FOCUS: SMOKE SCREENS Set against the complex, captivating world of cannabis, this riveting coming-of-age story focuses on two young brothers forced to fend for themselves in the gorgeous green hills of Northern California. First-time director Ryon Baxter stars as 20-something Cameron, thrust into parenting his 13-year-old brother Mason after their father is sent to prison. Soon, the young men are fully immersed in the family business, an isolated pot farm, as they prepare for a dramatic deal. The intimate story gets inside the dense emotional world of brothers in search of stability and love, as they exist in an off-the-grid underworld. From the opening scenes, it’s clear we are in the hands of an exciting filmmaker. Baxter focuses on the hypnotic details of minimal moments and brief, believable conversations to generate magnetic movie energy. Heartwarming and heartbreaking at once, this shining festival gem bears the essence of poetic filmmaking, tense drama, and emotional truth.
Guests in attendance 10/8 & 10/9: Ryon Baxter (director, writer, actor), Anthony Burns (producer), Jimmy Baxter (actor), Justin Potter (director of photography), Mike Revolvacke (director of photography), Shelly Mitchell (actress), Michael James (actor), Carol Everest (actress)