LIHU‘E — For Kaua‘i native Britney Sussman, starring in a full-length feature film is just one more item she can cross off her bucket list. Sussman, who graduated from Kaua‘i High School in 2003, teamed up with Big Island filmmaker
LIHU‘E — For Kaua‘i native Britney Sussman, starring in a full-length feature film is just one more item she can cross off her bucket list.
Sussman, who graduated from Kaua‘i High School in 2003, teamed up with Big Island filmmaker Darieus Legg to play the title role in “ECILA” (pronounced E-Kee-Lah). The film is slated to make its debut tomorrow at the Hawai‘i International Film Festival on O‘ahu.
The film, which is “Alice” spelled backwards, is a reverse “Alice in Wonderland” story that follows Sussman’s character as she tries to find an old man on a pink moped suspected of peddling a drug called “LOVE” that is tearing apart the city.
Sussman said she was originally tapped to play a small role in the film, but as the project evolved her character began getting more and more screen time.
“I was terrified I was going to ruin the film,” Sussman said, referring to her limited acting resume, which includes two acting stints in high school and working behind the scenes in a handful of short films.
The film started as a passion project for Sussman. In the spring of 2008, Sussman and Legg connected through a business class they both attended at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. By the summer, filming had commenced on the streets of downtown Honolulu.
As the project started to build momentum, local filmmakers began donating their time and services to the film — even attracting crew members from “Lost,” who lent cameras and equipment for the film.
Over the next two months, Sussman logged 12-hour days, all without pay.
“It’s a passion project for me,” Sussman said.
“I want to see it do well because of the selfless amount of work, time, energy and equipment everyone donated.”
While the film was exclusively filmed in Honolulu, don’t expect to see pristine shots of Waikiki Beach or Diamond Head.
“It was made in Hawai‘i, but it was designed not to look anything like Hawai‘i,” Sussman said. “The director made a point to pick the grungiest areas of the city.”
The director continued to create his wonderland by adding “cartoonish colors” post production to give it an added pop, she said.
“The running joke is ‘ECILA’ is never done,” Sussman said, referring to the two years it took to film, edit and premiere the movie.
“I haven’t seen the full movie yet,” Sussman added. “Just bits and pieces.”
When asked if she aspires to star in another full-length film, Sussman smiled and shook her head.
“I think for me, I would almost rather work behind the scenes,” Sussman said. “Acting is very critical, and I don’t think I have tough enough skin for it. I just don’t want to suck.”
“ECILA” can be seen at the Hawai‘i International Film Festival 9:30 p.m. tomorrow and 8:15 p.m. on Oct. 24 at the Dole Cannery on O‘ahu.
Visit hiff.org for more information.
