Suburban soccer moms find themselves constantly competing against each other in their personal lives as their kids settle their differences on the field.
The opening night of the 8th annual Oak Cliff Film Festival kicked off at the famed Texas Theatre with a hilarious, yet deeply troubling film by writers Jocelyn DeBoer and Dawn Luebbe and director Paul Briganti. The ninety-six-minute film focuses on two women, Jill and Lisa, whose lives focus on doting. Their whole world exists to appease their family, friends and the local community. While their relationship seems a bit off, the duality of their personalities makes them a perfect fit for one another and the world that they are up against. Their lives, which involve nurturing their children and spouses are comparative, yet oddly different in how they react to each other. In almost every scene, there are jaw-dropping actions that represent all of us as humankind. The words that are said, the facial expressions that follow and the stark reality of how each of us lives our lives based on expectations, dig deep into the human psyche and makes the entire audience vulnerable to the possibilities of living our lives in the fantasy of someone else’s shoes.
While the film seems a bit light-hearted, it successfully tackles some major issues that revolve around parenting, marriage, self-esteem, peer pressure and social acceptance. While the central plot develops around the issue of a child who is transferred between families and the emotional baggage that comes with it, there are so many peaks and valleys, that it is hard to pinpoint how many messages are given with the purpose of inciting thought-provoking remedies to everyday situations.
“Greener Grass,” as a whole, seemed highly successful as the full range of emotions from the audience proved that everyone was either insanely mortified or hilariously overjoyed at the level of creativity that weirdly positioned itself to draw everyone in and hold their attention for the entirety of the film. The two directors of “Greener Grass,” along with their young co-star, had an intense Q&A afterward while shedding light on how they came together with the perfect idea to transform human frailty into relatable entertainment.
The remaining films that were featured during the 2019 Oak Cliff Film Festival offered a wide variety of film selections as well as several activities and educational programs for the entire family. Co-founders Barak Epstein and Jason Reimer, along with the Texas Theatre Staff and Oak Cliff Film Society Board of Directors, have done an outstanding job of bringing a wealth of talent and creative entertainment to the heart of Oak Cliff. The festival ran from June 6th – June 9th.
“Greener Grass” recently premiered at the 2019 Oak Cliff Film Festival
