An Indie Gothic Horror Comedy - Gunfighter Paradise - L.A. Premiere March 6 w/ director Q&A at Laemmle Glendale

Experience a darkly comic descent into the “cultural Frankenstein” of modern America. Set in the “unfortunate here and now” of the Southern United States, Gunfighter Paradise is a sharp, surrealist satire that explores the intersections of Christian Fundamentalism and the rising tide of Christo-Fascism. This “darkly comic southern gumbo” follows a hunter who returns home to North Carolina with a mysterious green case following the death of his mother. As he settles back into the family home, his mind begins to disintegrate, haunted by divine voices, unholy visions, and his mother’s hand-written riddles. His descent is further complicated by a bizarre collection of visitors, including a cable man, a mummified cat, and zealous neighbors, all swirling through a landscape where the “other” is anyone standing next door.

The film marks the narrative feature debut of Emmy Award-winning writer and director Jethro Waters, whose documentary work has been a New York Times Critic’s Pick. Waters also served as the film's cinematographer, editor, and co-composer alongside Bryan Black. The production is anchored by the presence of Primetime Emmy and Tony Nominee Jessica Hecht, known for her iconic roles in Breaking Bad, Friends, and Succession, who stars alongside a killer ensemble including Braz Cubas, Joel Loftin, Christopher Levoy Bower, and Pate Leatherman.

Behind the scenes, the project boasts an elite creative pedigree with Executive Producer and Pulitzer Prize-winner Nancy Buirski, founder of the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, and Producer Sara Ayele, a longtime collaborator of Waters. Adding to the film’s distinct aesthetic, the movie poster was hand-painted by the legendary Italian artist Renato Casaro, the visionary behind the iconic imagery for Dune, Flash Gordon, and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
 

Images courtesy Waters Film.