Experiencing Interruptions?

The Other Side of Eden: A Modern Testament

We return to B.C. times at the moment when Adam and Eve first met. This glimpse of a modern-day Genesis follows the early stages of THE FIRST relationship and some if the issues Adam and Eve had to manage. Perhaps they weren't a match made in Heaven after all.

  • Robby Kendall
    Director
    Drag Queens Must Die!
  • Robby Kendall
    Writer
  • Sweet Nothing Productions
    Producer
    Victoria Place, Drag Queens Must Die!
  • Debra Collins
    Key Cast
    "Narrator/GOD"
  • Alvin Adrian Lee
    Key Cast
    "Adam"
  • Jocelyn Mcmahon-Babalis
    Key Cast
    "Eve"
  • Benjamin R Garcia
    Key Cast
    "Ethan"
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Experimental, Short
  • Runtime:
    9 minutes 32 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 6, 2022
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Robby Kendall

Born in Florida and raised in the Southeast, Robby Kendall grew up as that "unique child" who 'thought outside the box''.

Early on, Kendall's creative writing was selected by his classroom teachers as samples of stories that were 'different', perhaps odd. In high school, Kendall began to explore his identity (as a gay male) as well as the 'life of someone else' through Theatre. He thought Theatre might be a path for him, but was greatly discouraged to explore a career in Theatre. So, he put his writing and interest in Theatre aside to pursue a career in Psychology, something that became natural to him ~ understanding human behavior.

After college and early in his career as a Psychologist, Kendall delved back into Theatre and vowed to support the local LGBTQ+ communities by producing and creating fundraisers for non-profit organizations and unique variety shows and game shows. In the early 2000s, Kendall began to write a two-act play, retelling the Book of Genesis and titled it "The Other Side of Eden: A Queer Perspective". With two live staged readings, Kendall shaped the script over time and then shelved it for many years due to life happenstances.

During the Pandemic, Kendall experienced some personal trauma that brought down his creative energy and motivation to pursue anything further. But after a months into 2020, the voices of his characters began to wake him at night demanding a life of their own. Around this time, Kendall was contacted from a Cinematographer living in San Diego through social media. Their budding friendship and working relationship yielded the production of "The other Side of Eden: A Modern Testament", a short film based on Kendall's two-act play.

Currently, Kendall is in production of his third short film "Sweet Nothing", a true story about why (& how) Kendall became a Drag Queen. Kendall has also recently launched an innovative in-person production "Fishnets and Film", which combines a Drag Show with a Queer Film Festival.

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Director Statement

Like many folks, I grew up in a religious household but was more of a "C & E" Christian, going to church during Christmas and Easter only. As a young child, I was taught the Book of Genesis and shown pictures of who Jesus was, Adam, Eve, the Ark, etc.

At pivotal points in my adulthood, I questioned my own spirituality and some of the 'scripts' I learned or was taught [as a child]. And with a background in Psychology, I began to observe and explore societal scripts & dating scripts & gender scripts and saw some definite patterns in the real world, in my own relationships, and in the relationships of others.

At a time in my life when I began to question the GOD I was introduced to as a child and nearly died from a hospitalization gone wrong, I decided to write a two-act play with a 'queer retelling' of the Book of Genesis. I called that play "The Other Side of Eden: A Queer Perspective", which is written as a farce'ish, Biblical Rom-Com. "Eden" explores four languages of love and how they overlap with one another and inadvertently create conflict. "Eden" also explores facts of life we all face today in our relationships and the critical importance of understanding one's identity & orientation.

This short, "A Modern Testament", is based on the two-act play with an introduction of THE FIRST relationship many of us were taught about as children. Not only is it a Short, it is a Proof of Concept for it becoming a Feature Film.

I'm excited to see how folks respond to my 'queer' take on the beginnings of their relationship and how their early stages might have been.