Trish Harnetiaux short film to play at Sundance
Above: Jacob A. Ware stars with Anthony Arkin in Trish Harnetiaux's short film "You Wouldn't Understand." (Photo: Sundance Film Festival)
Like most filmgoing experiences, the Sundance Film Festival has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. But like any good show, the 2021 version of Sundance is scheduled go on, beginning Jan. 28 and continuing through Feb. 3
It’ll just be different. As opposed to past festivals, this year’s event is – as the Sundance website announces – “is expanding to screens everywhere.” Which means that you have a chance at seeing at least some of the festival’s films in the comfort of your own home.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that, just as if you were standing in the frigid streets of Park City, Utah, trying to score tickets to sold-out screenings, the online offerings are limited, too. Click here to access the Sundance help page.
One filmmaker with local ties whose work will be part of this year’s Sundance lineup is Trish Harnetiaux. A 1993 graduate of Lewis and Clark High School, and daughter of Spokane playwright (and attorney) Brian Harnetiaux, she will see the screening of her short film “You Wouldn’t Understand” as part of a shorts program scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. on Jan. 28.
Written with Jacob A. Ware, and starring Ware and Anthony Arkin, the nine-and-half-minute-long “You Wouldn’t Understand” focuses on a guy (Arkin) whose peaceful picnic is interrupted by a strange guy dressed in white (Ware) who emerges out of a field and asks if he can borrow some “horsey sauce.” And it gets weirder from there.
Harnetiaux is both a filmmaker and an experienced New York-based playwright. Her short film “You Should Be a Better Friend” was part of the lineup of the 2012 version of the Spokane International Film Festival.
And it likely would be part of SpIFF 2021 – if the pandemic hadn’t gotten in the way, forcing the local festival’s cancellation. Some shows, like SpIFF, just don’t have the ability to power on, at least in the short run.
Maybe in 2022?