Hill Hikers
Comedy, Short Films, 14-Apr-2022
A group of disillusioned L.A. couples compete in an obscure sport to obtain money and social status. “Hill Hikers,“ directed by Elizabeth Godar and Mitch deQuilettes, is a mockumentary about a hiking “race” started by a couple trying to keep their sexual chemistry alive. Vague as the competition may seem – it’s allegedly there to help couples bond and be a part of something special – it attracts a wide variety of participants. On the top of the hill are a troupe of referees who watch over the proceedings with binoculars (and engage in choreographed dance routines involving flags). As they prepare for the hike, we get to know four of the hopeful couples, each a specific brand of young California seeker aiming for an enlightened existence, who end up coming across as clueless as the rest of us. Last year, we featured Godar and deQuilettes separately – Godar with “Dear Maslow,” deQuilettes with “Staff Pick” – and their collaboration here is a winning one, lighter and more broadly comic than their previous work, while maintaining sharp insights and character detail. -KA. Writers, Directors, Producers, Editors: Elizabeth Godar and Mitch deQuilettes. DOP: Ben Mullen. Original Score: Michael James Lee. Choreography: Genna Moroni. Sound: Justin Fox. Cast: Anthony Carrigan, Francesca Eastwood, Mitra Jouhari, Mani Yarosh, Taylor Snook, Rick Darge, Sydney Schafer, Max Baumgarten.