'Aunt Cindy and the Alchemist' Is a Mind-Bending Tale That Seems Almost Unreal.

      “Aunt Cindy and the Alchemist,” a captivating and creatively enchanting short film set to screen Thursday at the Coronado Island Film Festival, showcases local director Devin Scott’s distinctive filmmaking approach.

      Set in the 1960s, the short film narrates the story of the narrator’s mother, who abandons a failing marriage with an unsatisfied husband for a romantic journey in Europe with a woman the narrator refers to as Aunt Cindy. The two lovers cruise along the coastline in a golden Ford Mustang they fondly call The Alchemist, oblivious to the curious gazes of locals surprised by the visible affection between the two women.

      Then a twist emerges that is both shocking and yet entirely logical. It feels remarkably contemporary and relatable. We won’t divulge it here to avoid ruining the movie.

      The Coronado Island Film Festival is an ideal venue to view “Aunt Cindy and the Alchemist,” not only because it is one of our 50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee, but also due to its sunny, picturesque location that mirrors the breezy seaside adventures depicted in the film.

      However, whether you can attend or not, be aware that we are about to delve into spoilers regarding Scott’s process that may alter your perspective on his work—or perhaps enhance your appreciation of it.

      Devin Scott on Creating ‘Aunt Cindy and the Alchemist’

      Director Devin Scott of “Aunt Cindy and the Alchemist.” Image courtesy of the filmmaker.

      Scott, a native of San Diego, hails from a family of storytellers and realized his passion for filmmaking during a childhood visit to Universal Studios in the 1970s, where he “saw a giant telephone prop that was featured in several films and TV shows,” he reminisces.

      “This moment of make-believe captivated me so profoundly that it redirected my life, and it’s been filled with magic and imagination ever since,” he reflects.

      He graduated from the Department of Film and Television at San Diego State University and later collaborated with producer Jeanne Scott at the San Diego-based production company American Dream Cinema, situated just across San Diego Bay from Coronado Island, which has worked with clients such as Hewlett Packard, Fox Sports, ABC Sports, and Kaiser Permanente.

      Alongside their corporate endeavors, Jeanne and Devin Scott produce films by watching extensive amounts of other people’s home movies, usually without any prior knowledge of them. They then engage in discussions about their interpretations of the footage, from which Devin Scott crafts stories.

      The narrative he constructed for “Aunt Cindy and the Alchemist” is so compelling that some viewers—like your humble correspondent—mistakenly believed it to be true. However, Scott is clear in stating that his film is indeed fictional. “My producer and I typically watch around 18 to 20 hours of home movies to piece these stories together,” Scott shares with MovieMaker. “Usually, one image ignites a conversation while the movies play, and I record the audio from these sessions to revisit the most engaging discussions alongside the footage, allowing the story to emerge from there.

      “I need to write the script promptly because the footage and its location are fresh in my mind,” Scott adds. “The story aligns with the footage, rather than the usual reverse approach, so I must also edit it quickly before I forget where the shots are. It’s a unique method, but a valuable exercise in filmmaking.”

      Though the approach is experimental, the emotions driving it are genuine.

      “Everyone deserves the right to be happy,” he asserts. “Love is love and appears the same from any perspective. I believe that’s why this film connects with audiences. Most people have someone in their lives akin to ‘Aunt Cindy,’ whom they cherish deeply.”

      The image of the golden Ford Mustang left such an impression on Devin Scott that he contemplated naming it the El Dorado, inspired by the mythical city of gold. His producer, however, reminded him that a car already bears that name. “So I explored other metaphors to incorporate into the film, and thus Alchemy seemed fitting,” he states. “Transforming something into gold embodies our collective aspirations in life. All of our found footage films convey a universal truth that audiences can recognize and relate to their own experiences.”

      “Aunt Cindy and the Alchemist” will be screened Thursday morning as part of the No Place Like Home: Local Shorts program at the Coronado Island Film Festival.

      Main image: “Aunt Cindy and the Alchemist.”