The annual Dances With Films festival champions the unflinching spirit at the very core of the independent film scene.
I’ll be covering a few titles screening this year, starting with a pair of titles that premiere on 17 Jan.
Committee Animal wr/director Robert Redfield, 11 min
“An overworked and under-appreciated team of misfit designers race the clock to overcome a supply chain crisis and out-of-touch management to meet an impossible deadline. The animal kingdom will never be the same again.“
Committee Animal is a proof of concept short/pilot about a group of designers in the ‘Fauna Design Department’.
What if God’s work was designed by committee following instructions from ‘upstairs’? This is an amusing short with original ideas.
What if the Creation had marketing and tech involved? Would we ever have got where we are now? A great set of credits with an amusing payoff.
Cast: Leslie Zemeckis, Rick Reischman, Riley Conrad, Alec Reusch and Luke Dziemidok.
By the Grape of God wr Kevin Hickey, dir Colmcille Donston, 94 min
“Two priests embark on a madcap wine tasting weekend in Solvang, CA to find the perfect communion wine only to spiral into a full on identity crisis.“
In an American church, attendance is dipping, and the wine at communion is proving to be a dud. How do Father Thomas and Father Christopher get things back on track?
This is a road movie with a difference. A buddy movie under the cross. By The Grape of God offers a lightly comedic look at ‘the Lord’s work’ and how doubts exist even in the minds of those chosen to the priesthood.
At the halfway point it dives into dark comedy, but not with complete success. With this loss of momentum, the film doesn’t really have enough plot or teeth to run to 90 minutes.
Chalk this one up more as missed opportunity. By adding influencer women into the equation, it loses sight of its initial storyline, although it certainly attempts to offer a quirky, original perspective.
Cast: Kirk Baltz, Sean Szatkowski, Melanie Mahanna, Olivia Lodge, et al.