We’ve finally made it! Opening Night of the 19th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival has arrived, and with it comes over 400 films in the span of ten days, from some of the most talented people in the film industry. To kick things off, here are some highlights from the Opening Night festivities from the first two blocks of the Festival, celebrating night one of what is going to be an incredible festival. In addition to that, at the end of our highlights will be an entry into our “5 Questions With” series, featuring Director Chris Overton from the incredible film, In Too Deep! Enjoy, and be sure to stick with us over the next ten days for news, interviews and highlights from the biggest short film festival of the year!
Zita Sempri – This beautiful Italian film from director Stefania Spampinato and writers Fabrizio Carlo Muscia and Meghann Plunkett focuses on Stefania, a young woman who keeps her connection with her mother through the lost art of letter writing. As the two bridge the generational gap, they share their experiences as women, the expectations that comes with that, and the subversion of those expectations. It’s a touching and gorgeous film, with a heartfelt story that manages to do so much, in such a short amount of time. It’s full of emotion and the incredible bond between parent and child, even from a distance. Star Gaia Nardozza is captivating in the role as Stefania, bringing so much life and feeling to her character, and the film as a whole.
Shadow Brother Sunday – Alden Ehrenreich writes, directs and stars in this film that focuses on two brothers, struggling musician Jacob (Nick Robinson) and burgeoning movie star Cole (Ehrenreich), as the latter comes home for the premiere of their new film. As family and friends gather to celebrate, Jacob comes up with a plan to steal his famous brother’s laptop and sell it to the paparazzi for a quick payday. Family dramas are packed with a lot of complicated feelings, and that is conveyed incredibly well by the two main stars, and a fantastic debut film from Ehrenreich. Lisa Edelstein and Jacob Wysocki also round out the supporting cast, adding to the stellar performances.
In Too Deep – Director Chris Overton and writer James Spillman have really hit the target with a film that is not overtly scary, but is deeply unsettling as it tells the story of grieving father Ben (Stephen Wight), who is still deep in mourning the death of his young daughter Jess (Madeliene McKenna). In an attempt to heal, Ben uses AI technology to recreate the memories of his child, much to the surprise of Jess’ mother, Carol (Rachel Shenton). It’s a gut-wrenching film, powerful as it explores loss and grief, and how people will go to any length to help ease that pain. It also shows one of the dark sides of AI technology, with the terrifying idea of being able to recreate a person, eve if they’re no longer here, allowing for this digital facsimile of a loved one in a way that is hard to handle and fully comprehend. It’s a powerful film that has been an early standout at the festival thus far, thanks to its subject matter, gripping story and terrific cast.
Swipe NYC – Lisa Edelstein stars in this very sweet and entertaining film about a recently divorced woman looking to get back into the dating pool, this time through the use of the plethora of dating apps. We see her go on bad date after weird date, all the while just trying to navigate the new path of her life. It’s a wonderfully done film that Edelstein is just amazing in, giving all the relatability and heart a film like this needs. Writer/director Sue Zarco Kramer really delivers on a wonderfully heartfelt story that should be pleasing to all audiences.
The Shepherd – Iain Softley directs and writes (along with Frederick Forsythe) this spirited and uplifting film about a fighter pilot that gets lost over the ocean on Christmas Eve, and the mysterious pilot who helps them find their way home. With Ben Radcliffe starring alongside John Travolta, this is a wonderfully positive and joy-inducing film that is a part of Alphonso Cuarón’s collaboration with Disney+ that focuses on the Christmas holiday. Cuarón serves as producer on this film.
What a way to start out this year’s festival! But that’s not all for us today. Keep reading to get a deeper look at In Too Deep, as we chat with Chris Overton about the film and the journey that led them to this year’s HollyShorts.
What inspired you to start making films?
It all begin with a school project when I was around 13. It wasn’t so much the filming but the editing. This was honestly the exact moment where I fell in love with film. When we were putting together the footage I was so excited by how you could cut clips and use transitions and characterise someone in the edit. So I took this home and I begged my mom for a camera for my birthday and never really looked back. I grew up in quite a rough area, so for me it was either cause trouble in my neighbourhood or make films. I used to rally all the kids together on the weekend. I’d plan the shots and we’d just go out and shoot it. They struggled to see the vision until I edited it together and presented a rough cut to them after school.
Were there any challenges in making this project?
I think this is the most challenging project I have been involved in to date. Everything that could have gone wrong with ‘in too deep’, did. Largely because of Covid. I think the shoot moved 3 times and we were only allowed to have 6 crew members for the final scene of the film. We had to wait 9 months for actor availability once the shoot moved which meant I had loads of time to plan and prepare. But still things went wrong. The days I thought would be easy somehow were the hardest and vice versa. I was very lucky to have Rebecca Harris-Turner, Rachel Shenton and James Spillman to rectify all of the issues that came up. We got it all in the end and I couldn’t be prouder of the film. I defintely think this experience made me a better filmmaker.
Is there any type of message or emotion that you hope the viewer takes away from watching this film?
I hope people get a glimpse into how people deal with grief in different ways. It’s not the same for everyone and in some extreme cases in can be very damaging as we depict in the film. When I first read the screenplay in 2020 the technology we used in the film seemed so futuristic but in the current AI climate I cannot believe how normal this is and how ‘in too deep’ could actually happen in today’s society. The nefarious use of the technology is very serious and I feel proud to bring it to peoples attention in the way I know how.
How does it feel to be able to screen the film at HollyShorts?
It’s always an honour to be part of such an important festival such as Hollyshorts. It feels like a big deal. We are very fond of the festival and having screened there previously it’s very exciting to return a few years later with new work. I love the team behind the festival and have built up a nice relationship when the team travel to the UK. It’s fair to say that Hollyshorts is highly respected globally so to be selected feels very special.
What’s on the horizon for you?
My aim over the last few years was to learn my craft and earn my stripes as a filmmaker. My goal was to make 3 short films and then move into a feature film. I’m proud to say that myself and the team at Slick are closer than ever to getting on set of our debut feature.
That’ll do it for night one! All of these amazing films, as well as all others from the 19th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival will be available in person, at the TCL Chinese Theaters in Los Angeles on their scheduled nights throughout the festival. Tickets for the festival, as well as the screening schedule, can be found here. They can also be viewed digitally, with tickets available on BitPix.
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