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Winter In The Blood a film by Alex and Andrew Smith
Winter In The Blood | A film by Alex and Andrew Smith. 2013 Los Angeles Film Festival Official Selection.

May 24, 2013 10:00 am US/Pacific

Winter In The Blood a film by Alex and Andrew Smith.
2013 Los Angeles Film Festival Official Selection | Narrative.

Los Angeles, CA - Winter In The Blood, a film by Alex and Andrew Smith (who also co-wrote the script with Ken White), is a beautful, faithful rendition of James Welch's novel of the same name .

James Welch has long been considered a founding author of the Native American Renaissance and his novel, Winter In The Blood, was not only his first work; but, also became one of his most enduring. Considered a difficult read by many, it should be deemed a must read by all. With the Hi-Line of the big sky country Montana as its backdrop and told with the aunthenticity of one who knows the historical and customary living on the Native Reservation, Alex and Andrew Smith successfuly remain true to the spirit and account of Welch's story.

By way of narrative, we are introduced to Virgil First Raise (played definitively by Chaske Spencer). Virgil depicts to us his past and present, keeping us absorbed as he chronicles his journey of the real and surreal - a place where the borders between the two are harshly blurred.

As the movie begins, Virgil is awakening from a drunken stupor at the bottom of a ditch. Jarred by flashes of recollection, this ditch is a constant in both the real and imagined; and, he frequently returns to it causing us to wonder, is there something to it - could something have transpired there - that has a hold on him?

Inbetween his bouts of sobriety and drunkeness, it is clear that Virgil is discovering that he has neither put a stop to nor dealt with the past of those unresolved issues that lie there: Does he have a responsibility to his mother and her choices? Should he have respect for Lame Bull? How can he read through his grandmother's silence? Who is he? What is the truth to his existence?

It is amongst these constants in his life that he must now deal with his wayward wife who has taken one of his most prized possessions: his father's rifle.

By no easy means, Virgil is reunited with his rifle but not without the up-and-down drama of his drinking combined with the incongruous flashbacks and present conflicts. It is after one of these stupors that Virgil is introduced to Airplane Man.

David Morse's performance as Airplane Man is striking. (When you hear Alex and Andrew Smith talk about Morse's contributions to the character, his presentation is all the more powerful.) Is the Airplane Man who he seems to be? Is he fantasy or reality? Salvation or damnation? Regardless of the answer, Airplane Man causes Virgil to explore who he - himself - truly may be.

The Smith Brothers have given us, in this adaptation of Winter In The Blood, an insightful journey of self-discovery. By reflecting Welch's book onto the big screen, they have left us with a tangible visual into a process of letting go of that which made us and embracing that which we can become.


Film: Winter In The Blood
Directed by: Alex Smith and Andrew Smith
Written by: Alex Smith, Andrew Smith, Ken White
Based on the Novel by: James Welch
Produced by: Andrew Smith, Alex Smith, Susan Kirr
Executive Produced By: Heather Rae, Carl Hampe, Jason C. Miller, Peter Wiley
Co-Produced by: Michael Prall and Amanda Pullinger
Cinematographer: Paula Huidobro
Edited By: Michael Hofacre
Cast: Chaske Spencer, David Morse, Julia Jones, Gary Farmer, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Lily Gladstone,
Casey Camp, Richard Ray Whitman, Michael Spears, David Cale
Music By: Heartless Bastards
Runtime: 98 minutes
PR: PMK*BNC

Gus Summers is the Host and Broadcast Producer for The "IN Show, an entertaining broadcast that covers all things exciting and enlightening.

When Gus isn't busy covering current events and interesting people, you'll see him out and about enjoying all that the City of Angels has to offer. For any questions, comments, or program ideas, he can be reached at gus@theinshow.com.

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