Dragon Fruit will make its debut at The TV Fest in Vernon this weekend, a short film festival (submitted image)

By Vernon Matters Staff

The TV Fest

Widfires serve as inspiration for short film premiering in Vernon

Sep 12, 2023 | 7:00 AM

The smoke-filled air that is common during B.C.’s wildfire season was an inspiration for a short-film by an Okanagan-raised filmmaker.

The world premiere of J.Brown’s science fiction film, Dragon Fruit, will be at Vernon’s The TV Fest at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 16 at the Vernon Towne Theatre.

Admission is free for 19+ only.

In May 2020 — laid-off and locked down in a small Vancouver apartment with too much time on his hands –- writer-director J.Brown, faced a stark choice: make more sourdough, or make a sci-fi film.

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Fortunately, for fans of Star Wars and gritty HBO dramas alike, he chose the sci-fi film.

The resulting short film, Dragon Fruit, follows a single mother trying to survive in a violent and dystopian world as she desperately tries to grow a small dragon fruit plant so she can sell it for cash.

J. Brown, writer-director of Dragon Fruit (submitted photo)

Starring Yvonne Chapman (Street Legal, Kung Fu), as The Mother, the film explores the sacrifices a person must make to work for a better life, and what happens when that tenuous balance is upended by a demanding side hustle.

The smoky, apocalyptic world The Mother and her son live in was inspired by B.C.’s annual wildfire season, well known to Brown who was born and raised in West Kelowna.

“If you’re from the Okanagan, you know the eerie orange hue the world gets when the smoke rolls in,” said the director, whose parents are still on evacuation alert due to the McDougall Creek wildfire. “It literally feels like a sci-fi movie, but whether it’s a wildfire or a pandemic, we all still have to go to work tomorrow. I think that’s an interesting jumping-off point.”

Dragon Fruit was filmed on location in Vancouver and Richmond.

The resulting film is a 27 minute drama filmed in 4K and mastered with 5.1 surround sound, a level of polish normally reserved for Hollywood blockbusters.

With 26 individually-created costumes, countless custom props, and nearly 250 carefully rendered visual effects shots, Brown has created what he calls “an intense, visceral experience that will leave viewers breathless.”

Film notes:

• Director J.Brown designed and created all the costumes himself, and built two sets on his own
• Production used 17 smoke grenades, and 20 pounds of fresh herring from Steveston, B.C.
• Drawing on his background as a visual effects animator, Brown added smoke, digital matte paintings, bullet impacts and blood squibs to 245 shots in post-production.

Fore more on The TV Fest Sept. 15-17 in Vernon, click here.