A seemingly ordinary couple have their lives turned upside down by a pair of strangers in the independent drama Crashing Eden. Michael Sterner (Paul Ghirighelli) is a Republican politician with a passion for sports and a need to seem like a tough guy. His wife Natalie (Jodi Verdu) is an artist who has a lucrative sideline illustrating children's books. They seem happy enough, despite their difficulty having the children Natalie wants. One day, a young and bohemian-looking couple named Adam (Rick Williams) and Ava (Alecia Derwin) appear at their doorstep, saying they're having car trouble and would like some help. Despite Michael's objections, Natalie invites them in, and soon they've begun a long night of conversation and soul-searching, in which the Sterners unwittingly reveal the many skeletons they've stuffed into their closet. The directorial debut from Dean Alioto, Crashing Eden received second place in the Audience Award competition at the 1999 Santa Barbara Film Festival.