Kymberly Harris’ love for film started at the ripe old age of six. Her father expressed a fervent interest in cinema, empowering her to read and process as many stories as she could obtain each week growing up. Having been an actor her whole life, she finished college with a Master’s degree in theatre and a Master of Fine Arts in acting and playwriting. However, she never thought her life’s dedication would string her on the path of directing.
Six years later, Kymberly released her first feature film; I Heard Sarah. Her inspiration was rooted in her first encounter with Dan Adoniev when he arrived late to her method acting class at the Lee Strasberg Film and Theatre Institute. He looked disheveled and unkempt, much like a rockstar after a long night. This film’s art reflects life, and Dan and Kymberly developed it with “a real indie spirit.”
Dan Adoniev was born in Los Angeles in 1993 to Russian Immigrants who had left not long after the collapse of the Soviet Union. At ten years old, he moved to LA with his mother venturing off to glamorous parties and late-night events. He spent the next eight years traveling Europe living in Russia, Germany, Switzerland, and England, where he attended a boarding school before getting into UCLA and returning to Los Angeles.
Dan plays the lead role, Ian Ford, a troubled rockstar who escapes court-mandated rehab to visit his childhood friend and dissect where it all started. His former best friend and bandmate, Josh, played by Cameron Jones, got married and started teaching music to high schoolers in their hometown, while Ian was living the high life and touring the world for the past six years. His arrival interrupted the life Josh was building. Both men are forced to face the truth after Ian reveals a deadly secret.
Ian’s story is about a lost kid who skyrockets to fame before falling into the abyss of drugs and addiction. Coming from a troubled family and lacking a moral compass, he quickly got lost in all the noise. Lead actor and co-writer Dan Adoniev reveals, “I wrote the story as a catharsis for what I was feeling at the time. I was in my early 20s and was dealing with addictions, painful emotions, heartbreaks, and all the angst that comes with that as well as being a young man in a tempting place like Hollywood. Ironically all these years later, I seem to have found my own way to recover much like Ian has.” This script is hugely personal to Dan; in it, you can see how he works through real emotions that he has experienced.
The feature film, shot in seven days, is determined to leave the effect of hope and ambition of fighting your inner demons to find peace. Kymberly’s work examines human relationships and character psychology regardless of genre. Recovering addicts can connect deeply to the realism in the film. This story rings true to many and portrays the journey of fame, addiction, and redemption.
Kymberly uses her love of stories and filmmaking to bring new ideas from different perspectives into play to create an authentic storyline. She says, “The band [in the film] even wrote a song together in between scenes that became part of the film.” She allowed the actors to act out on their impulses because of her interest in character layers. When actors have this free space to explore the depth of their characters, you’re left with a deeply personal and poetic film. I Heard Sarah contains improvised scenes that bring the story arc to life.
With the passion and ambition behind the film’s creation, Kymberly shot scenes on Sunset Boulevard, in Elton John’s mansion, and two music videos. Her admirable work on an indie film that only took a week and a low budget to produce proves that a hefty budget and month-long filming are not needed to create a feature film.
I Heard Sarah has resonated with viewers on their journey to recovery and with audiences that have found themselves off the beaten path. Once you experience this film, you’ll have a newfound admiration for Kymberly Harris.
