The Fresno Film Festival will screen the much anticipated short film "The Crooked Eye" on April 19th at 4:30 in the Tower Theatre. The film stars Fay Masterson ("A Christmas Carol" with Jim Carrey), Katherine Boecher ("Heroes" on NBC) and narrated by Academy Award winner Linda Hunt.
The local buzz surrounding "The Crooked Eye" has to do with it's writer and the journey from the page to the screen.
In 1995, Betty Malicoat's short story "The Crooked eye" was published in the San Joaquin Journal, Spring Edition - a publication put out by Fresno State University. Betty went on to open a spiritual and creative workshop called The Lotus Path in Coarsegold, just outside of Oakhurst and Yosemite.
Ten years later, unbeknownst to Mrs. Malicoat, her son, D.C. Douglas, adapted her short story to the screen and began production. The filming only took two days to shoot on a green screen stage. But the CGI effects took another two years. The process, similar to "300" or "The Watchmen," merges live actors with computer generated environs. The result is a visually stunning psychological journey.
In October of 2008, Mrs. Malicoat was summoned to a theatre in Beverly Hills to see her son's newest film endeavor entitled "Oxygen." Upon arrival, she was given the surprise of her life.
Since it's private cast and crew screening, "The Crooked Eye" has been accepted to several festivals, including the 27th Miami International Film Festival, the 40th Nashville Film Festival and the Palm Springs ShortsFest Film Festival. It has only begun it's festival run.
"The Crooked Eye" follows a day in the life of Sharon (Fay Masterson) as she struggles with a recent divorce and a current perception problem.
The Fresno Film Festival will be the first local showing and both writer, Betty Malicoat, and director, D.C. Douglas, will be in attendance.