It’s not everyday that a film production occurs in your hometown, but recently, a group of Poland students are doing just that.  The team is called Evenfall Films, and over the course of the last year, they have been working on a feature length film called Mediocrity.

The story displays Brennan, a teen living with depression, struggling to make the proper changes and find fulfillment in his life. He turns to his new friend, Neo, and his sister, Leah, for guidance. However, their perspectives are vastly different. 

Senior Dennis McCully, an aspiring director, started Evenfall Films with the intention of touching the hearts and minds of whoever happens to view it.

“It doesn’t matter if two or two million people see it,” McCully stated. “As long as our work has made a serious impact on one person, then that has made all the difference.”

That seems to be the case! In an interview with the stars of the Indie Film, the actors had a lot to say about the overall film-making experience. 

Senior Owen Lu had this to say about the project: “It’s like we’re a family. We all worked so hard on it, sometimes for eight hours a day. It was like a home away from home.”

This seemed to be a common sentiment amongst the actors, especially with Drake Trolio, who starred in the movie as Brennan.

 “Being Brennan means a lot to me. Having the opportunity to help people with mental health issues means a lot to me.”  

“Being a symbol for the audience is really cool. This character is a stand-in for the audience struggling with mental health. Like Brennan, they could also be in a lost state with their lives. They might also be deciding on how they should cope. They can deal with it in a healthy way like Neo, or an unhealthy way like Leah,” Trolio stated. “Like Brennan, they have that choice.”

Leah, played by junior Olivia Loftus, also weighed in on her time with Evenfall Films.

Loftus said, “I wanted to broaden my horizons with acting, I wanted to help get the message the director was trying to get across to the audience. I really think it’s going to help some people.”

Playing such a troubled and problematic character is a true testament to Loftus’s ability as an actress.

She said, “I think learning from her decisions is very important so that others don’t fall into that path themselves. It’s good that people can see where it leads her first.”

For Lu, his character also holds great significance within his heart.

“The character that I play, Neo, is really about my life story; struggling then getting better. I can really see myself in him, so I hope people watch and understand that it’s possible for themselves too,” Lu said. “Life can get better.”

Trolio elaborates, “What we’re trying to do is reach out to people who feel trapped in the ‘mediocrity’ of their lives, and provide them with some hope that it’s within their control to break the cycle. In that way, it’s really empowering.”

The movie will be posted January 6, 2023 on YouTube. For more information, you can look up Evenfall Films @evenfall_films on Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok.