Nathan continues speaking while Parker opens the contact and types a message:

“Hey this is Parker Gehring (Julia’s brother), what did you think of the Oscars?? Also your Letterboxd reviews have been frequently sending me lol”

CUT TO:

INT. TAMSYN’S RED CROSS OFFICE (AT HOME)-DAY

Days later, Tamsyn sits anxiously engaged in the work of saving lives, updating databases and generally excelling at excel. On the desk sits her phone, silent.

Then all at once, what seems like 60 buzzes ring out in quick succession. She smiles; this has happened many times.

The phone reads: 40 NEW MESSAGES FROM PARKER GEHRING.

CUT TO:

INT. SALT LAKE CITY BROADWAY MOVIE THEATER-NIGHT

Tamsyn and Parker now sit in a theater together. The armrest is up, but their hands remain separate. The film has not begun yet.

PARKER

Honestly I’m still disappointed it wasn’t nominated for best picture. I saw it twice in theaters and it's probably one of my favorite Wes films.

TAMSYN

Oh, it was so good. I love Wes so much.

A slight pause, that Parker eagerly fills.

PARKER

So film is really one of your favorite things then?

TAMSYN

Well yeah, liking movies is a dominant personality trait 100%! Even if I don’t have a degree in it.

PARKER

I’m not sure the degree really helps!

They both laugh and in the process their eyes meet. However, their gaze is interrupted by the start of the film.

Tamsyn turns to watch and so does Parker, though his eyes linger a moment longer.

INT. TAMSYN’S CAR-NIGHT

HELEN MIRREN (V.O.)

Allow me to fill in a few blanks now. Another date followed after that, which was also to a film. They’d now seen The Quiet Girl from Ireland and Zach Braff’s A Good Person. They didn’t like that second film but they did hold hands, something that made them both very happy. The film was preceded by Thai food and Barnes and Noble, which made for a strong second date. However, it was after their third film together, Sundance hit A Thousand and One, that they sat together in Tamsyn’s car and things really picked up.

Tamsyn and Parker sit quietly.

PARKER

Well, should we kiss?

Tamsyn smiles.

TAMSYN

Yeah, we could do that.

They lean in and kiss but then Parker stops.

PARKER

Okay, wait, this isn’t quite right.

CUT TO:

INT. TAMSYN’S CAR-NIGHT

The car has moved to the parking lot of a park.

They kiss again but again Parker stops.

PARKER

No, this still isn’t quite right.

CUT TO:

EXT. UTAH LAKE-NIGHT

The moonlight reflects on the water of the cold lake. It’s freezing but Parker and Tamsyn don't notice. The sound of a small brook fills the otherwise quiet night air. The trees stand above them as they share their first, well, more like third, kiss.

They do not speak here.

A new narrator arrives.

BRYAN CRANSTON FROM ASTEROID CITY

And as they shared that moment a thought formed in Parker’s head and though the feelings were new and the future was uncertain, he knew even then that he was never going anywhere.

Probably much too long after that, they became official and it was only the day after that Parker invited Tamsyn to come see The Eras Tour with his family in Washington. Always there were films chronicled on Letterboxd. PTA’s Punch Drunk Love was when Parker blurted “I love you,” and it was after Celine Sciamma’s Water Lillies that Tamsyn replied back.

They saw Asteroid City twice, they saw Past Lives twice, and they did Barbienheimer twice and brought it to life for Halloween. When Parker returned after a week away in November, it was in her review of 1955 Best Picture winner Marty that Tamsyn wrote, “it was just nice to watch a movie with Parker again.”

Helen Mirren re-enters.

HELEN MIRREN

It took a snowstorm in January for Parker to finally bring up the big “M” word over FaceTime and soon it became a common conversation point. Eventually, while discussing how they might become engaged, Parker realized for certain that he wanted to marry Tamsyn. He remains thrilled that she wants to marry him.

Now, this summation has included a few embellishments, and a few omissions unrelated to films. However, if you want to hear more of the love story of Tamsyn Randall and Parker Gehring, they would be only too thrilled to have you at one (or both) of their receptions.

SONG: LET HER DANCE BY THE BOBBY FULLER FOUR