2014 Sundance Film Festival Predictions: Kat Candler’s Hellion

I don’t think Drake Doremus will be at Sundance this year. Here’s hoping that Kat Candler makes a “repeat” into a three-peat. Director of highly praised Sundance shorts Hellion (2012) (see pic above) and Black Metal (2013), Candler might belong to an exclusive club of folks. The same year that the short got invited to Park City, her producer Kelly Williams become an invited 2012 Sundance creative producing lab fellow with the feature length project of the same title (see trailer to get an idea of what it might turn out like). Flash forward to 2014, and Hellion might be that feature length Sundance preemed film that has roots as a Sundance accepted short film. In late August the trades spit out the news that Aaron Paul and Juliette Lewis climbed on board the drama – so it’ll be tight to get this before the deadline. Short Term 12 cinematographer Brett Pawlak shot the film.

Gist: Based on the short film, this is set in small-town Texas, when thirteen-year old Jacob’s delinquent behavior gets his brother taken away, he’ll go to extreme, destructive lengths to bring him home. Jonny Mars, who appeared in the short, also co-stars along with Josh Wiggins and Deke Garner.

Production Co./Producers: Kelly Williams and Jonathan Duffy (Pit Stop). Janice Beard, Tanner Beard, Suzanne Weinert, Jeff Nichols and Sarah Green are exec producers.

Prediction: Birth in the U.S. Dramatic Competition is a sensible bet with SXSW next in line. 2015 might be the long-term option.

U.S. Distributor: Rights Available
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