Audiences going to the Midnight Movies at the Sundance Film Festival can expect some unusual sories. One of the entries, “Sweetheart” is a combination castaway adventure and monster movie.
The film’s central character, Jen, is a young black woman who washes up on the shore of a Pacific Island, the survivor of a party boat wrecked in a storm.
She quickly learns to survive, but finds she is threatened by a monster who lives in the ocean nearby.
Director JD Dillard discussed where he got the inspiration for the plot—and a central image from the movie.
“I was at a wedding in Virginia Beach and was standing out on the beach with a bunch of friends.” Dillard explained, “Just kind of looking out in a moment of Zen felt that the scariest thing that could possibly happen is something stand up in the middle of the water. Then I immediately called Alex and Alex and was like hey guys, what about this? That is kind of where we started working on it.”
As Jen, actress Kiersey Clemmons spends much of the film by herself. When some other survivors turn up, they scoff at her tales about a monster.
Clemmons told the audience that the film touches on some social and political issues.
“Specifically, in regards to women and people of color there are these things that we say this is happening and this is effecting me and my life is on the line or I feel threatened.” Clemmons continued, “For the white man to be like, nah you’re good is the most aggravating it’s incredibly frustrating and incredibly dangerous and it’s violent to ignore when one says my living environment, my environment, my reality is a little. Although we’re all on the same island I’m having a different experience than you and it’s a little tough, but I need you to believe me and be here for me.”
Dillard said they filmed on the island of Fiji, which doesn’t sound bad. He said there were some problems.
“Shooting movies is hard.” Dillard said, “and then shooting movies where you have to commute 35 minutes on a boat from one island to a smaller island you have to be careful of lunar tides didn’t know what those were until last year.”
“He’s looking for things to make challenging.” Clemmons quipped.
“so, it’s hard, and you know,” Dillard continued, “100 percent of our show was outside so being out in the heat, being in the sun, then it gets really cold at night. It’s kind of shooting in a hostile environment as beautiful as it is. Then you do all of that and add a 130-pound foam latex creature suit. Tropical environments and creature suits apparently they’re not the best of friends.”