by Larry Richman
March 15, 2008 8:26 PM

I attended the World Premiere of The Lost Coast, which was in the narrative features competition at the 2008 SXSW Film Festival. It's an emotionally charged film that has broad appeal despite its controversial subject matter.

The Lost Coast is a tale told in real time of a trio of high school friends, Mark, Jasper, and Lily, who reunite one Halloween for a night of good cheer. Memories of an unspoken sexual past between the two boys come back to haunt them as night turns to day and each must confront his or her own fears and beliefs. What may have been typical teen experimentation at the time is now an obstacle to continued friendship.

Director Gabriel Fleming places us in the position of an observer -- a voyeur, almost -- as we watch the events unfold at a slow, deliberate pace. The film has an unscripted feel and the action is punctuated by the device used to tell the story -- Jasper (who is now straight) is emailing his girlfriend about the experience he had this night with Mark (who is now gay) and revealing his past to her. He types, we see, and so on.

The Lost Coast definitely has an indie feel, with natural lighting and simple visuals. The exteriors in and around San Francisco and the Pacific coastline are truly breathtaking. The score was a highlight for me -- the haunting music, long takes and tracking shots with generous use of handheld camera, and the film's slow pace reminded me of Mean Creek, one of my all-time favorite indies. It's a style that builds tension and is best used when a study of relationships is at the heart of the story, which perfectly applies here.

This is the type of character-driven piece which does well at festivals but often has a tough go of it even on the art house circuit. It will have an audience on DVD, though, as there are several distributors who would jump at the chance to pick up a film in this genre.