It’s been several years since some of our readers got to acquaint themselves with contributor James Couche’s ramblings on this website. Fact is, when he’s not publishing here or focused on other projects or important matters, he’s at the helm for his own independent film endeavors as he’s been for the better part of the last fifteen years since serving in the U.S. Air Force a few years earlier.
Alas, this now brings us to a round of exclusive stills just above from his latest ambitious Gunsavior Pictures indie banner milestone, Lost Phoenix, starring newcomers, actor Wan DraL (stylized as so), actress Pree Parikh and actor Justin Meyer. Couche officially wrapped principle photography on Monday for a key proof of concept presentation to showcase at film festivals going forward, with plans to resume in Spring 2021 to complete the full feature.
Penned and produced by Couche, Lost Phoenix centers on an amnesiac (Wan DraL) who wakes up in the summer of 2020 with no memory of his past and no proof of his identity. The only world he knows is one of pandemic and social unrest. He desperately searches for his true identity all the while dodging the virus AND overzealous immigration enforcement. When he finally catches a break in his search, the situation goes from bad to worse with every revelation putting him in more and more danger. He soon finds himself on the run from both a group of heavily armed extremists and a mysterious femme fatale (Pree Parikh) with a sniper rifle.
“Lost Phoenix grew out of a simple thought: ‘what would it be like to wake up in 2020 with amnesia?’. This concept became more thrilling (and terrifying) the deeper I dug into it. Imagine never knowing a time before the pandemic. Imagine never seeing a world without massive social unreast, without far-right terrorism. Then came the most troubling aspect: ‘if someone woke up with no memory and no proof of their identity/nationality, what would prevent them from being thrown into an ICE detention center and left to rot?'” said Couche.
Couche has accrued over 35 shortfilm credits on both sides of the lens, having earned a few awards along the way, including Best Action Sequence at this year’s Hollywood Dreamz International Film Festival for his new screenplay, Journeyman’s Edge. Gaming fans may also remember him for his fan driven portrayal as Captain N in Micah Moore’s hit webseries, Mario Warfare, which was woven into a full feature in 2018 now available to watch online for free.
Some of Couche’s shortfilm and webseries credits also include Art Of Violence, Brushed By A Stranger, Orphan God, and action comedies Dumbass Shakedown and Attack The Dojo. Lost Phoenix will be his own feature debut by this time next year, as he confronts the challenges of Covid-19 to inspire creativity.
“While many films seem to be actively ignoring the traumas of 2020, Lost Phoenix will acknowledge them and weave them into its intense story.” says Couche.
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Native New Yorker. Lover of all things pizza, chocolate, pets, and good friends. Karaoke hero. Left of center. Survivor. Fond supporter of cult, obscure and independent cinema - especially fond of Asian movies and global action cinema. Author of the bi-weekly Hit List. Founder and editor of Film Combat Syndicate. Still, very much, only human.
