PURE DELIGHT, IN PICTURE FORM

THERE AREN’T ENOUGH THOUSANDS OF WORDS TO DESCRIBE THE JOY OF THURSDAY NIGHT WITH “THE GREAT DIVIDE”

Oct 13, 2024

GETTIN’ GOOFY WITH THE STARS! (Back row, left to right: Samm Hill, Addison Parrish, Samantha Marie Cook, Sarah Brody Webb, Annika James, Zero Feeney, Marjorie Marcellus, Jesse Benefield, Laura Nelsen. Front row: Bo Baskoro, Anna Prosser, me, Blair Nesbitt, Hadley Kearns)

GOOD MORNING! It’s Sunday the 13th, which I guess makes it both the Sabbath AND spooky! THANKS, OCTOBER!!! You’re the weirdest, coolest month!

It’s now been three days since Thursday night’s triumphant second screening of The Great Divide. We’re honestly looking at it as the ACTUAL premiere, cuz the first night was more of a klutzy trial balloon.

Thursday night, on the other hand, was everything we could possibly have hoped for and more. A full house, watching the best and most up-to-date version of the film, with no massive audio glitches. An audience that was totally along for the ride. Laughing in all the right places. Feeling all of the feels. Clearly having a blast.

And then RAISING THE ROOF when the final credits began, with sustained applause so spectacular I felt my soul lift right out of my body and float there, grinning. Not in peril: no beckoning light, urging me toward the beyond.

The light was right there, in the Kennedy School Theater. Emanating from all those happy people. Of which I was glowingly one.

Honestly? I could go on all day about the packed Q&A that followed, with the whole cast (plus Animator Alice Langlois, who did our stunning opening credits) joining me at the front of the stage. Because people had questions, and they cared about the answers. Which is to say: they cared about the film.

And yeah, this was a home game, full of family and friends. But some of the happiest people didn’t know us from Adam. They’d heard the piece on NPR about our film, or read it about it here or here. And theirs was the joy of having stumbled upon a secret gem, and being delighted by it. Which filled me with the greatest joy of all.

What it convinced me of was what I’ve suspected all along: that The Great Divide needs to be seen in theaters, where groups of people can enjoy it together. It is an audience-friendly film. A sweet little crowd-pleaser. A cheerful, scrappy little underdog of a film, made outside of The Corporate Machine, and designed to demonstrate that you don’t need millions of fucking bucks to cleanly connect with the human heart.

So if you want us to come play our film in your town, LET US KNOW! Cuz the next stage will be a mix of film festivals, other cultural art-o-tainment events, and your basic old-fashioned “four-walling” of smaller, friendly theaters, where we rent the space for a couple of shows, and spread the word from town to town.

Only then will we want to move to streaming. Along with an actual physical release, where the DVDs and Blu-Rays (or whatever they think of next) will be packed to the rafters with Special Features about our adventures.

So THAT’S THE PLAN! Taking shape as we speak. With one show coming up in Astoria, Oregon on November 10th, as the grand finale of this year’s BizarroCon (also open to the public), at the Columbian Theater. And then another on December 2nd, back here in Portland, at the Clinton St. Theater.

Meanwhile, just a couple more shots of Thursday’s event. With a whole lot more here on Instagram, for those of you so inclined.

Thanks so much for stopping by! MORE SOOOOOOON!!!