Max Minus knows grief. He lost his father when he was 7, something that he says \u201csticks with you\u201d \u2014 something San Antonio and Texas Hill Country residents certainly can relate to after the July 4th floods. With a soulfulness that belies his age, Minus has created and directed a profound film short, \u201cThe Deep End,\u201d that will premiere July 26 at the San Antonio Film Festival. It was also screened at the Oscar-Qualifying Los Angeles Shorts International Film Festival in early July.<\/p>\n
A story that addresses grief, connection, loss and all those unanswered questions we harbour when people we love die, \u201cThe Deep End\u201d bypasses maudlin to be magical. It\u2019s a deep breath, a moment in time for a pool cleaner who awakens on the anniversary of his father\u2019s death knowing he needs to keep busy. He goes to work and while scrubbing the deep end of the pool, experiences a moment of panic. He falls into the water, and much like something from \u201cThe Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe,\u201d he finds himself in an alternative realm. As he climbs from the water, he sees his father, waiting for him on a pool deck by a grand house with a beer. The place he has landed is a world between life and death, where the pool cleaner has the opportunity to discuss things with his father, to fill the holes, to metaphorically reach out and connect. In a heartfelt dialogue, the two have a sweet moment. It\u2019s dreamy, surreal, touching and thought provoking. You may cry, but you might also laugh.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted to approach this with humor,\u201d Minus said.<\/p>\n
Born in Austin, Max Minus grew up in San Antonio and Austin, where he was exposed at an early stage to what he calls \u201can eclectic art scene.\u201d In San Antonio, he lived in the Stone Oak neighborhood.<\/p>\n
\u201cI first discovered a love for storytelling at Holy Spirit Catholic School where small creative assignments sparked an interest in screenwriting,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
That passion grew at Central Catholic High School, and Minus soon realized he might be able to turn writing into a career. After a year at the University of Texas at San Antonio, he transferred to the University of Texas at Austin to study radio, television, film.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat move laid the foundation for my journey to Los Angeles and a future in this industry,\u201d he said. Max\u2019s filmmaking style has developed during his eight years working in Los Angeles. He acquired a love for producing after working on several docuseries, ever \u201cyearning to tell stories that searched for deeper meanings in the normally obscure parts of life.\u201d He looks forward to returning to Texas to reconnect with his roots in future works.<\/p>\n
In \u201cThe Deep End,\u201d Max collaborates with creative partner Duane Garcia and writer Yusef Zeidan. Taking the prodigious theme of grief and approaching it from a lighter lens, the film will pose personal questions for viewers such as \u201cWhat would you ask if you had the chance to question a loved one who died?\u201d A deeply human story, which manages to remind us that the dead are always living near us in another dimension, \u201cThe Deep End\u201d should not be missed.<\/p>\n
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Courtesy<\/p>\n