NAPLES INTERNATIONAL FF INTERVIEWS: Hannah Black and Megan Petersen talk about their film, DROUGHT

Hannah Black and Megan Petersen’s DROUGHT, which recently screened at the Naples International Film festival and currently can be seen at Cucalorus, is the kind of film that used to define the Sundancy small-budget, indie film that could profile. Set in 1993 North Carolina during a historic drought, the film follows autistic teen Carl, fascinated by weather, who predicts that a storm will soon hit nearby and becomes singularly focused on being there to experience it. His sister Sam crafts a plan to help him chase the storm, stealing their mother’s ice cream truck, and joined by their estranged sister, Lillian, and carefree buddy Lewis, the foursome embarks on a road trip that may become as stormy as anything Carl has predicted.

DROUGHT is a film that charms with whimsy and touches with the heart that we hope is embedded within family and friendships. While it could be used as a case study in a Syd Field book on how to do a road movie, Black and Petersen (who also star in the film as the two sisters, Sam and Lillian), direct and perform without an ounce of guile or cynicism, so much so that you would be an asshole to even think about casting any big city side eye their way. That alone (and you can trust, there is more to compliment here) is enough to recommend the film as a pleasant and reaffirming watch. It’s a film about which you would tell a friend to just relax and go along for the ride.

In the interview, I talk to Black and Petersen about the development process and filming process and how they divided up those responsibilities (since they co-directed, co-wrote, co-produced, co-starred, and co-damn near did everything on the film), and how they would work through “crises” like having their grip truck stuck in the sand. They talk about sensing when they were on or off performance-wise, and the support they had beyond that – on a micro-budgeted production. They also discuss how they managed their production design with no money to spend on it, and how their locations saved them quite a bit in that effort. Also, speaking of micro-budget issues, we talk about making sure you get the footage you need – including valuable cutaways – to save your ass in the editing bay.