Summoning

I was doing research on DV to 35mm transfers for my upcoming feature when Filmout Xpress showed me their print of Estes' "Summoning". I was so enthralled with the story, I forgot to look for the technical aspects of the transfer. So then we had to watch the film a second time. I liked it even better the second time and cinematographer Kisteneff must've eaten a few Scoobie Snacks before he shot this because the film looks better than Dancer in the Dark.

I was at the Mill Valley film festival to see another short film about losing your mother--which was good--but when "Summoning" came on I understood how deeply the subject could be exposed in the course of a few minutes. As a woman who lost her mom as a child, I felt the story was totally spot on. I was so moved, I contacted the filmmaker and asked him out to lunch. Jacob was not only a pleasure to talk to, but also a total babe! Too bad ladies, he's married. His wife wrote some of the film's music. --quite a duo!

So much happens in Summoning within the space of 24 minutes, you can hardly believe you just watched a short film. The moment to moment acting is absolutely riveting. The 15 year old actress Keeira Lyn Ford is hard to take your eyes off of. Christopher Curry and Veralyn Jones are also excellent. I saw this film at SXSW and I cried but it wasn't a tear jerker at all--it was just moving.

Jacob Aaron Estes is a director to watch carefuly. His writing and directing shifts from real to surreal seamlessly. Summoning has tremendous acting and tells a complicated emotional story with very few words.