From the "On The Scene" Archives:

by Fiona Ng

(indieWIRE/ 06.27.01) -- Anyone walking pass Laemmle's Playhouse 7 to attend the 3rd annual Method Fest Independent Film Festival (June 15 ‚ 22) in Pasadena, Calif. would likely be greeted by the sight of a couple of hotshots who, aside from the usual hobnobbing, were dressed in superhero outfits. As it turned out, the two were from "The Duo" -- a mockumentary directed by Tony Hewitt about a Batman and Robin-esque crime-fighting team in the suburbs -- which made its U.S. debut at the Method Fest, and which inspired one fellow reporter to comment, "Man, they're working it like it's fucking Sundance!"

As if its name isn't a dead giveaway, the Method Fest is all about acting, with the mission to showcase outstanding performances in independent films. This year, the fest had on its slate over 35 shorts, 20 plus full-length films, including the festival's Centerpiece Film, Joel Hopkins' "Jump Tomorrow," which will be distributed by IFC Films next week, and the Spanish film "Sobrevivire" ("I Will Survive") directed by Alfonso Albacete and David Menkes, which served as the event's Early Closing Night Film -- not to mention numerous panels on acting and the business of acting. So, of course, this isn't Sundance. Yet given that the festival has only been in play for three years, it's not realistic to expect the Method Fest to be like the big boys -- either in publicity madness or, certainly more important, in the quality of their programming.

Despite a busy 8-day schedule, the festival did suffer an early disappointment when "Bully," the third feature from photographer cum director Larry Clark that was scheduled to world premiere as the fest's opening night film, got unexpectedly pulled out of the lineup by the flick's domestic distributor Lions Gate Films the day before the festival's launch.

This obvious disappointment notwithstanding, the festival nonetheless served up some competent (though, admittedly, not great) films. Even though the Method Fest is ostensibly about acting, good acting alone doesn't make great films. Indeed, as I sat through most of the program, what struck me as problematic with most of the films in the festival was not the acting -- that area being the most consistent in excellence -- but the writing and directing. But out of this context did emerge a few exceptions where the art of acting, writing and directory were consummate, and at the very least, a cut above the rest.

One place where all three forces successfully met was in director Dan Kay's "Way Off Broadway," a pleasant little study into the lives of five recent college graduates, starring Brad Beyer, Morena Baccarin, Forbes March, Jordon Gelber and Michael Parducci, as they each struggle to realize their creative dreams after the ivory tower. Marked by good acting, realistic characters and smart writing, the film never fell victim to the kind of cliché that it easily could have.

Another enjoyable watch was director Rick Johnson's "Rustin," winner of the festival's Audience Award for Best Feature. Besides directing, Johnson is also the star, playing a former national football hero who has taken refuge from his career-ending injury as the nominal sheriff in his hometown. Though the film feels like a TV movie at times, actors and director alike did an impressive job bringing to light the struggle of the protagonist, namely that of dealing with his faded glory and his feeling indebted to a system -- the high school football team -- that had produced him and his kind.

For the film geek set and teen thriller generation, the festival offered "Tomorrow By Midnight," an entertaining film that thrives off its knowledge of obscure movie references as much as the film's lead protagonists. Directed by Rolfe Kanefsky, the flick follows Scott Rinker, William Vogt, Tamara Craig Thomas, Karim Prince and Jennifer Lambert as a group of 20-somethings that, as a practical joke, held up a local video store where Alexis Arquette works as a checkout clerk. But the prank unwittingly escalates into a full-blown hostage situation, which conveniently serves the stage for the film to make its statement about media and violence. Despite the attempt at a message, the film still failed to be little more than the sum of its film references, film quotations and self-reflexivity. Of course, that's not to say that it wasn't fun to watch.

The festival's closing night film belonged to writer-director Jeff Probst's "Finder's Fee," which had just come off winning the audience award at this year's Seattle International Film Festival. Winner of the Method Fest's Best Screenplay award, the film revolves around an ethical dilemma of a Good Samaritan (Erik Palladino) who finds a lost wallet on the street with a winning lottery ticket. In between dealing with an impending weekly poker game with his buddies and anticipating the owner of the wallet to show up (which he eventually does, as played by James Earl Jones), the youth must decide if he should keep the loot for himself or return the jackpot to its rightful owner. First-time writer-director Probst shows a definite talent for snappy dialogue and knowing direction that artfully moves the suspense along, though at times certain plot points were forced and drawn out. Still, Probst was able to effectively keep the action one step ahead of the audience.

Probst, as a dedicated TV nation should have no problem recognizing -- is better known as the host of "Survivor." "People look at the film and think it's by that guy from 'Survivor,' but winning at Seattle definitely gives the film credibility," Probst told indieWIRE just moments before his film was set to unspool at the Method Fest.

On the topic of credibility, the debut writer-director also cited that seasoned actor James Earl Jones's commitment to "Finder's Fee" (who was honored with the lifetime achievement award at the Method Fest) was instrumental in getting other actors in the project, which took two years to write and 17 days to shoot. The film is currently in negotiations for a theatrical distribution deal. And Probst, in between researching and writing his next film project, will be heading over to Africa shortly for another season of the uber-reality show.

Not too shabby for a day job.

For the final tally, the festival's big winner was director Jefferson Davis' "John, John in the Sky." The film, about a man who returns home to face his tragic past, bagged four statuettes including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress for Romy Rosemont and Best Supporting Actress for Rusty Schwimmer. In other major award categories, David Cubitt, who played a writer who is reunited with his estranged and moribund brother in director Leonard Farlinger's "The Perfect Son," was named Best Actor. Best Supporting Actor award went to Matthew Faber in director Jack Rubio's "Hard Luck." And D.W. Warren took home the Breakout Acting nod for his work in director Tom Zuber's "Lansdown." Dani Minnick's "Falling Like This" and Aku Louhimies' "The Restless" were also singled out with multiple awards.

[Fiona Ng is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles.]