Eastview student to premiere film May 24

Posted: 5/16/02

by Brett Andersen
Staff Writer

Quentin Tarantino, the Cohen Brothers and Joe Filipas. The general population may not recognize that last name, but with a lot of hard work, a little luck and a fortunate coincidence, his anonymity may change.

Filipas is a senior at Apple Valley’s Eastview High School and has been constructing a full-length motion picture for about a year.

The world premiere of “Switch” is scheduled for May 24 at the Eastview Performing Arts Center at 7:30 p.m. There is a $2 admission fee to help recoup production costs.

“Switch” will run about 120 to 140 minutes; Filipas is still finishing the final edit.

The film is a “pulpy” comedy about a drug deal gone awry and the money left “floating,” according to Filipas. The story unfolds as criminals attempt to lay claim to the cash.

Filipas said the idea occurred to him while watching the 2000 Columbia Tristar film “Snatch” starring Benicio Del Toro and Brad Pitt.

Eastview students Dan Thompson, Alex Sawka, Brent Nicholson and Mitch Meyer join Filipas to comprise the core cast.

The troupe collaborated to make three short films last year, including an adaptation of “Frankenstein” and a 20-minute encapsulation of France’s history from the black plague to the invasion of Normandy, according to Filipas.

Rounding out the parts are Eastview students Colin Anderson, Jesse Matthews and James Clemenson and fifth-grade Greanleaf Elementary student Collin Meyer — Mitch Meyer’s brother.

The cast may be given the opportunity to showcase its talents in front of George Lucas — best known for his “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” series and films such as “American Graffiti” and “Willow” — through a fortunate stroke of nepotism.

Filipas’ cousin’s father-in-law was high school buddies with Lucas and the two have continued their relationship. He has offered to forward the movie on to Lucas.

“That’s been one of the things that’s kept me going,” said Filipas.

The idea of being critiqued by one of the world’s premiere filmmakers helped propel Filipas through the long sessions in front of the computer screen and through bouts of writer’s block, he said.

“I have no idea how it’s going to turn out,” he said. “We’ll just cross our fingers.”

Filipas isn’t a stranger to hard work paying dividends. In 2001 he earned the opportunity to compete against the 56 top high school Shakespeare performers in New York by placing first in the annual Shakespeare Competition hosted by the Minnesota Branch of The English Speaking Union.

Prior to the competition, Scott Durocher, dramatic coach/theater director at Eastview, said what separates Filipas from other performers.

“He is fantastically honest on stage,” he said.