DLF.TV Debut

Path Lights

Director's Note

Path Lights, based on Tom Drury's New Yorker short story, was shot over 4 1/2 days in mid-May 2009 (with several months of pre-production and post production on either end). We were thrilled to have the good folks at DLF.TV on set with us for two of those days to bring you a behind the scenes look at what went into the production phase of this short film and the creative collaboration of those involved. The film itself was available exclusively on DLF.TV for one week in December and now it has made its way to film festivals for 2010.
-Zachary Sluser

Bobby (John Hawkes) is the voice of pulpy detective serials on audio, as well as the automated answering service of a tree cutting company. One day, when walking his dogs in the Pasadena arroyo, a bottle falls from the sky, almost hitting him. Bobby decides, based on the obscure brand of beer, to trace down the culprit. Path Lights is a thought provoking, comedy-noir that puts a human spin on the tradition of detective hero films. The film is based on Tom Drury's New Yorker short story and has been adapted for the screen by Tom Drury and director Zachary Sluser.

Questions about the film should be directed to pathlightsfilm@gmail.com.
Follow the progress of Path Lights on Twitter @Pathlights

Official Selection

Path Lights has just been announced as an official selection of the 39th International Film Festival Rotterdam and as an official selection of the 32nd Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival. Rotterdam is one of the top film festivals in Europe and Clermont-Ferrand is the premiere short film festival in the world (5100 international shorts submitted, 77 were chosen, 8 from the states and Path Lights was one of those).

Press

The director Zac Sluser and I were working on an adaptation of my novel "The Driftless Area" when he decided he wanted to make a short film and asked me if I had any short stories that might work. I told him about "Path Lights," he read it, took a day or two, and turned out an adaptation that convinced me and everyone who read it that it would make a good film.

Path Lights, based on Tom Drury's 2005 New Yorker short story, is a plucky, thoughtful film that remixes the classic detective hero movie.

I haven't even finished watching this video yet, but it's so cool I want to pass it on.

"Path Lights" is actually an adaptation from Tom Drury of his own short story, which ran in the New Yorker back in 2005, and plays, well, very much like a New Yorker short story adaptation, albeit a very sun-dappled, L.A.-set one.