Florida Film Festival 2019 – Hierophany
Living on the margins of American society, a Florida boy comes in contact with the sacred.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Kevin Contento
Watch Hierophany here:
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
The quick answer would be in order to graduate I needed to make a thesis film. The bigger picture, however, stems over a couple of years. It all started during my undergraduate studies at the University of Central Florida. There I minored in philosophy, religion, and popular culture and was exposed to the writings of Professor Seyyed Hossein Nasr. His perspicacity in the opening chapter of his book Man and Nature: The Spiritual Crisis of Modern Man left a lasting impression:
"Today, almost everyone living in the urbanized centers of the Western world feels intuitively a lack of something in life. This is due directly to the creation of an artificial environment from which nature has been excluded to the greatest possible extent. Even the religious man in such circumstances has lost the sense of the spiritual significance of nature. The domain of nature has become a ‘thing’ devoid of meaning, and at the same time the void created by the disappearance of this vital aspect of human existence continues to live within the souls of men and to manifest itself in many ways, sometimes violently and desperately." -Seyyed Hossein Nasr p. 17
This was the birth of what has now become an obsession to quench an ontological thirst.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
There’s a hidden part of Florida that not even Floridians are aware of. On the Southern tip of Lake Okeechobee, four towns border the water: Pahokee, Belle Glade, Clewiston, & South Bay. Collectively they’re known as Muck City. A land where sugarcane fields stretch as far as the eye can see.
Every harvesting season more than a hundred thousand acres of sugarcane are burned. Naturally, this causes all the animals living among the cane to emerge: possums, birds, mice, and rabbits. For the local hunters of Muck City, it’s the rabbits that hold the most value. Young men and woman, children, and teenagers come from all over to partake in this ritualistic hunt.
It’s a place in Florida filled with natural beauty, which lacks the basic opportunities those of us living in the larger cities tend to take for granted. Filmmakers like Ivete Lucas and Patrick Bresnan are engaging with the community through the intrinsic power of filmmaking and storytelling. They understand that the arts are key when it comes to the natural and healthy development of a community.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Jean Voltaire (Aaron) is a Florida boy living on the margins of American society. It’s out here that he comes in contact with a lost falcon and witnesses the art of falconry. We are expressing through symbolism the Universal and innate personal theme of seeking Divine Unity.
(Excerpt from The Conference of the Birds)
Rare falcon, welcome! How long will you be So fiercely jealous of your liberty?
Your lure is love, and when the jess is tied, Submit, and be forever satisfied.
Give up the intellect for love, and see
In one brief moment all eternity;
Break nature’s frame, be resolute and brave,
Then rest at peace in Unity’s black cave
Rejoice in that close, undisturbed dark air—
The Prophet will be your companion there.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
It changed radically from inception to production. At first, it was an abstract portrait of a young man who starts his journey witnessing a falconer losing his falcon. Then we jump cut 18 years later to an inner-city diner. There we meet our hero again. As he sits there in the diner the falcon returns and kills him. Eating his heart out.
This script evolved over several drafts. I have to acknowledge my thesis advisor Hilary Brougher, it was her guidance that helped shape my vision into a more reasonable story.
Then in Florida, it was Malik Hall, who has a short cameo in the film as “Ant,” that influenced the story yet again. He welcomed me into Pahokee and took me out rabbit hunting for the first time. Footage from that day made its way into the film. Without him Hierophany wouldn’t be here.
Lastly, Jean, Boleg and Roy (our main cast) are the beautiful souls that brought the world to life. They were so willing in the making of this film that I find it impossible to describe just how instrumental that is. My dialogue was garbage compared to what they improved. I owe them a huge debt.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Mainly that folks want to see more. We want to give them that.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
Since completing Hierophany we’ve been shooting a feature film project. With 50 minutes (about 70%) of the film shot. It’s at this point that we are looking for equity in order to finish the second half and then post-production.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Our next project is larger in scope but incorporates the same visuals and tone that made the short film so successful. What we need now is more financial support, whether it’s grants, donations, or producers willing to come aboard. This will help us complete our project and get it ready for the 2020 festival season.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I'm hoping we can raise awareness when it comes to his special part of Florida. On the other hand, it’s also a spiritual message that I hope is subtle enough to stir within the viewer the need for the Divine in our lives.
As a filmmaker, it's a calling card to the film industry. I'm a professional looking to continue my career telling similar stories. My dream would be to continue working with this core group of talent.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
A micro-budget first feature that blends an epic 13th-century Persian poem with everyday life in Pahokee, FL. Returning is the Hierophany cast with a few new faces. As I mentioned before we have shot 70% of the film. Like the short film, here the theme of Divine Unity is explored as it was in the beautiful Sufi poetry of Attar.
Interview: April 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Hierophany
Living on the margins of American society, a Florida boy comes in contact with the sacred.
Length: 11:16
Director: Kevin Contento
Producer: Frank O'Neill, Kevin Contento
Writer: Kevin Contento
About the writer, director and producer:
KEVIN CONTENTO is a Colombian-American filmmaker who grew up in South Florida. A University of Central Florida alumnus, he majored in cinema studies with a minor in philosophy, religion, and popular culture. He earned his MFA for Screenwriting and Directing from the graduate film program at Columbia University’s School of the Arts. His thesis film, Hierophany is a cerebral entry in the struggle to understand the intangible presence of God.
FRANK O’NEILL is a well-seasoned producer with years of commercial and television experience under his belt. Growing up in the gritty streets of Kingston, Jamaica and the scenic suburban beauty of Atlanta, Georgia has enabled him to have a broad scope on the human experience. His personal drive coupled with his professional dedication has led him to expose and express great stories to be shared with the world. His aim is to produce lasting works of art that will ultimately impact and change the world as we know it.
Key cast: Jean Voltaire (Aaron), Wiltavious Mckelton (Jimmy), Roy Thompson Jr. (Taylor)
Looking for: buyers
Facebook: Hierophany
Twitter: @HierophanyFilm
Instagram: @askeda
Hashtags used: #hierophany #hierophanyshortfilm #pahokeefilm
Website: www.onelovepictureclassics.com
Made in association with: The Palm Beach County Film & Television Commission
Funders: So there is no crowdfunding set up right now, but we are working on a feature. A may set one up either to raise funds for production or post.
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? Florida Film Festival/Orlando - 4.21; Mammoth Lakes Film Festival/TBA