Via Zoom: Bradley Grant Smith on His SXSW film, ‘Our Father’

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CHICAGO – Getting his debut film – “Our Father” – into the 2021 South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival was a major achievement for writer/director Bradley Grant Smith, and puts the spotlight on his emerging talent and perspective. Smith is also a musician … he provided the soundtrack for the film as well.

This film has a Chicago connection, as it is populated with theater folk from the Windy City and Goodman Theatre, which includes writer/director Smith. It’s the story of two sisters, Zelda (Allison Torem) and Beta (Baize Buzan), who are reunited when their father commits suicide. This begins a cavalcade of circumstances, including a bizarre encounter with their half brothers. The film takes place in a dream-like state, in which all the sister’s encounters become fodder for their status as women, and the men they come across. The great character actor Austin Pendleton makes a cameo as a key relative, and his conversation with Beta is a marvel of emblematic invention, and provides the path to somewhat redemption.

Baize Buzan and Allison Torem of ‘Our Father’
Photo credit: SXSW.com

Bradley Grant Smith is a writer, director, actor, and musician from Highland Park, Illinois. After receiving his BFA in Acting from the Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago, he has remained a working artist in the city for nearly two decades. His musician persona is Sad Brad Smith, and his song “Help Yourself” was featured prominently in the Oscar nominated film “Up in the Air.” As an actor, he appeared in “Saint Frances,” an award-winning film by fellow DePaulian Alex Thompson, who also served as a producer for “Our Father.”

In the main interview Via Zoom with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, Bradley Grant Smith of “Our Father” talks about creating the film, working with Austin Pendleton and the zeitgeist of Sad Brad …

In a BONUS segment, Bradley and Patrick talk about Executive Producer Zoe Lubeck, producer Alex Thompson and Smith’s participation in Thompson’s “Saint Frances” …

By PATRICK McDONALD Editor, Film Writer HollywoodChicago.com [email protected]