Local filmmaker’s short wins top prize at festival

Las Cruces filmmaker Brandon Gass’ new short film, “Stillborn,” won the First Prize Local Flavor Award at the Plaza Classic Film Festival in El Paso earlier this month.

Gass described the nine-minute, 43-second film as a drama/mystery.

“A girl's mother dies soon after having a stillbirth, and her grandmother becomes obsessed with their bathtub,” Gass said about the film.

The principal cast included two Las Cruces high school students, Payton Matthews and Quiton Kriner, New Mexico State University philosophy professor Lori Keleher, Las Cruces actor Gail Wheeler and El Paso actor Greg Thompson.

Gass served as writer, director, editor and co-producer (along with Naomi Gonzalez) of the film. Luis Gutierrez was the film’s cinematographer, Alex Antholzer was the production designer and Juan Kleban was the sound designer and wrote the original score. All are from Las Cruces except for Kleban, who is from Albuquerque.

Gass said production took place in around the community of Doña Ana) and in and around Tornillo, Texas in July and August 2019.

“Since most of the film takes place during sunrise and sunset, and because of the two leads’ school schedules, shooting took just under two months to complete,” Gass said. “The entire film is naturally lit and shot with vintage glass.”

The Aug. 7-9 Plaza Classic Film Festival was held entirely online.

Gass graduated recently from NMSU with a degree in philosophy. His future plans: “Making more films.”

His short film “Good Night” was completed with no budget and accepted into the 2018 Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner.