There’s a funky new sci-fi comedy film coming to Slamdance that has the kind of plot that prompts a spit take. It’s called Darla in Space and it looks like a bonkers, fun ride through sexuality, economics, and kombucha. Check out the full synopsis for Darla in Space below:
“In this sci-fi comedy, Darla runs a business called Kitty Kasket, LLC, which makes custom caskets for cats. Darla is stunned to learn that she owes $349 thousand dollars (and 22 cents) in taxes, and that it’s due in one month. Fortunately, Darla soon meets a sentient orgasm-granting kombucha scoby (a culture of yeast and bacteria) named Mother. Mother instantly agrees to help Darla out with her debt. All Mother asks in return is for Darla to help her get to space.”
Darla in Space stars Alex E. Harris, Thomas Jay Ryan, Constance Shulman, Jenn Lyon, Rasheda Crockett, and Woody Fu. You can watch a clip from the film above, and learn more about the filmmakers, filmmakers Susie Moon and Eric Laplante, below.
Lonely Darla, Avatar of Perseverance
“This is a first feature for both of us,” said co-writers and co-directors Susie Moon and Eric Laplante in a joint statement. “The experience has been profoundly humbling, exhausting, and educational. This project is an expression of love for a character created by Eric’s wife, Alex. Darla Peterson started life as a comedy sketch about a woman peddling her customizable cat caskets. Was she a lonely shut-in? That seemed to shortchange Darla, somehow. We want to know, why doesn’t Darla believe in luck? Why does she believe in pluck? And diligence? And dedication, and persistence? And perseverance. And tenacity. And gumption, and so on.” They continued:
About this same time, Eric was making kombucha and Susie was making bread. This shared interest in yeast led us to wonder what it would be like for a woman named Darla Peterson to find herself the object of the affections of a yeast mass who has gained the ability to think and communicate like humans. A bit like humans. Not a whole lot like humans, but definitely closer to us than a cactus or something like that. This is our best attempt to answer that very question.
Co-director Susie Moon was born in Seoul, Korea and grew up in Los Angeles, CA; she currently resides in Houston, TX. Eric LaPlante is a filmmaker based out of New York City. He has worked ona large number of narrative, documentary, and commercial projects, such as the recent film, Sylvio, which debuted at SXSW. According to his bio, “His commercials have been with many different brands (though lately he has really been cornering the market on mid-sized bank comedy spots). He has a real passion for pressure cooking (Not with an Instant Pot) and making bread (been keeping his mother alive since 2020). He lives with his wife and their basset hound named Betty Draper.”
Darla in Space will be screening at the Slamdance Film Festival 2024 at The Yarrow, at 1800 Park Ave, Park City, UT 84060, on Jan. 20 and Jan. 24, 2024. You can find information about the screenings here.
