Inspired by Canada’s now-annual record-breaking wildfire seasons, the award-winning Dragon Fruit is set in a smoggy, hellish world where the atmosphere itself has become toxic to breathe, and the gap between the rich and poor has never been worse. Drinking water is scarce, militarized police roam the streets terrorizing regular people, and greed is the only ideology everyone understands. Told largely without dialogue, the film follows one mother as she struggles to grow a small plant sprout into a fully ripened dragon fruit.
Director Biography
J.Brown is a director, producer, and animator based out of Vancouver, BC. He has nearly 20 years of experience working in television, feature film, and video games, working on massive titles like Stranger Things, The Mandalorian, and The Avengers movies. He created all costumes, props, and visual effects for the film in his apartment on his own. Partly to save money, and partly because there was a pandemic and he had nothing else to do. He also built two sets, acted as locations manager, and played the character of Mr. Mystery Meats, because after all this work, there’s no way he wasn’t gonna be in this thing. Identifying marks include a rattlesnake tattoo on his arm and a beard on his face. So far, he is bald.
Director Statement
You get an idea you’re so excited about, you feel like running. But then it’s harder than you think. There’s a pandemic. And a miscarriage. You lose your job. But you’re still alive, so you work harder. You get other jobs. You turn 40. You keep making things, you work so hard. You work all the time, you’re so tired. You have to see it through—the only way out is through. The work never ends. You turn 41. You’ve tried your best. You’re nearly done! You feel alive! You don’t know what it cost you, but you feel it. In your back. In your heart. You wonder if it was worth it, but that’s not up to you. You feel silly. It’s only a short film. Whatever. You lose your job again, but now you don't know if you can stand another. Dragon Fruit is about being consumed by your side hustle during a terrible time. This film is about how it felt to make it.
Inspired by Canada’s now-annual record-breaking wildfire seasons, the award-winning Dragon Fruit is set in a smoggy, hellish world where the atmosphere itself has become toxic to breathe, and the gap between the rich and poor has never been worse. Drinking water is scarce, militarized police roam the streets terrorizing regular people, and greed is the only ideology everyone understands. Told largely without dialogue, the film follows one mother as she struggles to grow a small plant sprout into a fully ripened dragon fruit.
Director Biography
J.Brown is a director, producer, and animator based out of Vancouver, BC. He has nearly 20 years of experience working in television, feature film, and video games, working on massive titles like Stranger Things, The Mandalorian, and The Avengers movies. He created all costumes, props, and visual effects for the film in his apartment on his own. Partly to save money, and partly because there was a pandemic and he had nothing else to do. He also built two sets, acted as locations manager, and played the character of Mr. Mystery Meats, because after all this work, there’s no way he wasn’t gonna be in this thing. Identifying marks include a rattlesnake tattoo on his arm and a beard on his face. So far, he is bald.
Director Statement
You get an idea you’re so excited about, you feel like running. But then it’s harder than you think. There’s a pandemic. And a miscarriage. You lose your job. But you’re still alive, so you work harder. You get other jobs. You turn 40. You keep making things, you work so hard. You work all the time, you’re so tired. You have to see it through—the only way out is through. The work never ends. You turn 41. You’ve tried your best. You’re nearly done! You feel alive! You don’t know what it cost you, but you feel it. In your back. In your heart. You wonder if it was worth it, but that’s not up to you. You feel silly. It’s only a short film. Whatever. You lose your job again, but now you don't know if you can stand another. Dragon Fruit is about being consumed by your side hustle during a terrible time. This film is about how it felt to make it.
