Along the path of filmmaking (and creating any art really) one learns to accept rejection as a normal part of putting your work into the world. I mean, you can’t please everybody all of the time can you? And the competition is intense in the world of film.
As our little movie, Feet, makes its way through the submission process of film festivals around the world, it has yet to be selected to screen at any of them. While that can be a little wounding to the ol’ ego, now and again we have been lucky to receive sincere compliments on the film, on its story and on the acting, from some pretty great film festivals even while they were not naming it as an official selection.
One of the most exciting of these has come in the form of an endorsement from Oaxaca FilmFest. Oaxaca FilmFest was named by MovieMaker magazine as one of the Top 50 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee four years in a row, and this is what they had to say about Feet.
“Feet is a curious comedy about a man’s fascination turning into art, and the effort he makes to protect his vision from external meddling forces.
Feet is written and directed by the duo of Darci Alishouse and Terri Balogh, with a minuscule budget they manage to create an entertaining film with a very clear vision of who their characters are and the true meaning of artistic integrity. It is fascinating that they decided their main characters would be senior citizens, something that doesn’t happen quite often in film. There’s also a point to be made here, it’s never too late to do what you really want to do.
Both Richard and Pete get involved in a medium that is often dominated by much younger competitors, however, their point of view brings something new to the table. Richard, as played by Richard Chamberlain, is a man with a curious hobby sprung out of his own ache that he further develops into an area of expertise. He’s naive, even for his age, but still willing to fight for what is his. Pete, as played by Seymour Muchmore, is a man who acts much younger than his true age. There’s a vitality to his performance that makes him that friend your mom disapproves of, but that is a genuine mate when things get real.
As for the antagonist of the story, Tony LeBeauf is the deranged Adrian Marco Day, the prototypical nightmare of any filmmaker, as he represents the madness that comes with money and the power that comes with deciding over the final product.
The film works on three different levels: It’s a story about the pursuit of happiness, it’s a crime caper and a story of friendship against adversity. All three levels work well off each other, and make for a varied and entertaining experience. This is also an example of get-out-there-and-make-your-movie filmmaking. There was a story to be told, and the filmmakers went camera in hand, with clear vision and made the film without compromise.
Feet can be a wacky comedy of two senior friends trying to get into the YouTube game so well-played by Millenials, it’s also a caper and a crime thriller, but ultimately its heart lies in a declaration of artistic freedom and purity of vision.”
The biggest thrill for Terri and I about this endorsement was that they got the ultimate message of the story! Behind its “curious” facade, the message of Feet is a declaration of artistic freedom and the idea that it is never too late to do what you really want to do. It was truly heartening to us that they were able to see that message.
The other thrill for us is that all of the hard work the cast and crew and everyone involved in this film put out there was not lost on the people screening it for Oaxaca FilmFest. We wanted to put this out there to let everyone know that we appreciate everything they did to help create this film. We will continue to push Feet into the world through however much rejection is necessary until we finally all get to snuggle into theatre seats and see it on the big screen!
Carrying On,
Darci
