OK. My spouse has insisted that I “write a review” to document my Sundance experience. As a full time graduate student and nurse, the last thing I wanted to do was “write a paper.” So, the great wife that I am, I will share my thoughts with all of you.

Arriving at Sundance was a treat as my good friend gave us buddy passes that paved the way to unlimited drinks and snack-mix, and steamed hand towels as we traveled the sky for four very long hours. We approached Salt Lake City; the view was stunning with beautiful lakes and snow-capped mountaintops. Park City, a short drive from our hotel, is a trendy hot spot during the festival. Well dressed young hip filmmakers, actors, producers, and then people like me, ordinary every day folk in blue jeans and turtlenecks, wander Main Street. Restaurants, trendy coffee shops, and many cluttered boutiques line the town. The only challenge is gravity. You get a work out walking up and down Main Street. A great view of powdery white slopes with an occasional skier serves as Main Street’s backdrop.

The films. According to the website and program, every film at Sundance is essentially sold out. This created a bit of a problem for me, as I am not press at Sundance (I do have credentials at Slamdance), I am the wife. The box office will sell tickets shortly before a showing after doing a careful assessment of availability. So last night, I found myself needing a place to go for several hours, and the Egyptian Theatre was my solution. Deadend.com had tickets available. For ten dollars, I got my first ticket to a Sundance film. It was awkward to find a seat, because I am not one to go see films alone. To my surprise, I ended up sitting right behind the film director, Wyeth Clarkson, and one of the main characters named Adrian in the film.

Watching the movie was like driving down an unrepaired road. There were potholes, slow points, and occasionally complete stops. An attempt to mirror the suicide experience of three teenagers in Canada, deadend.com takes a road of its own. Filmed in Canada, three teenagers, Adrian, Nicole, and Hal count down the days to their death. Each character has their own reasons, and they venture upon a journey full of self-indulgence, drugs, and emotional angst.

I watch films to be entertained. Either I engage in the film and actually experience something, or, I fall asleep. I stayed awake for this one. Despite some technical errors during the film, a dreadfully shaky cam, and sound problems, I still engaged with the characters and found myself intrigued. Suicide is a depressing, sad topic. This film was able to capture the essence of an attitude that I think is prevalent in Generation Y. Self-indulgent, raw, and seedy arrogance is well portrayed by the main characters. Ironically, Hal is really a homeless guy in Canada with no prior acting experience. The idea of somehow glorifying a suicide mission horrified me at first, but, after watching the film I realized that it is a harsh reality of society and like it or not, this movie gives you a disturbing glimpse into this tragic journey that many take every day.

The filmmakers weren’t remiss in their attempt to capture the audience. Before the showing, Clarkson announced that a fantastic porn scene would catch your attention about 45 minutes into the film. He was right. I could not believe my eyes. Anyway, he further explained that film producer, Michel Gingras, porn guy, had a vested interest in the production, hence the porn scene. The production of the film actually occurred somewhat spontaneously as they filmed at random places with unanticipated characters. This led to unexpected events such as a quick view of a scrotal cyst, skinny-dipping, and more.

The story line is fictional, derived from the web site, deadend.com. A true story inspired the work, and the three main characters derived their inspiration from tragedy. All that mattered in the film was the characters, not the sound, tape quality, or shaky cam. This unique production captured my attention and opened my eyes to the reality of suicide. It was disturbing and entertaining at the same time.

If you have a chance, see this film, and expose your mind to an uncomfortable reality of society, teen suicide.

Jonathan reports on Day 1 of Slamdance
Jonathan reports on Day 2 of Slamdance
Amna Kahn-Hickman reviews Sundance entry Deadend.com
Jonathan reports on Day 3 of Slamdance
Jonathan reports on Day 4 of Slamdance

Amna Khan-Hickman