Cherry Cola

Cherry Cola follows Mildred, a young woman carrying the weight of a childhood shaped by an abusive father. After his death, a series of unusual and offbeat events begin to crack open the emotional walls she’s built to survive. With the steady support of her brother Eddie, Mildred confronts the wounds she’s avoided for years and starts discovering what healing and freedom actually look like. Blending dark humor with heartfelt emotion, Cherry Cola explores the messy, tender, and ultimately liberating process of breaking free from the past.

Meet the Team

Andrew Dennis co-wrote, directed, and edited Cherry Cola alongside Allison Felty. As the founder of Dennis Films, Andrew focuses on emotionally driven, visually stylized storytelling that blends grounded performances with symbolic depth.

Andrew Dennis

Allison Felty co-wrote and produced Cherry Cola alongside Andrew Dennis and stars as Mildred, the film’s lead. Her performance anchors the emotional core of the story. As a longtime creative collaborator and core force behind Dennis Films productions, Allison has played an integral role in shaping the vision and development of Cherry Cola from script to screen.

Allison Felty

Matthew Dennis portrays Eddie Hoff, Mildred’s brother, in Cherry Cola. A longtime believer and creative force within Dennis Films dating back to the Dennis Brothers era, Matthew has helped shape and write past projects while consistently supporting the vision behind the work. His performance as Eddie brings a grounded and powerful depth to the film.

Matthew Dennis as Eddie Hoff

Meghanne Dailey portrays Vivian in Cherry Cola. An actress and filmmaker, she is the founder of the independent studio Crossroad Network. After nine years in stage productions, Meghanne transitioned into independent film at 18 and began producing her own work in 2019. Her projects frequently explore analytical psychology, mythology, and the subconscious, and she brings that same introspective depth and emotional nuance to her performance as Vivian.

Meghanne Dailey as Vivian

Tonya Stoutt-Brown portrays the therapist in Cherry Cola. An East Tennessee native and University of Tennessee graduate, Tonya is an award-winning broadcaster whose distinguished career in communications has earned local, regional, and state honors, along with four national news awards including the prestigious National Edward R. Murrow Award for Investigative Reporting.

Beyond journalism, she is also well known for her work as a local actor, having written, directed, and performed in stage productions, as well as appearing on television and in film. Her poised and commanding presence brings depth and credibility to her role in Cherry Cola.

Tonya Stoutt-Brown as the Therapist

Kathryn Paden portrays Sarah Hoff in Cherry Cola. A Knoxville native, she serves as the Church Administrator at Second Presbyterian Church while maintaining a vibrant career as a vocalist and musician. With over 15 years of voice instruction experience, she performs with the Knoxville Choral Society, Knoxville Chamber Chorale, Amadeus Chamber Ensemble, and the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra.

Currently in her fourth season as narrator for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra’s Musical Story Time program, Kathryn regularly performs throughout the community alongside a string quartet. Drawing from her strong foundation in live theatre, she thoughtfully adapted her stage experience to the screen, bringing sincerity and emotional depth to her performance.

Kathryn Paden as Sarah Hoff

Jordan Phillips portrays Frank Hoff in Cherry Cola. Born and raised in Maryville, Jordan has long had a passion for acting, with much of his experience rooted in live theatre. Having previously collaborated with Drew & Allison during earlier productions, he brings both familiarity and commitment to the project.
In Cherry Cola, Jordan takes on one of the film’s most serious and emotionally demanding roles, portraying a deeply flawed father and husband. Despite the weight of the character and the intensity of certain scenes, he maintained a steady, professional presence on set, approaching the material with care and ensuring a safe and comfortable environment for the cast and crew, particularly the younger actors.

Jordan Phillips as Frank Hoff

Harper & Emmett as Young Mildred & Eddie

Harper and Emmett portray Young Mildred and Young Eddie in Cherry Cola. Making their debut in a short film, they took on some of the story’s most pivotal and emotionally powerful scenes with remarkable focus and dedication. Their performances bring heart and authenticity to the film’s formative moments, laying the foundation for the story that unfolds. The cast and crew are incredibly proud of the commitment and resilience they showed throughout the production.

Caroline Hill as Young Vivian

Caroline Hill plays Young Vivian in Cherry Cola. From the beginning, we knew we wanted to portray a lifelong friendship, showing the bond between Young Vivian and Older Vivian to fully capture the depth of Mildred and Vivian’s relationship and what they learn from each other through hardship.

Caroline did a phenomenal job bringing Young Vivian to life, and we are so proud of what she contributed to this film. With previous acting experience, she stepped onto set with confidence and heart, and we were incredibly grateful to have her join us.

Drew Zimmerman

Drew Zimmerman appears in Cherry Cola as the commercial host. In addition to his on-screen role, he contributed behind the scenes by assisting with sound and supporting key production efforts during some of the film’s most demanding shoot days. His versatility and commitment made him a valuable part of the Cherry Cola team.

Alexander Zimmerman

Alexander Zimmerman appears in Cherry Cola alongside his father in the commercial sequence. A familiar and valued presence within Dennis Films productions, Alexander brings natural charm and lightness to the screen, adding moments of humor and energy to the film.

Zach Johnston

Zach Johnston portrays the barista in Cherry Cola. With a background in acting and theatre, he joined the production after connecting with Dennis Films during the 2025 premiere season. His performance in the coffee shop scene brings humor and energy to the film, adding a memorable moment of levity to the story.

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If you like classics like Broke Back Mountain & Coraline…or you really take a strong interest in spiders or big bridges, then stay tuned for this actor. Hehe.

Sadie Dennis Graphic Design Artist

Sadie Dennis is the graphic designer behind the visuals you see on the Cherry Cola bottle and throughout much of our marketing. Many of the posters, visuals and artwork across Dennis Films and the marketing have been meticulously hand designed by her. She has spent hours and hours crafting together so much of the art that you see.

At Dennis Films, we take pride in the fact that all of our visuals and creations you see is in fact, created by PEOPLE. Talented, passionate artists. Sadie’s work has become part of the visual identity of our films, both on screen and beyond it.