Watch The First Trailer For SXSW Winner SHORT TERM 12

Destin Daniel Cretton's naturalistic drama Short Term 12 premiered at this year's SXSW to the buzziest of buzz and then went on to win both the Grand Jury and Audience prize there. The film continues on the festival circuit this summer before getting a U.S. release on August 23rd, courtesy of the folks at Cinedigm. Today we have a trailer for the film.

Short Term 12 focuses on, and gets it title from, a foster care facility and its twenty-something staff led by Brie Larson (Greenberg, 21 Jump Street). I've seen the film (expect to hear more from me on it soon) so was quite happy to see a trailer for this one. Though I will say it plays up the emotions in a very sensationalistic way, which is somewhat unfortunate as that is not very accurate of the film itself: a lovely, nuanced, often dark if sobering look at the world of foster care, Short Term 12 is that rare film which champions children as they are -- hardships and all. As the trailer is apt to note, Larson's performance is indeed quite striking, but so is the turn from young Keith Stanfield, who plays a teenager that is about to turn 18 and must leave short term 12. Yahoo has the trailer, and I've embedded it below, so take a look for yourself -- too indie schmaltzy or can you detect something more raw and true underneath the trailer?