Ivan Kander

If there is a movie trope that’s been Hollywoodized to the point of exhaustion, it’s that of the “stranger in the strange land.” You know the schtick: spoiled white protagonist seeks to “find himself” amidst the exotic other. A few interactions with the crazy locals and the imbibing of some foreign delicacies later and…boom…you’ve been Eat, Pray, Loved.

But, The Garden of Steven—a short film sprung forth from a creative filmmaking team out of my native Washington, DC—isn’t that movie. Sure, the set-up might ostensibly be, but the intentions are far different. This is a fish out of water story that’s not about the protagonist using a foreign land to better himself but rather about how said journey forces him to confront both his own flaws and the flaws inherent in his religious mission. Amazingly, it manages to pull this off with ample amounts of humor and heart—the kind of film the “dramedy” moniker was made for.

With its 20 minute runtime and leisurely establishing shots, The Garden of Steven seems less a short film and more a truncated feature (there’s certainly enough characters and intellectual fodder to warrant 90 minutes of material). But, while the length and pacing might be better suited for a festival environment instead of an online one, it’s endlessly engrossing to watch. The runtime slowly fades away—the perfect film to cozy up with on a lazy #longshort Saturday.

The film is carried by co-writer/director and lead actor, Chris Keener. His portrayal of Steven Crosby—a young man bursting with good intentions and even less self-awareness—is equal parts funny and tragic. Despite the various goofiness and gags, he never lets Steven slip into the realm of caricature. As such, the film’s emotional climax is genuine and effecting.

All of this is, of course, presented over the backdrop of Antigua, Guatemala—a setting that is as much a main character as Steven himself. Director of photography, Nathan Golon, captures the visually and culturally robust scenery with an assured, confident documentary hand. It’s a landscape that is beautiful and flawed, much like Steven himself. And so, at the film’s climax, it’s hard not to well up a bit as Steven trudges up a fog shrouded volcano—a spiritual and symbolic journey as much as it is a physical one.

Being based out of DC, it was quite an endeavor to pull this film off. The filmmaking team behind the film, branded under Goldenbear and Goodfight Media, ran a very successful (and hilarious) kickstarter campaign to get the film off the ground. They commissioned a lot of amazing support to take Steven to Guatemala and back again (check out the behind the scenes photos). Ultimately, I’d say they succeeded. Quirky without being twee, funny without painting with too broad of strokes, The Garden of Steven strikes that ideal balance between hijinks and sentiment. Much like the path to salvation, filmmaking is a road best traveled when straddling both sides of the coin.