Controversial Film Del Playa Being Released This Week
Jonathan Barkan
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The controversial indie thriller Del Playa will be getting released “across multiple digital platforms” this Friday, July 21st, in North America. The film drew criticism in 2015 when a trailer drew comparisons to Elliot Rodger, who killed several people and wounded even more in 2014.
From the official press release:
The film has been surrounded by controversy from the moment the filmmakers released a trailer on YouTube in 2015. There were claims made by several people, who saw the trailer, that the movie was based on college student Elliot Rodger. In 2014, Rodger killed six other students and wounded 14 others, in Isla Vista. Then, he killed himself. The controversy became so heated that a petition was created on Change.org by a former UCSB student, garnering approximately 30,000 signatures. The petition was a protest of the film. Meanwhile, major publications such as Variety and The Huffington Post reported on the controversy.
Discussing this, writer/director Shaun Hart explains, “…storytelling is powerful. Being a filmmaker, I began to put the question – why does this keep happening year after year? – into a story because I believe that’s a way that we can learn. We have to come to grips with the fact that – as a society – something is changing. There is a very real darkness descending on our country that is more frightening than any imaginary monster we can manufacture in a horror film. That’s what this film is about.”
Written/directed by Hart, Del Playa stars Alan Alaya and Devon Barnes.
Synopsis:
Matthew (Alan Ayala) is routinely abused by his stepfather. He has a crush on Claire (Devon Barnes) during high school. His love for Claire rides a fine line between persistence and obsession. And when, Matthew is jumped by her boyfriend, things turn violent. Five years go by and Claire discovers that her high school stalker has returned for her.
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