A farce about a philosophy camp in an obscure nature preserve in Costa Rica? A challenge over how to spend a perfect hour at sunset? Why? Oh, why not. Can’t human folly at least wallow in beauty?

To absurd and sometimes hilarious effect, the campers in The Sunsetters linger over aesthetics dilemmas with an enthusiasm to rival their ancient Greek mentors. Played by a gifted ensemble cast, scored by the incomparable Valeri Grohovski, and written and directed by Marynell Maloney, The Sunsetters is a provocative feast not only for the eyes and ears, but for the mind as well.

Themes inspired by the amazing contemporary artist James W. Johnson and his anti-stylism manifesto take their stand next to ideas of the venerable ancients as the campers flounder through two weeks attempting to live examined, conscious lives. Are there answers to be gleaned from The Sunsetters? Probably not. At least, though, to quote one of the Sunsetter characters, “ the search itself can be pleasurable.” Two hours spent in the world of The Sunsetters is more than that - it’s one of the most scintillating movie experiences to come along in ages.

Synopsis:
For two weeks every year Tawny Conaway, an aesthetics professor from a prestigious east coast university, holds a philosophy camp at a pristine beach in a remote Costa Rican nature preserve next to her ex-husband’s private retreat. This year she assigns an aesthetics question to the attendees: what is the ideal way to spend one hour at sunset? The guests embark upon two weeks of debating and exploring issues pertaining to beauty, art and how best to live an examined, isolated hour of life. Within the intellectual experiment, human folly inevitably intervenes as the participants blunder through challenges and calamities, mostly of their own invention. The permutations are twisted, comical and rarely predictable – much like life itself.

The Sunsetters

BUDDHIST ACOLYTES:
Erika Nahrgang
Laura Filipini
Andrew Ortiz
Michelle Maloney
Philippe Pons
Cindy Gabriel

Voice Over Actors:
Oksana Lada (voice of Lola)
Eduardo Garza (voice of Jaime)

A STUDIO CHENAILLES, INC. PRODUCTION
Cindy Gabriel and Valeri Grohovski executive producers

THE SUNSETTERS
Written and directed by Marynell Maloney
Music written and arranged by Valeri Grohovski
Art direction by James W. Johnson

Music:
Music written and arranged by Valeri Grohovski
Piano and synthesizer performance by Valeri Grohovski
Orchestra performers from the Russian State Orchestra
Recorded in Moscow, Russia

Art:
Art Director James W. Johnson
Sculptures and paintings by James W. Johnson
First Art Assistant Michael Dennis Maloney, Jr.
Second Art Assistants Erika Pochybova and Arseni Grokhovski

Image Editing:
Tom Strong
HighArtMedia represented by Haroutyun Gasparyan
Laurent Alexander Gack

Sound Editing:
ADR engineers Paul Moran and Angelo Panetta,
with Panetta Studios - USA
ADR engineer Olivier Mortier - France
Dmitri, Castle Zeek Studios
Boris Koutnevich - Russia
Alexandre Posviansky - sound mix

Sound Support:
Vocal Sound Effects Anya Grokhovski
Moscow Radio Hall, music recording in Russia
Studio Chenailles Recording Center
Recording sound assistant Michael Dennis Maloney, Jr.
Peter Darmi consultant

Online Editing:
Match Frame - San Antonio, Texas
Andy Pickard
Kreg Lauterbach

Casting:
Navarro-Bertoni Casting Co. (NYC)
Judy Henderson and Associates Casting (voice replacement NYC)
Condra Artista (Texas)

Accommodations in Costa Rica
Hotel Ecoplaya
Hotel Cariari

Filmed entirely on location in Costa Rica.
No animals were harmed during the making of this movie.

SPECIAL THANKS TO
Ken Ashe
and
Match Frame - San Antonio, Texas
and
Michael Maloney
and
Schopenhauer, Santayana, Plato, Spinoza, Nietzsche, Durant, Kant, Kierkegaard and other great thinkers, from whom we
have borrowed so shamelessly…

©2005 STUDIO CHENAILLES, Inc.
All Rights Reserved