“Family Affair” is a funny, warm-hearted short film about secrets, friendships and family. But it also feels like just the beginning of a longer story — a day in the life of characters we want to get to know more. And that’s exactly what writer Ernest Anemone intended.
Anemone is developing the film, which premiered at Provincetown Film Festival earlier this month, into a series of the same name. It follows Tanner (Bear D’Angelo), a high school senior who seems to have everything going for him. It’s not your typical sitcom though: Tanner is up to something that involves a big duffle bag, his mom gets the best lines, and his science class has a skeleton named “Boner.”
As “Family Affair” progresses, Tanner interacts with a cast of characters in dependable, repeatable settings like his suburban home and high school – standard sitcom setups. The introduction of Tanner’s dad towards the end of the film sets up a dynamic that would help really set the series apart.
The ‘Family Affair’ Team
Director Julio Dowansingh creates a warm tone with mostly queer, female and BIPOC creatives. Standouts include Donna Vivino as Tanner’s mom and Corey Barrow as his concerned best friend. The director of photography is Emily O’Leary, and the film was produced by Anemone, Kyle Burt, Amy DePaola and John de la Parra.
Anemone has a unique background that has given him a strong emphasis on ethical filmmaking.
“I started my career as a trial attorney, and after discovering my passion for acting and filmmaking, I started using theater education techniques to help individuals and organizations tell their own stories more effectively,” he says.
The film was one of many films that stood out at a packed shorts bloc at the charming Waters Edge Cinema, one of the venues of the Provincetown International Film Festival. As we wrote after the festival, held June 14-18, Provincetown is a festival that seems to do everything right — and programming fun and thoughtful films like “A Family Affair” is just one of the ways it stands out.
You can learn more about the film at familyaffairfilm.com.
Main image: Bear D’Angelo as Tanner in “Family Affair.”
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