16.04. ‐ 21.04.2024
LFFI19_regionales Langfilmprogramm_Barstow California_1

Barstow, California

Rainer Komers

In the presence of the director Rainer Komers.

In the middle of nowhere at route 66 between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, the downside of the American Dream can be found. Neoliberal ideology has not yet arrived at the small town of Barstow. Instead, time seems to be standing still here. The town is cut off from the outside world through the endless vastness of Californian prairie. Dried up souls remember the past and tell about their unsuccessful dreams and next to the rustle of the freight trains rolling by, the poems of Stanley “Spoon” Jackson, who has been imprisoned for life, are audible. Once, his family had come here full of hope, but by now, not only his words are characterized by hopelessness.

The third part of The American West trilogy by Rainer Komers is a compley portrait of the landscapes of Mojave Desert and the local life. 

In Nome Road System (2004) and Milltown, Montana (2010), Rainer Komers had already been to the sparsely populated West of the USA. For Barstow, California, the director has been corresponding with Stanley Jackson since 2008. The result is a contemplative documentary and at the Duisburger Filmwoche, it received the main prize, which was donated by arte. Frankfurt-based production company strandfilm was involved in the film´s realisation.

More information Lichter FilmfestLichter Filmfest

Direction Rainer Komers
Year D/USA 2018
Duration 76 min
Language original with german subtitles
Production kOMERS.film, strandfilm
Cast Stanley “Spoon” Jackson, Abraham Jackson, Ray Jackson
Camera Rainer Komers
Script Rainer Komers, Stanley “Spoon” Jackson
Editing Gregor Bartsch
Sound Michel Klöfkorn


Regional Feature Film Program

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