In 2015, Becoming Bulletproof screened at the Newport Beach Film Festival and was met with critical acclaim because of its emotional subject matter. The film chronicles the obstacles of making a western film with AJ Murray, Jeremy Vest and non-profit organization Zeno Mountain Farm.
Zeno Mountain Farm is a special, diamond in the rough of an organization. It brings together individuals with mental and physical disabilities to create films, theater, sports, music and have all around adventures. They make it clear from the beginning that Zeno is not trying to make a statement; they are simply trying to make the best art they can. In reality, the organization is more akin to a bonafide production company. In previous years, a multitude of short films have been produced at Zeno: a comedy, a sci-fi, an experimental, etc. Becoming Bulletproof is a documentary about the production of their first Western, gun-slinging feature.
This documentary is a true roller coaster of emotions. Audiences can truly feel the emotional punch that Becoming Bulletproof brings. It opens with AJ Murray, a strong spirited man with cerebral palsy, and shows his intense desire for a creative outlet. He finds Zeno Mountain Farm and begins relentlessly calling to see if there is any room for him. His persistence pays off with a plane ticket to the two-week film production in Bristol, Vermont. From there, AJ and Jeremy Vest, another Zeno guest, put in days of blood and sweat to produce a quality western production, complete with shoot-outs and one-liners.
Here comes the exciting news: Becoming Bulletproof was met with such outstanding praise that it is being considered for a nomination for an Academy Award. Screenings have also been going on around the country. We are proud that it is an alumnus of the Newport Beach Film Festival, and wanted to revisit this great film in the hopes that more people will see it with the same glossy eyes as we did here at the festival. If anyone is curious about what the good people at Zeno Mountain Farm are up to in light of recent events, well, that is one more incentive to give this film a chance yourself. You won’t be disappointed; that’s the truth of Becoming Bulletproof.
Watch the trailer now:
Congratulations to the filmmakers:
Production: SuperFilms Productions
Director: Michael Barnett
Screenwriters: Michael Barnett, Theodore James, Derek Boonstra
Producer: Theodore James
Executive producers: Jeff Pechter, Brandon Boyd, Alan Konn, James Clark, Robert C. Fix, Scott Gore, Cliff Perry, Keith Resnick George Loening, Kimbrough Towles
Editor: Derek Boonstra
Composer: Ceiri Torjussen
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.