LITTLE ATHENS American Directions

Athens, Arizona, is not exactly the cradle of civilization. Instead, it’s a town populated by young men and women struggling in on environment with limited options. They are pool cleaners, EMTs, tow truck drivers and pizza delivery boys. Writer/director Tom Zuber turns a deliberate eye on this world and illuminates beauties and horrors that lurk under contemporary society’s shadow.

Life in the Midwest is generally understood to be not the most exciting thing in the world. And sex and drugs ore the two most common solutions to this problem. However, this is far from a drug-fueled teen sex comedy. Instead, the filmmakers approach this subject matter with a much more artful eye, reminiscent of the best American independent filmmakers. Additionally, some of Hollywood’s hottest young actors appear in Zuber’s second film, including HUSTLE AND FLOW’s DJ Qualls, Jill Ritchie and Jorge Garcia from LOST.

Zuber’s languorous sun-soaked tale follows half a dozen kids as they navigate through a day in Athens. It is a town that has little bits of violence and disease, little signs of human decay. In other words, it’s incredibly similar to the world you live in right now.