And There in the Dust

Drama

Logline

A mature and searing love story within a small town; burdened by an unspeakable act of violence. Stop-frame animation and live action unite in the unthinkable.

Synopsis

A small impoverished community. In this quiet and blistering still neighbourhood we meet the childhood dreams and stories that bond and hold family and friends captive.

A casualty seizes the town. An unspeakable act of violence seers the community apart. A child is raped. We follow the cause and effect and more so, the journey of Ruth, the mother and lover of the perpetrator. We are held by the animated and live footage that seamlessly integrates worlds of loss, betrayal and love.

"And there in the dust" is a unique and exquisite combination of narrative and animated metaphors that map out these personal relationships and complexities, that reveals the tragedy, the invasion of press and public and finally the resolve and hope of four friends looking for redemption. This is a courageous and bold film highly original and unusual in style and technique. An illustration of the animated and live action is to be found in the award winning vignette that travelled as a short and reflects the character and nuance of the film.

As a prestigious Sundance project, Michelle Satter director of the Feature Film Program had the following to say about the directors, " The level of artistry inherent in Lara Foot Newton and Gerhard Marx's collaboration is superlative. They have tackled a topic that is both devastating and taboo and made it compelling, visceral and deeply emotional. In addition to the textual storytelling which is subtle and authentic, the visual components of this film are breathtakingly arresting".

Festivals

Selected Forums
Sundance Writer's and Director's Lab's (2007/2008)
Sundance Producer's Conference (2008)
IFP No Borders (2008)
Les 3 Continents at Cannes (2009)