North Starr

Prediction

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Festival Year

2008 (click here to see all competition films from this year)

Category

Dramatic Competition

Cast

Jerome Hawkins, Matthew Stanton, Chris Sullivan, Isaac Lamb, Zach Johnson, Wayne Campbell

Non-Cast Credits

Matthew Stanton, Jennifer Balconis, Billie H. Steffee, Dr. Paula Windham, Peter Levermann, Gregg Ellory, Wayne Campbell, Mark Maccora

Description

In his beautifully crafted directorial debut, Matthew Stanton offers a marvelously original tale of an aspiring rap artist who comes to appreciate the value of going into another man�s land and �preaching to the unconverted.�

After witnessing the brutal murder of his best friend, Demetrious impulsively hops into a cab to escape the thug life of the inner-city Houston concrete for serene rural pastures. His cash takes him only as far as the outskirts of Trublin, a tiny backward town with skeletons in its closet. As he walks the streets of the town, Demetrious's presence draws the ire of the redneck citizens. But he is soon picked up by Darring, an unlikely kindred spirit who takes Demetrious under his wing. The two men find the strength in each other to rouse old demons that haunt the town and confront them in bold and unexpected ways.

North Starr is a poignant and heartfelt urban redemption story about healing wounds born of racism and the kind of trust that binds people together. There is a rare poetic and quietly tender quality to Stanton�s filmmaking that is mesmerizing to watch. It inspires the palpable exhilaration you feel when discovering a truly fresh directorial vision and voice.

Reviewer

Shari Frilot (see other films reviewed by the same reviewer)

Film Takes Pace.