One, two, three… Shoot!

The phrase “independent film”is tossed about more wildly than Tina Turner was at Ike‘s place; the results almost as damaging. The words are now as meaningless as the musical duo’s exchange of endearments. What’s love got to do with it, anyway? In my mind, plenty.

Joe Maggio made PAPER COVERS ROCK for love, not money. In every sense. He made it independently, truly. Shot in just about a week and a half and for only six grand out of his own pocket, PAPER COVERS ROCK represents the first of Maggio’s “incidental films.” That is, movies produced without regard for distribution or the recoupment of investment; movies made without any outside influence other than the input of the small creative team brought together to make it. Think of “incidental film” as Maggio’s earnest, intelligent response to Lars von Trier‘s nescient, pretentious Dogme 95. (No props, no lights, no music. No shirt, no shoes, no dice?)

Better yet, PAPER COVERS ROCK — available now via Comcast on Demand — succeeds due to its limitations not despite them. The scripting is focused, taut. The cinematography (by Sam Shinn) is steady, well-considered. The  lead performance by Jeannine Kaspar reps a protostellar moment. She’s a newborn star, capable of carrying this weighty movie on her lovely, narrow frame. In person, Ms. Kaspar is gorgeous, unassuming, legitimately sweet. In PAPER COVERS ROCK she is weary, depressed, undeniably gifted. Her character swings through mood states like a politician on the campaign trail. Her hands shake, her voice nearly fails in consultation with her therapist; her smile returns warily during the unorthodox courtship of an unanticipated suitor. She navigates her sister’s questionable intentions and a stranger’s base inclinations without cunning, yet with a selfless grace that should guide viewers to ponder their own responses to pressure. In this role, Kaspar embodies Ernest Hemingway‘s essence of courage, even if she cannot live up to OctoMom‘s standards of motherhood.

I feel lucky to have met Jeannine Kaspar at the Ashland Independent Film Festival, for which I served as the emcee of the festival’s 8th annual awards ceremony.* PAPER COVERS ROCK scored four honors that evening. It won two Best Feature trophies — as voted by the judges and by the audience — The Gerald Hirschfeld, ASC Award for Best Cinematography, and a Special Jury Citation for Ms. Kaspar‘s indelible turn. As she was the only member of the cast and crew in attendance, the unprepared actress swept on stage all four times to accept the awards, needing to be coaxed to say a few words. In light of her work,  I have two that befit these occasions: Thank you.

The morning after, Ms. Kaspar joined me for lunch at the Dragonfly Cafe. She may have remained speechless, temporarily, while our waitress — not knowing who Jeannine is — gushed about her movie star luminescence, but soon after, my guest spoke lengthily, laughingly and loudly about her breakout role in Joe Maggio’s PAPER COVERS ROCK and her follow-up in Chris Carter‘s FENCEWALKER. Listen in, as she raves about her screen time with IRON MAN and dishes about her dream job with Kevin Spacey. She even sends a shout out to her fans… especially those with mad web skillz. (Don’t let her down, people!)

We don’t need another hero, Hollywood. We do, however, need Jeannine Kaspar. 

* Note: Ashland’s juried award for Best Feature-length Documentary went to THEY KILLED SISTER DOROTHY. For my interview with filmmaker Daniel Junge, click here. To watch the video highlights, try this link.