Hit short film The Soul Trader returns to Los Angeles for the Culver City Film Festival on December 9 with Susan Dynner, Shauna Grace in-person.
Tix to attend the Culver City Film Festival screening are here.
The Soul Trader is a 12 minute short proof of concept for a feature or series directed by Susan Dynner (Brick, Punk’s Not Dead, Code Blue: A Love Story) and starring Shauna Grace (Real Housewives…, Vanderpump Rules), Shane West (A Walk to Remember, ER, The Dirty South), Donna Mills (Knots Landing, Nope, Origin).
The story follows Coral Chase (Shauna Grace), an occult hitwoman who has the power to steal life-extending souls, which she then sells to vain, wealthy elites like Erica Claessen (Donna Mills), who clings to the crumbs of youth. She’s flanked by stoic bodyguard Damien (Shane West), who ultimately emerges from the shadows as her rival when she’s about to carry out a money-spinning hit at a target’s home and realizes she’s not the only one with murder in mind.
“It’s great for the The Soul Trader to be back in LA
chosen as part of Culver City Film Festival.
I want to keep sharing this story with audiences everywhere”
Director / Producer Susan Dynner
The short film launched at the Cannes Film Festival’s American Pavilion in May and has been gaining momentum ever since.
It’s won awards at the Manhattan Film Festival in NYC, Rock The Shorts in Beverly Hills, Austin After Dark, London Horror Film Awards and more. Screening to full audiences at festivals including DC Shorts in Washington, DC, one of the country’s largest short film festivals, Boise Film Fest’s inaugural fest, American Film Convention’s inaugural year, and acclaimed Calabasas Film Festival in Los Angeles. CA.
Now it’s set to screen at many more festivals across the globe.
“This short film has brought us so many amazing and exciting opportunities around the world.
I’m excited for what happens next!
But the biggest thanks is the reaction from the audience.
Actress / Executive Producer Shauna Grace
Meanwhile the filmmaking duo Susan Dynner and Shauna Grace are busy taking meetings toward their next step, including being featured at the 2024 American Film Market.
What is their next step?
“This was always meant as a proof of concept short film to become a feature film or TV series.
With the sold-out screenings and awards, it just confirms our feeling that this story is so much bigger than a short.”
Susan Dynner
Actress Shauna Grace has been receiving strong reviews, comparing her on screen presence to other heroines including Charlize Theron and Scarlett Johansson.
Dynner’s experience as a studio development executive for visionaries such as Richard Donner and Wolfgang Peterson shines through. Also, her producing work on Sundance hit “Brick” and festival darling “Punks Not Dead” shows her ability to bring production value on a range of budgets.
Both Dynner and Grace will attend their Culver City Film Festival screening on Saturday October 12 at 9:30pm and be available afterwards to discussion.
The Soul Trader is directed and produced by Dynner, written by newcomer Mike Underwood, photographed by Matthias Schubert (The Door Man, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, Shelter in Solitude), produced by Lauren Bancroft (The Making of Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles, Wild Bitch, Bite Size Halloween), edited by David Hopper (God Bless America, In Between Songs, Rust Creek), and executive produced by Shauna Grace, with music composed by Jeff Russo (Fargo, Ripley, Star Trek: Discovery).
See The Soul Trader at Culver City Film Festival on Saturday December 9, 2024 at 7:45pm. Tix available here:
https://www.culvercityfilmfestival.com/tickets
