Cinequest 22 - Palo Alto Favorite Son Attends Screening of 'Dorfman'

On Friday, March 2, Director Brad Leong joined producer Leonard Hill, writer Wendy Kout and star Elliot Gould on stage at the California Theater for an interview about the movie "Dorfman", prior to its 9:30 screening at Cinequest 22.

Elliot Gould, who is perhaps best known for his role as Trapper John in the movie MASH, had just received the Maverick Spirit Award, presented to a film artist whose body of work has crashed through the commonplace to break new ground.  

The interview pretty much focused on the film Dorfman and its accomplishments, but there was a little something more I wanted of the director Brad Leong.  So when they wrapped the interview, I slipped out of the theater and ambushed the artists on their way out of the stage door.

Brad very kindly granted me a short interview while the others moved along.  I had read that Brad was a graduate of Palo Alto High School and I wanted to hear about that and about the experiences that led him to his chosen career. 

Not unlike other filmmakers, Brad knew from a young age he wanted to make movies.  He was always running around with a video camera and hanging out with friends who were interested in doing the same. 

By the time he was a senior at Paly he was going to LA on the weekends to crew on films.  Having made a few shorts, he created his first feature with some friends in 2007 while an undergrad.   The film was called "Palo Alto" and had a celebrated screening at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York. 

The plot revolves around the reunion of high school friends returning to Palo Alto during Thanksgiving break of their Freshmen year.  To watch the trailer and learn more about Palo Alto visit IMDB.

But we're talking about "Dorfman," a hilarious movie!  I found the lead character 20 something, Deb Dorfman very appealing.  Not particularly respected by her family, she does everything for them and for the creeper artsy reporter she's madly in love with.  Only when she meets a man totally different from herself who is not out to make her into something to suit himself, does she get a glimpse of the herself she wants to be.    It's a beautiful and a rare gift, one that Deb almost misses!   She gives herself an internal and an external makeover.

But the renewal symbolism doesn't stop there.  A clever device that is used to much effect is the revitalized downtown LA as a backdrop.  The beautifully restored shops and apartments are the settings for all the scenes where Deb (having lived in the Valley all her life) goes through her transformation.  The set is nicely woven in there by the writer and then brought to life by the director. 

Leong also extracts believable performances out of the parade of quirky characters who were written on the razor's edge of the ridiculous.  They are kept from going over the edge by his careful direction and by just outstanding performances - including not surprisingly Elliot's role as Deb's father.  They are kept very human and real -- comedic characters that could break tragic at any moment, but never do.  For more information on Dorfman visit IMDB.

Circling back to my interview with Brad, I asked him if there was anything about that he felt helped send him on his way.  He credited the awesome video program there where he learned so much, and he also mentioned by name "Doug" in the Engineering Department. He said that Doug was more of a mentor rather than a teacher and gave him the freedom to use the labs and try different things.  He said that Doug let him experiment and build things that he could then use on his video projects.

So a quick call to the engineering department at Paly yielded Doug Bertain -- who was kind enough to give me a few minutes of his time.  He remembered Brad as good student, a great kid.  Doug was touched that Brad would mention him.  And when I praised Doug for how his mentoring versus teaching role figured in Brad getting his start, he was self effacing. 

He said, kids want to try things on their own. "At that point, I am liable but I am not responsible."  By way of explanation,  he's there to create a safe and creative space for the kids, but the kids are responsible for the rest.  Reining kids in and letting them go.  At some point, you just have to let them figure it out on their own -- which it looks like Brad Leong, Paly '04 has done rather well.

Visit Cinequest.org for information about "Dorfman" and other films.  The festival runs until March 12.