Red Star Graphic Novelist Set to Direct Short Film

Up until now, the cinematic signature of graphic novelist Christian Gossett has been the double-bladed lightsaber used by the Star Wars character Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace. Gossett was just 23 when he first conceptualized this weapon design, working at the time for Lucasfilm Licensing.

This gleaming sword may one day be followed by a feature film version of The Red Star, the Gossett graphic novel that has--in video game form--sold over a million copies. But for now, Gossett's next movie effort is set to be Farewell My King, a short drama he wrote and will direct about an artist who is compelled to draw a portrait of his deceased father, bedside, before the body is taken away. It shoots in January.

Concept art of son reacting to hospital call

Unusually, the short will be shot on 35mm film with the help of cinematographer Michael Fimognari, whose credits include the Wim Wenders produced Au Revoir Tapei, the 2010 Michael Sheen-Maria Bello drama Beautiful Boy and the Emmy Rossum 2009 romantic drama Dare. For this project, Fimognari is re-teaming with two of his USC School of Cinematic Arts colleagues, producer Jhennifer Webberley and co-producer Jen Prince.

Farewell My King will include audio from conversations taped by Gossett's brother Adam with their father, before their real-life dad passed away in 2005. Playing the part of the son in the film, Peter, will be Paul Diaz.

[ChristianGossett.com]