I’m breaking the first rule in Kate Yorga’s hilarious short film, Book Club: “Don’t talk about book club!” But how can I not? It’s beautifully shot, tightly edited and keeps you laughing. Enjoy the trailer!
BOOK CLUB TRAILER FINAL – from Kate Yorga on Vimeo.
Book Club screened last night at the Action on Film International Film Festival & Writer’s Celebration in Monrovia, California, an adorable little town just east of Pasadena nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains.
How cute is the town of Monrovia?
Book Club was one of several other shorts on the program, notably Anthony Bushman’s Butterfly Dust, a creepy cautionary tale warning us all to never invent a serum that promises to make us smarter and more beautiful at the same time (spoiler alert: We turn into killer zombies!!!) and Mark Lammerding’s Another Life, the story of a pregnant young woman who get tangled up with her estranged brother’s unfinished business.
I also liked the last one, called Silhouettes, about a romantic painter who has an eye condition causing him to only see shapes and contrasts – a metaphor for his additional ability to see true love for exactly what it is. Okay, I cried. Not sure what the ‘action’ part was in this tale, but who am I to question the wisdom of a (probably) weepy festival programmer?
I weaseled onto the red carpet to pose with writer / director Kate Yorga.
But back to Kate Yorga, my friend from Toronto who grew up in rural Saskatchewan with a love for film. She is a journalist, photographer, writer, director, producer, not to mention a classical pianist and a very, very good conversationalist. She’s one of those easy-going people in my life who, whenever I see her, I just feel good right away. She’s got a positive style and a particular brand of charisma that makes you want to pull up a chair and sit for a while. And we did sit, after the movie, with another of Kate’s ex-pat Torontonian friends, Ania, who is lovely.
Book Club is Kate’s first film. Her second film is called When It Is Dark, which appears to be enjoying a festival circuit of its own. Can’t wait to see it!
Action on Film is celebrating their 10th anniversary this year.
Check it out! Films screening until August 30th. It’s worth the drive to Monrovia.