By Crystal Harrell
On May 31, at the Mary Pickford is D’Place, a special screening will take place for the horror thriller film “Half Sisters,” followed with a Q&A from the director and filmmaker, Devin Tau.
The film centers on two half-sisters (played by Kristy Dawn Dinsmore and Sydney Winbush) who bitterly hate each other become trapped in a cabin during a storm, as a couple of murderous intruders terrorize them from outside as they look for their one million dollar inheritance check.
This character-driven, sophisticated thriller combines audience-pleasing elements of the gore genre with dramatic sequences of connection and emotional intensity. “Half Sisters” is the story of how superficial contrasts mask hidden connections, challenging preconceived notions about race, family, and belonging. By framing the conversation on social justice through an intergenerational and interpersonal lens within a single family, the film exposes the unquestioned racism of our culture at large.
David Tau is a gay, Asian-American filmmaker whose storytelling reflects his reaction to nearly four decades of cultural silence imposed on him by both his native and adopted cultures from his earliest years as an immigrant to the United States. This is Devin’s third feature film and first narrative — having released the documentary “Who’s on Top?” (2021) narrated by George Takei, which is now available worldwide and the feature documentary, “The Road Home” (2022).
“I grew up in LA while my family worked at a video store, so I got a love for film at an early age. One of my film director influences is Christopher Nolan, as he really as an eye for grand cinema. I went to college for film and eventually started making my own movies. I was involved in the Cinema Diverse film program, which is dedicated to advancing diversity with a film festival promoting equality,” said Tau.
The Mary Pickford is a Movie Theater featuring D-Box motion chairs, luxury recliners, reserved seating, and a cinema cafe serving beer & wine. The D’Wards Card Reward Program is available for the best possible deals, and customers can also buy tickets online and save more. Early bird pricing is also available as Tightwad Tuesday Discount Pricing.
“As we progress toward a “post-racial” society, “Half Sisters” will serve as a conversation starter to engage audiences worldwide. Neither ignorance nor age can serve an excuse for prejudice and
inhumane behavior. In addition, exposing the hypocrisy of performative ally-ship is also an important theme in the film. “Half Sisters” forces people and organizations with a seemingly supportive public face come to grips with their own internal embrace of a toxic top-down culture. A key goal of the film is to call out the need for radical self-examination, which extends to families, governments and across all social economic strata,” stated Tau.
