What happens when a married couple in all-too-perfect suburbia find a strange, disturbing surprise inside their toddler’s teddy bear?
It’s a simple story that opens the door to a host of complex endings and invokes the kind of lingering, uncomfortable suspense that Damon Russell and Shawn Christensen have made themselves known for.
The duo behind the Oscar-winning short film Curfew make their return to the art of short film with the latest stunner, Cul de Sac, a twisted and crafty thriller that combines a Stepford Wives vibe with 60’s Soviet spy paranoia and their own unique vision. Beyond the story itself, Cul de Sac reaffirms Russell and Christensen’s commitment to short film, a medium that can feel like a dying art but that the dup are determined to keep breathing life into.
The duo have been carrying the torch in short film for some time now. Best known for their work in “Before I Disappear,” “Curfew” and “Snow on Tha Bluff,” unlike many in Hollywood, they aren’t creating short films as a stepping stone to directing the next blockbuster. What sets them apart is their passion for the power of short story, and the freedom that comes with it.
“Once you get into finances and insurance and people looking over your shoulder, these are just things that don’t happen in short films. There really is no pressure, there really are no rules...The first time I discovered video cameras as a child, making movies with stuffed animals, GI Joes, whatever, it’s the same feeling of using the people and whatever’s around us to make a story. It’s the same feeling as playing in the backyard as a kid.”
Cul de Sac will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival [TIFF] on September 9 and to mentally prep, we’re premiering the trailer exclusively on BitTorrent Now. Be sure to also check out our interview with Russell and Christensen to find out about more about their inspiration and commitment to art.