Jodie Mack’s animated short film “Yard Work is Hard Work,” which is 27 minutes, portrays themes of love and relationships set against the backdrop of economic hardship. Released in 2008, a year marked by the subprime mortgage crisis, the film reflects on the multifaceted economic, social, and political issues that millions of anxious Americans suffered through during that tumultuous period.

These churches, each in varying states of decay and grandeur, are not only physical locations but also represent emotional checkpoints that reflect the complexities of their evolving relationships.