Are you a Five Time Champion?

A film about love, hope, petty theft, adultery, and the boundless opportunities presented by science. Here is part 2 of our chat with Director Berndt Mader who’s film,  Five Time Champion, is at SXSW and also departing for DALLAS IFF in April.

Berndt and I discussed the greatness of the Austin Film Festival.

The Bear Media is “an entity comprising the talents of  directors Ben Steinbauer and Berndt Mader.”.  Berndt talks about his good buddy Ben and the documentary that really started their partnership.

Ben and Berndt.

Five Time Champion is a film that immerses its viewer in a typical Texas town, home to a cast of characters that is anything but typical. From Julius’ taxidermist mother Danielle to her baseball coaching boyfriend Melvin to her rugged love interest Levi, the adults responsible for Julius refuse to gracefully fall into appropriate small-town destinies.

Berndt talks about the quality in his characters that comes from his own real life friends.

The character of Julius, played by Ryan Akin, has a strong connection to Berndt.

. . .

Filmed with the generous support of The Panavision New Filmmaker Grant, Eastman Kodak, and the Austin Film Society’s Texas Filmmaker Production Fund.

Berndt talks about how he figured out to find his tremendous cast.

Betty Buckley, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson,Ryan Akin and fellow newcomer Noell Coet all brought their best to the film.  Berndt also talked about how they came across Jon Gries, Juli Erickson and Don Pirl.

Producer Ezra Venetos.

Berndt talked about a casting choice that seemed out of place and yet that actor, Justin Arnold, would completely change Berndt’s mind about things.

Ironically there was one particular role that just seems completely absent and that was something Berndt had to figure out in the writing process.

Berndt ended our chat with the story behind the cool title of the film, Five Time Champion.

Five Time Champion plays later this evening at 9pm at the Rollins Theatre.

The film will play on the opening weekend of the DALLAS IFF.