Since our films Look At MeAgain and Snatch 'N'Grab began their festival runs a
year ago, I've seen hundreds of independent films. Some were good.
Some were great. Most of the films were covered with the blood,
sweat and tears of their filmmakers who put everything into their
project. Some not so much. A few of the films stuck with me after
the screening. One such film was Greencastle. We were fortunate to be at the premiere of this film at the Idyllwild International Festival Of Cinema.
Set
in Greencastle, PA, this film takes on a number of heavy topics. It
covers issues dealing with single fatherhood, moving on after the
loss of a spouse and how to grab a hold of your life's dreams while
struggling with racial identity. It handles these issues with
subtlety and delicacy, couching the story in a tale of love and
forgiveness.
The
film features a great cast that really brought a human face to the
difficult challenges the story presented. Writer/Director Koran
Dunbar plays Poitier Dunning, a widower whose life is slowing passing
by. He struggles with keeping the momentum of his life going while
trying to raise his son Julian, played by real life son Aurelius.
These two have great chemistry on screen with Julian providing an
emotion touchtone for Poitier. Both Koran and Aurelius create vivid
characters that really allow the audience to connect with their
struggle. Nikki Estridge's Leslie enters the story as a wounded
woman running from her past and becomes a glimmer of a hopeful future
for Julian and Poitier. Her naked portrayal of a woman just trying
to get a new start is frank and touching. The film benefits from an
amazing cast of supporting actors as well. Ralph Mauriello as Rocco
is a breath of fresh air, the hardened, tough talking boss who really
wants the best for Poitier. Christopher James stole every scene he
was in as the Bradley Cooper-esque Rick.
The
cast, combined with the honest simplicity of the story created a film
that was impossible not to connect with. I was honored to be in the
audience and I look forward to watching the audience of Greencastle
grow. Any one complaining about reboots or remakes in Hollywood need
to check out this film and others like it. The originality and
honesty of our film culture is out there. We just need to find it.
And the journey can begin with films like Greencastle. And it can continue with films from the likes of Gary C. Warren, Gothic Films, Sharon Wright, Mike Donis, Janet Mayson Marc Wasserman, Ford Austin and Underdogs.com. They make movies with nothing but a love of film and desire to tell a story. Or, all that you need.
James
Christopher
President,
Twitchy Dolphin Flix
