Hal Holbrook stars as irritable Abner Meecham in "That Evening Sun," a film directed by Scott Teems and based on a short story by William Gay. Cooper DunnDogwood Entertainment
The 12th annual Indie Memphis Film Festival begins Thursday at Malco's Studio on the Square with a pair of superb films, "Shooting Robert King," a documentary about a Memphis war photographer, and "That Evening Sun," a drama with Hal Holbrook that could be described as a Southern Gothic "Gran Torino."
Hal Holbrook stars as irritable Abner Meecham in "That Evening Sun," a film directed by Scott Teems and based on a short story by William Gay. Cooper DunnDogwood Entertainment
The festival continues through Oct. 15 with a lineup of more than 150 Southern-themed and national and international narrative and documentary features and shorts, along with parties, discussion panels and a closing-night acoustic solo performance by celebrated British rock star Robyn Hitchcock. Most events are at the Studio on the Square theater near Overton Square.
Many of the films are in competition for juried prizes in overall and "Hometowner" categories; judges include NPR Weekend Edition and former New York Times film critic Elvis Mitchell, "Hoop Dreams" producer Peter Gilbert and Christopher Holland, a co-founder of the StompTokyo.com cult-movie Web site. Winners will be announced Oct. 11.
"That Evening Sun" screens at 7 and 10 p.m. Admission is $8, or $6 for Indie Memphis members. Screenwriter-director Scott Teems, actor-producer Ray McKinnon ("Deadwood") and co-star Barry Corbin ("Northern Exposure") are scheduled to attend.
A Thursday night after-party for festival pass-holders will be held from 9p.m. to midnight at The Vine, 1819 Madison, with music by Jonathan Kirkscey and String Theory.
Coming on the heels of Holbrook's Oscar-nominated supporting performance in "Into the Wild," "That Evening Sun" represents part two of a late-career renaissance in quality big-screen roles for the always busy actor.
The title -- pulled from the lyrics of W.C. Handy's "St. Louis Blues" -- and Holbrook's role as a cantankerous refugee from a retirement home suggest the movie might be an autumnal life-affirmer of the type produced for TV's Hallmark Hall of Fame, but "That Evening Sun" proves to be tough and thought- provoking, with twists that confound the viewer's expectations. (No wonder Patterson Hood of the Drive-By Truckers was enticed to contribute several songs to the soundtrack.) The film was shot in East Tennessee.
Based on a short story by William Gay, the movie ultimately refuses to paint any of its characters as heroes or villains, even though the set-up -- widower Holbrook returns to his Tennessee farmhouse, now occupied by a mean-tempered "redneck" (McKinnon) and his family -- seems to promise a triumph-of-the-underdog audience-rouser. The movie would make an interesting co-feature with Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino," in which a similarly self-centered coot's escalating neighborhood conflict led to a more redemptive finale.
The impressive cast includes Carrie Preston (now probably deserving of the label "cult actress," for her role as the waitress, Arlene, in HBO's "True Blood"); Mia Wasikowska (the title character in Tim Burton's upcoming "Alice in Wonderland"); Walton Goggins ("The Shield"), who helped produce the film through the Ginny Mule Pictures company he operates with McKinnon; and -- in a few flashback scenes -- Holbrook's wife, former Memphian Dixie Carter.
Indie Memphis Film Festival
Tickets for most screenings cost $8. Tickets to weekday screenings starting before 5:50 p.m. and weekend screenings before 1:30 p.m. are $6. Passes good for entrance to all or most Indie Memphis events also are available, including an $85 "Silver Membership" and a $150 "Golden Membership."
Information on other films will appear next Friday in GoMemphis. For a full lineup or to order tickets, visit indiememphis.com.
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