Hollywood might not have been making movies last year, but local and regional independent filmmakers didn’t take last year off. The fruits of their labor will be part of the Poison Peach XIII Film Festival, presented July 9-10 at the Imperial Theatre.
Poison Peach is usually held in January, but COVID-19 protocols delayed the festival earlier this year, according to Jezibell Anat, Poison Peach spokesperson.
MORE: Local Filmmakers Having Great 2021
The two-day festival features one night of more R-rated content, and then a second night with PG-13 fare.
The July 9 line-up kicks off at 7 p.m. with a short called “Swing Low,” which showcases a play turned into a film about a troubled young woman and an unusual social worker. Also on Friday is a feature called “Rocket Hunter: Rise of the Nazi Rockets.” Written and directed by Christopher Forbes, it explores the Nazis’ quest to build and launch a rocket plane in the waning days of World War II.
One of the characters is a Jewish scientist who is kept alive only because he can help the cause. He tries to escape.
[adrotate banner=”54″]
“It’s a very human story,” said Anat.
Although it’s a war movie, it has a science fiction twist to it, she said.
Also on Friday is David Axe’s feature called “BaeWolf,” a comedic take on the Beowulf legend with a female lead. Axe is a Columbia filmmaker.
The July 10 line-up includes a collaborative piece called “The Idols of March,” made up of a series of 10 short films inspired by figurines. Christine Williams spearheaded the project, which lasts about 45 minutes.
Anat said most of those films were completed prior to March 2020.
Two longer films will also premiere Saturday. They are “Hampton’s Legion,” which is a look at Wade Hampton, a South Carolina Confederate general, who funded his own army. It stars Eddie Rodgers, a Civil War re-enactor.
Anat said historical accuracy was important in making that film.
[adrotate banner=”19″]
Also on July 10 will be “Ghosts of EastWind Castle,” which was filmed at EastWind Castle, a medieval-looking structure near Trenton, S.C. Written and directed by Sherman Gills, who owns EastWind, it’s about a couple desiring to build a medieval-era castle. The characters obtain some haunted stones for construction.
Anat said the filmmakers went to great lengths to ensure safety on their sets during COVID-19, often opting for remote location shoots where there was plenty of space for social distancing.
Augusta has a great indie filmmaking community, she said, and added that anyone interested in filmmaking should come to the festival.
MORE: Film Augusta Soldiers on Despite Pandemic
“There’s definitely an opportunity to talk to people,” she said. “Augusta is a lot easier to meet people and network than other communities.”
She said she hopes to be putting out a call for submissions for the next Poison Peach Festival soon and that it will return to its regular January slot in 2022.
Charmain Z. Brackett is the Features Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach her at charmain@theaugustapress.com.
[adrotate banner=”44″]
