Fremont Theater, April 27 – Filmmaking in Hollywood came to a halt for 118 days in 2023. In the age of film streaming services, the growing abilities of artificial intelligence and social reform in the entertainment industry, SAG-AFTRA went on strike against the biggest studios in Hollywood.
Amid the negotiations, filmmaker Jay Duplass was preparing for his next creative project, with the strikes serving as a frame for what he would create. With writing, producing, directing and acting credits in a variety of films, from large studio productions with Disney, HBO and Netflix, to low-budget, self-financed efforts, Duplass was ready to return to his independent roots.
Jay and his brother Mark began making films at home on a pocket change budget with whatever was available. Resources became more plentiful throughout the years, with a 15 thousand dollar budget attached to their film “The Puffy Chair,” to seven million dollars for “Cyrus,” released five years later in 2010.
“The Baltimorons” is the first original film Duplass has created in 14 years.
“Writing and directing original movies [is] really my true love, it’s kind of the hardest part of the whole process, but it’s what I love the most so that’s what sort of motivated me to get back to it,” Duplass said.
It’s also a milestone of a new collaborative effort between Duplass and the film’s star, Michael Strassner, who created the story based on true events in his own life. From the very first scene, it’s a boldly honest story.
In the true spirit of an independent filmmaker, Duplass and his crew set out to work on a tight schedule with limited resources and a commitment to authenticity. “The Baltimorons” was filmed in a span of three weeks, with two cameras, a small production group and making use of whatever locations were available to shoot.
“We just tried to stay true to what was happening and tell the best story we could with what we had,” Duplass said.
So far, “The Baltimorons” has seen quite the response from audiences. The film premiered at South by Southwest Film and TV Festival, where it received the Narrative Spotlight Audience Award. “It was beautiful, it was everything I ever dreamed of,” Duplass said.
The film’s festival run made a stop on the Central Coast for the fourth night of the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, where Duplass received the festival’s Spotlight Award. The award is given annually to professionals in the film industry who excel in several areas of filmmaking.
For 99 minutes, the night’s attendees watched Duplass and Strassner’s story play out on the big screen. Strassner stars in the role of Cliff, a man finding his footing in a life of sobriety, and navigating a comical series of mishaps on Christmas Eve, alongside his newfound companion Didi, played by Liz Larson.
The beauty of the film lies in the developing bond between the two characters and the unique circumstances of their relationship. It’s balanced by a healthy dose of anxiety and guilt instilled in the viewer, watching Strassner’s character continue to make questionable decisions as he prioritizes an impromptu adventure over spending the holiday with his fiancé.
At the closing title card, the audience thanked the film with applause, and welcomed Duplass and Strassner onstage for a conversation and Q and A.
Following its festival run, “The Baltimorons” is currently set for a theatrical release leading up to Christmas, around the time in which the film takes place. As the film approaches its premiere in theaters, Duplass hopes for it to find a place in discussions among festival audiences and enjoyers of independent cinema.
“I think now more than ever, independent films need word of mouth in order to have success in a movie theater,” he said.
