(PARK CITY, UT) -- Memories can become muddled over time and they certainly have for Jack and Betty. In 1971 they were hit by a train while on a trip to Cape May and survived. 50 years later they return to the "scene of the crime" to discuss what happened that fateful September morning. Shot entirely on Kodak Super 8 film, "Deerwoods Deathtrap" by director James P. Gannon is a short film that explores the deadly accident and the conflicting memories surrounding it.
The Sundance Film Festival is completely virtual this year due to covid-19. They will be offering a virtual screening of "Deerwoods Deathtrap" from January 20-31. It is part of the Documentary Short Film Program 2. The film has a running time of 9 minutes.
The short film stars John W. Gannon and Elizabeth Gannon. James P. Gannon serves as director and cinematographer. Jason Tippet was the editor. The film contains original music by Domotic (Stéphane Laporte). Patrick Janssen was the sound mix/editor, and title animation was done by Matt Ferrin. "Deerwoods Deathtrap" is a Pocket Storms Production.
James P. Gannon is a director living in Brooklyn, NY. He has directed 10 short films, jumping between narrative and documentary. His films have screened at multiple festivals across the world including Sundance, SXSW, and Slamdance. His films have been selected as Vimeo staff picks, been featured on Short of the Week, NoBudge, and RogerEbert.com. He is currently in pre-production for his first feature film, Hardpan, about a demolition derby driver who gets stranded in the desert with only a case of beer to survive on.
James has also created movie posters for films that have gone on to show theatrically and on cable television. His poster for the 2012 documentary Only the Young was voted by flavorwire.com as one of the best 30 posters of that year, ranked between posters for blockbuster films such as Django Unchained, The Hobbit, and Lincoln.
The 2022 Sundance Film Festival will take place online from January 20–30. They were hoping to have a hybrid festival (in-person and online) but covid-19 and the Omicron variant forced them to go completely virtual. The Sundance Film Festival is the ultimate gathering of original storytellers and audiences seeking new voices and fresh perspectives. Their annual program includes dramatic and documentary features and short films; series and episodic content; and New Frontier, showcasing emerging media in the form of multimedia installations, performances, and films. They also host daily filmmaker conversations, panel discussions, and live music events. Since 1985, hundreds of films launched at the Festival have gone on to gain critical acclaim and reach new audiences worldwide.