SXSW 2011: Ethereal Short Film CLEAR BLUE to Debut in MEDIUM COOL

Ethereal and lyrical are not often words I associate with a student film. Clear Blue, written and directed by Lindsay MacKay, is the tale of a neophyte lifeguard and an older woman who takes an early morning swim each day, during which something mysterious happens to her under the surface of the water.

It's not really a mystery, per se, but the film is shot and put together in a lovely, delicate manner that's more suggestive fantasy than it is straightforward drama. According to producer S. Brent Martin (no relation), much of the funding was raised through a Facebook campaign; the crew was "predominantly" students. MacKay and Martin met while studying in the Film program at York University in Toronto, and then met up again at AFI's conservatory in Los Angeles. The cast includes Chris Sheffield, Nancy Linehan Charles, and Thia Schuessler. 

Clear Blue will play as one of four shorts in the Medium Cool: 4 (not so) Shorts program, which includes Spike Jonze's Scenes From the Suburbs, Josh and Benny Safdie's John's Gone, and Join the Dots by Jessica Lux. Jonze and the Safdies will draw viewers; we'll have to wait to see how Clear Blue measures up in their company.

Medium Cool: 4 (not so) Shorts plays on Monday, March 14 at 1:30 pm (Alamo Lamar A), Wednesday, March 16 at 4:00 pm (Arbor), Thursday, March 17 at 5:30 pm (Alamo Ritz 1), and Saturday, March 19 at 3:30 pm (Alamo Ritz 1).