Pearl Diver

I am a judge for the Indianapolis-based Heartland Film Festival. This feature film is a Crystal Heart Award Winner and is eligible to be the Grand Prize Winner in October of 2005. The Heartland Film Festival is a non-profit that honors Truly Moving Pictures. A Truly Moving Picture “…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life.”

This is a family drama and a murder mystery set in the farm country in rural Indiana. Two grown sisters’ lives are dominated by the murder of their Mother in their presence when they were children. Recently, one of the sister’s daughter has had a terrible farm accident and the other sister, a writer, comes home to help and support the family.

With this current tragedy, the sisters are forced to confront their past and the difficulties of their own current lives. The sisters are heroic because of their saint-like qualities. They have great integrity and great humility and would do anything for each other.

The most interesting part of the film is the contrast between the two sisters. The one who stayed on the farm is religious and solemn and dutiful. The one who is the writer who left for the city is more intellectual and worldly and emotional. But even with these contrasts and the geographic distance and the distance of time, the sibling ties are still powerful.

And…you won’t guess the ending.

FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Crystal Heart winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.