Written by Anna Porter. Photo courtesy of IMDb.
“North Star,” the short film preceding Savannah Film Fest’s showing of “The Big Bend,” was directed and written by PJ Palmer. It tells the story of a rancher who is taking care of his terminally ill husband, and the theme takes a deep dive into the true meaning of love. Throughout the film, the main character, James, goes through his daily routine, which in turn, shows the audience how self-sacrificing he is to both his husband and his animals on the ranch. James also deals with a misguided family member who is unaccepting of James and his husband’s relationship.
The film offers stunning visuals of the Northwest region of America and shows a new take on a secluded ranch lifestyle. Palmer’s ability to connect with the viewers and show the depth of these characters’ lives in a short amount of time is a true talent. This film was both moving and thought-provoking.
After the showing, “North Star” writer and director PJ Palmer spoke about the challenge of short-form storytelling, explaining that, “When I wrote North Star, I didn’t write it as a movie, but as a challenge to pack so much into such a short script. The script turned out pretty good, so I decided to turn it into a movie. It became a struggle and a journey to get to the final thirty-minute edit.”