One Drift and We All Go Home
Kenai, Alaska. July 1998. Commercial fishing has been closed for nine days. Dozens of workers have lost nearly an entire year's income waiting for regulations to lift... all while a nearby tourist spot teems with joyfully unregulated sportfishermen.
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Thom HiltonDirectorSwan Song, Synonymous With
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Tom HiltonProducer
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Adam BaranProducerTrade Center, Circus of Books
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Roman ChimientiSound Editing and MixingScream, Queen! My Nightmare on Elm Street
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Project Type:Documentary, Short
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Genres:Documentary, Historical, Comedy, Experimental
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Runtime:14 minutes 13 seconds
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Completion Date:December 18, 2021
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Production Budget:3,010 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:hi-8, Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Oxford Film FestivalOxford, Mississippi
United States
March 23, 2022
World Premiere
Official Selection -
Kansas City FilmFest InternationalKansas City, Missouri
United States
April 27, 2022
Missouri Premiere
Official Selection -
Mammoth Lakes Film FestivalMammoth Lakes, California
United States
May 25, 2022
West Coast Premiere
Official Selection -
West Sound Film FestivalBremerton, Washington
United States
August 6, 2022
Washington State Premiere
Official Selection -
Skyline Indie Film FestivalWinchester, Virginia
United States
September 8, 2022
Virginia Premiere
Official Selection -
Seattle Film SummitSeattle, Washington
United States
September 9, 2022
Official Selection -
Local Sightings Film FestivalSeattle, Washington
United States
September 17, 2022
Official Selection -
Tacoma Film FestivalTacoma, Washington
United States
October 8, 2022
Official Selection -
Astoria International Film FestivalAstoria, Oregon
United States
October 21, 2022
Official Selection
The original director of this piece is "Timebomb" Tom Hilton, "the smooth-talking encyclopedia of the lower Columbia River." The adopted son of Finnish immigrants, Tom was a gillnetter in Cook Inlet for 36 years. He currently owns and operates Hanthorn Crab Co. in Astoria, OR, where he is also a City Council member. His readings at FisherPoets Gathering in Astoria have been a staple of the festival for over a decade.
His son, Thom Hilton, is the editor and second director of this piece. As an actor, he recently appeared in Todd Stephens' 'Swan Song,' opposite Udo Kier. As a writer and photographer, he has been commissioned by Portland Center Stage and Portland Monthly. As a filmmaker, he made his debut in 2021 with the short fictional documentary 'Synonymous With,' an award-winning selection of numerous international film festivals.
The majority of the film is made up of interviews recorded on hi-8 tapes in 1998, with my dad always behind the camera. Tom was interested in depicting the personalities at the fish camp and captures this gigantic ensemble's wry humor and hidden melancholy beautifully. The footage has a simple but powerful arc that evokes films like 'Nashville,' 'CODA,' and 'Nomadland,' filled with moments of heart and simmering with the devastating unpredictability of gig work. - Thom Hilton