Fantasia Fest 2020: Survival Skills
Survival Skills is a lost training video from the 1980s. In it, Jim, the perfect policeman, gets in over his head when he tries to resolve a domestic violence case outside the law.
Survival Skills is a dark drama experimental satire stored within a lost police training VHS. Also, included is the 4:3 ratio and tracking that comes into play between scenes.
One of the best things about Fantasia Fest has been the creative vision that's been displayed and Survival Skills is one of those.
The dark turning point of a domestic violence call is equal to a tight turn on a roller coaster. Stacey Keach as our Narrator works perfectly, especially when things don't go the way they should. The lead, rookie cop and gung-ho Jim, played by Vayu O'Donnell is the standout. He is optimistic and positive but isn't ready for the dark world a cop will have to deal with day in, and day out.
Survival Skills use comical moments as a smart way to show normal life isn't all peaches and cream. It's a dark cold ocean, depressing and not fair to everyone. Even for a person like Jim who has always stayed afloat in their perfect life, eventually will drown.
Find all the Fantasia Fest films and their schedule right HERE.
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