Céline Roustan

When a citywide blackout is triggered by poor weather, a scrap collector seizes the opportunity to scavenge copper lines. In Higher Power, director Kurt Andrew Schneider (Notice Me) chronicles the life of his protagonist with sensitivity and incredible visual flair. While the film is inherently limited in time, with a narrative articulated around a storm, it offers us a sincere glimpse into the main character’s life.

“There was one method so insane that I refused to believe until I found dozens of similar incidents”

It was while doing research for a feature film set in a scrap yard that Schneider discovered the “creative ways that individuals had gone about acquiring their scrap metal”. After digging into the topic, he read about one method “so insane” that he refused to believe it until he “found dozens of similar incidents”. Explaining that it involved “people scaling utility poles and cutting down the copper power lines”, the director found himself with a desire “to figure out why in the world someone would ever do this”.

From this unconventional starting point, Schneider, alongside co-writer (and S/W regular) Reef Oldberg, built a protagonist who felt relatable within his very singular universe. However, as they began developing the film the director admitted that he started to see himself in the character. Relating his protagonist’s motivation to that of his own, in pursuing a filmmaking career, Schneider reveals: “ I just keep going because it’s all I know and it’s all I want to do”.

Kevin Conway stars in Higher Power

In just 10 minutes, Schneider immerses us in his main character’s world, revealing both his surroundings and his state of mind. Sam Davis’ (another S/W regular) cinematography captures it all with so much elegance, reflecting how the protagonist sees his own world. While the imagery is undeniably beautiful, the camera movements and the editing truly echo the chaotic aspect of his life. This energy giving the film it’s fast pace and building its narrative arc by providing stakes to this slice-of-life story.

Discovered through a Craigslist ad after submitting a ten-minute video audition, Kevin Conway’s raw performance perfectly complements the film’s documentary-like aesthetic. The way he commands the frame was captured with such precision that his natural, understated acting becomes even more impactful.