The Non Violence International Film Festival 2008

'This is going to be the best day of your life!' Donald (Barry Primus) promises Sam (Charlie Robinson). This seems unlikely, given that both are homeless men mired in the bleak landscape of Los Angeles' Skid Row. Moreover, the source of Donald's optimism is a mere $20 bill (a Jackson) which he skillfully bummed off a passing businessman (Steve Guttenberg). But Donald vows that with it they can go anywhere and do anything and drags the reluctant Sam off in search of great adventure.JACKSON, directed by J.F. Lawton, spans a single day that turns into a cold, rainy night. Fueled by their 'ability to pay,' not to mention bottles of Thunderbird, Donald and Sam adventure through a world of humor, philosophy, danger and hope. In the most unusual aspect of the film, their story is accented by other down-and-out characters who express themselves by singing some of the world's greatest opera arias. From an old drunk (Richard Brown) singing a Donizetti duet with a crack addict (Shawnette Sulker), to a bag-lady (Ella Lee Romani) singing Carmen, these surreal musical sequences stand apart from, but enrich Donald and Sam's journey. What begins as a simple tale about the friendship of two bums becomes a story about the beauty and resilience of the human spirit.