For The Coyotes
From the Archives
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23-Mar-2018
In a remote cabin in the redwood forest of Northern California, a Buddhist teacher and his son are thrown together after years of estrangement forced to make peace with life’s inevitabilities. “For the Coyotes” is a remarkable film about connection, pain and mortality. It was made by a two person crew and features only two characters, a feat of simplicity made potent by a richly-built scenario and meditative pacing. Josh is an app developer in San Francisco. Initially, we don’t know much about his life (in fact, much of the power of the film lies in its measured revelation of details), but he gets a call from his father (Wendell) requesting a visit. He does all he can to avoid it, but his father persists. When he arrives, Wendell has news. Having always been at odds with his father’s Buddhist existence, wounded from a lifetime of his flaws and hypocrisies, his inner turmoil plays out against his father’s calm. When Wendell’s condition finally reveals itself, they are forced to reckon with their complicated past and search together for the next phase. Director Eric Daniel Metzgar, known primarily as a documentary filmmaker (2-time Emmy nominated), himself a practitioner of Buddhism, offers a beautifully shot and composed cinematic experience — its flow of information, complex characterizations, and search for completion, are a marvel.
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