Citizen in the Temple

Citizen in the Temple is a sci-fi film set on a desert wasteland planet where life hangs on by a thread. In the city of Nok Tiris a man named Jennon Ril works on ways to preserve life on the planet. Secretly, however, he is part of The Shepherd's Way, an underground rebel group dedicated to ending the tyranny of The Consortium. It is an oppressive regime with eyes and ears everywhere. The city will stop at nothing to learn Jennon's secrets, even if it means destroying him and the woman he loves. Ultimately, Jennon is forced to choose between his love and his rebellion.

  • Jason Huls
    Director
    Beyond the Basement Door, The Drone, The Seashell, Late Afternoon of the Living Dead
  • Jason Huls
    Writer
    Beyond the Basement Door, The Drone, The Seashell, Late Afternoon of the Living Dead
  • Jason Huls
    Producer
    Beyond the Basement Door, The Drone, The Seashell, Late Afternoon of the Living Dead
  • Robert Quinton
    Producer
  • Aaron Roseman
    Producer
  • Alexander Daoud
    Producer
  • Corey O'Brien
    Producer
  • Diana Shamuel
    Producer
  • Isabel Adam
    Producer
  • Jacob Alexander
    Key Cast
    The Art Police, The Return of Joe Rich, I Don't Know How She Does It, Beyond the Basement Door, The Seashell
  • Jay Disney
    Key Cast
    Chicago P.D., Bloodlines
  • Lana Smithner
    Key Cast
    Mind Over Mindy, #Hashtag: The Series
  • Chad C. Burns
    Key Cast
    L5
  • Kaylee Williams
    Key Cast
    Porkchop 3D, Slices of Life
  • Iris Kohl
    Key Cast
    The Disappeared
  • Wendel Millstead
    Key Cast
    Approaching Midnight, Hit
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Sci-fi, horror
  • Runtime:
    13 minutes 20 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 1, 2015
  • Production Budget:
    25,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    H.264
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • 73rd World Science Fiction Convention Film Festival
    Spokane, WA
    August 22, 2015
  • FilmQuest
    Salt Lake City, UT
    June 25, 2015
  • Indie Incubator Film Festival XX
    Chicago, IL
    June 14, 2015
    Winner: Best Special Effects
  • Logan Square International Film Series Screening
    Chicago, IL
    April 25, 2015
  • DePaul University Screening
    Chicago, IL
    March 7, 2015
Director Biography - Jason Huls

Jason Huls is an award-winning writer/director from the Chicagoland area. He earned bachelor's degrees in English and Anthropology from Illinois State University and an M.F.A. in Digital Cinema from DePaul University. By day he works as a video producer at a university near Chicago. Jason enjoys matters of international intrigue, weird science, Tom Waits, Tool, Leonard Cohen, the great outdoors, science fiction and zombies. He is also a personal assistant to two rescue dogs.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I've lived with the sci-fi and fantasy genres my entire life. My first memory is of running in circles during TV commercials then sitting down to watch Blackstar, the predecessor to He-Man. I spent a ridiculous amount of time gaming in my teens and twenties when a person can do that sort of thing. What attracted me to gaming was the sense of adventure and the ability to create worlds so making sci-fi movies feels like a natural fit.

Citizen in the Temple is set on the fictional planet Eolan, in the city-kingdom of Nok Tiris. Society teeters on the brink of destruction. Hyper-regulated citizens live in constant fear of their shadowy rulers known as The Consortium. Jennon Ril is one of the very few citizens with the courage to envision life a different way. It is a story of defiance and the consequences of straying from society's expectations.

Though the environment of Nok Tiris is exaggerated, issues of government regulation, individual privacy, class separation and the abuse of technology are very close to home. I’ve always been interested in these themes and I’m excited by the opportunity to explore them in Citizen in the Temple. I have a lot of stories in mind for this setting so I hope you enjoy the first glimpse!