From the Vaults: Dear Pillow

A screening tonight at the Violet Crown Cinema celebrates the 10th anniversary of Dear Pillow, an Austin-made film that John Pierson, author of Spike Mike Reloaded: A Guided Tour Across a Decade of American Independent Cinema, called "the best first feature out of Austin in a decade."

Pierson was teaching at the University of Texas at the time of this interview, which ran in the Chronicle on Sept. 3, 2004. Writer/director Bryan Poyser and producer Jake Vaughan were back in Austin during a period of touring with the film on the festival circuit. The film opened in Austin on that same date. In his review, Marc Savlov summarized the film "a tale of two lonely misfits who circumnavigate a world primarily composed of soulless apartment complexes and unrequited longing … the film follows Wes (Kelley), a young kid desperate to lose his virginity, and his new best friend, Dusty (Chason), a former gay porn director who currently writes for Shorne Publications, the sort of pornographic publishing house that tackles niche sexuality markets."

Poyser and cast members Gary Chason and Rusty Kelley will be in attendance at tonight's screening. One hundred percent of all ticket sales will be donated to a support fund for Evan West, a SXSW victim and Violet Crown Cinema employee.