Saratoga News
News
Years of writing, producing, directing climax with movie premier for Andres
By Chris Vongsarath
It took him exactly six years and eight months, but somehow longtime Saratogan Michael Andres was able to put together a feature-length, Dolby sound, Hollywood union-certified film--using essentially what he had around him.
When Father Son Holy Ghost premieres Oct. 20 at 9:25 a.m. at Winchester Century 21, viewers will witness the culmination of years of writing, producing and directing at the hands of a hometown son. They will also witness the familiar sights and sounds of Santa Clara County, as much of the film was shot in the area.
Highway 9, Vasona Park and Stevens Creek Reservoir are among the backdrops in the film. Andres said this is a versatile place to shoot a film.
"We've got green hills over here and brown hills over there," he said. "We all know our favorite places in the area. We can relate to them in the film."
"I like [the area] personally and I like it for movies," he said.
Balancing Andres' film career is his job as an English teacher at Willow Glen High School. Andres, 36, has worked with a number of former students on various projects including Father Son Holy Ghost. Much of the production team is comprised of former students from San Jose.
Furthermore, nine different sponsors from Saratoga, Monte Sereno and Los Gatos have invested in the film.
"Because I'm from here, I want to do what I and others want to do without leaving my home," Andres said.
Coming home was always in the back of Andres' mind. After graduating from Saratoga High School in 1989, he went on to study literature at the UCLA, graduating cum laude in 1992. Four years later he headed back north with his wife of now 17 years.
"In L.A., there's a whole lot of variety, but it's urban," he said. "Here, it's very suburb and rural about its variety."
In 2002, Andres completed Kidschool, a PBS short about the relationship between an abusive father and his son. Many of Andres' former students produced the film, which won for Best Student Dramatic Short at Zoiefest 2002. It was also a selection for two international film festivals including the San Jose International Film Festival.
An extension of Kidschool, Father Son Holy Ghost ties the prequel and sequel into the storyline, making the 80-minute feature film. The film's title represents the three separate stages.
The "father" portion represents the father as a child. The "son" focuses on the abusive relationship between father and son. And the "holy ghost" is the reconciliation between the two.
Andres said he is submitting the film to a number of film festivals. But its success is not the No. 1 thing on his mind.
The fact that he made a feature film with local ties in six-plus years is enough for him.
Tickets for 'Father Son Holy Ghost' are $10 and can be purchased online at www.blackdoveentertainment.org or at the box office. Showtimes are Oct. 20 and 27 at 9:25 a.m. at Century 21, Winchester Boulevard at Highway 280. For more information, visit www.blackdoveentertainment.org.
