Indie Report – Porch Light
Review by Ray Schillaci
Once in a while I get a short film sent over to me for my thoughts. I am partial to horror and comedy, especially when they are done well in such a short span of time. Both can easily fall flat if not in capable hands, which happens more often than not. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I was invited to view writer/director Julia Bergeron’s funny and infectious Porch Light, a twisted comical tale of two modern day senior cowpokes whose lives are drastically changed by an armed intruder.
Bergeron’s short premiered this year at the Omaha Film Festival to an enthusiastic audience and won Best Short Film. Audiences will now have the opportunity to see the West Coast premiere of Porch Light while attending the 22nd annual Dances with Films Festival at the TCL Chinese Theatres. This is very exciting for first time filmmaker Bergeron, especially having walked the tightrope with the rather light hearted dark comedy she braved on to create during these politically correct times.
Hey, funny is funny, and Bergeron does it well, along with her cast and crew. She teamed up with co-producer Isabel Dréan to create a nostalgic western feel with some rich and oddball visuals, along with a distinctive sound supplied by Academy Award winner Sylvain Bellemare (Arrival), and a wonderful catchy music score by Jérôme Boisvert. Of course, it helps tremendously that Bergeron’s two stars, Eddie King and Steve Hofvendal, have great comic timing. In fact, these two are so much fun to watch and have such a natural chemistry it would not be a stretch to fashion a full length feature around similar characters with these two playing the leads.
I would encourage all to take the opportunity of catching this twisted little comedy on the big screen at the Dances with Films Festival and enjoy the big laughs with a large audience. Screening is on Tuesday, June 18th at 5:00PM. Tickets can be purchased at:
https://danceswithfilms.com/porch-light/
