The little film that couldn’t

Described by the filmmakers as a semi-autobiographical showbiz comedy, Cinema Purgatorio is about a group of no-name filmmakers who try to win a regional film festival and attract the attention of actor Bill Murray. Written and produced by Furman alum Chris White (Theatre,’92) and his spouse Emily Reach White, the film mirrors the White’s own struggles to create viable and vital independent cinema art while surviving financially. The feature-length flick was shot for $40,000 last summer in Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston.

As a work-in-progress, Cinema Purgatorio (also dubbed “the little film that couldn’t”) needs input from the greater community. That’s why the Whites will be screening the film Thursday, April 24, at 6:30 p.m. in Furman Hall 229 in a CLP hosted by the film studies minor. The Whites aim to bring students into the final phases of production by vetting opinions about what does and doesn’t work, and what should be changed before the final cut is complete. The film is slated to premiere June 1, 2014.

Chris White is a full-time, practicing filmmaker based in the Upstate. Working in collaboration with his wife, Chris has produced four feature-length films in the past four years, as well as dozens of shorts. The Whites have recently signed with a producer for their next film To Hell With. They are co-founders of PARIS MTN SCOUT, a production company based in Greenville.

For more information about the event, contact Vince Hausmann, Ph.D. in the English Department, 864-294-3158, or vincent.hausmann@furman.edu. For information about the film, go to www.LookingForBillMurray.com.