It’s a scenario,  sadly,  played out every day in every city and rural area throughout North America, crossing all races, religions and ethnicities. It’s about a kid.  Eleven years old, a boy torn between a mentally fragile mother, and a father, physically and emotionally vacant; a child struggling to gain his self-identity amidst the pain of his parent’s divorce. 

It may be universal, but in the upcoming Chris Martini film, The Stone Child,  the boy and his parents aren’t the usual plastic suburban cut-outs.  This time, the family is Mormon and Lakota. 

And that’s where  it gets interesting… You see, Martini isn’t Mormon or  Lakota himself, but that didn’t prevent him from writing a script about two of the most misunderstood cultures in the United States.

“I was living in Utah doing sound work for the show, Touched by An Angel.  Practically everyone on the crew was Mormon,” he says.  “During that time I realized I wanted to write a feature length script and it started out being about the Mormons.  As I found out more about Mormonism through my research, the more I realized there is a lot of Native American influence in the religion.  It kind of evolved from there.” 

So Martini did his homework.  He researched and listened and learned all he could about the Church of Latter Day Saints and Lakota customs.  He also hired Pine Ridge resident Larry Pourier as a cultural advisor to ensure authenticity in the depiction of Native characters. To get it right.  To get it truthful. 

“In addition to the people I worked with on Angel,  I spent hours at the library reading almost every book you can find.  I went to museums, I watched movies; I found everything I could get my hands on.  My friend Brett Duncan, who co-wrote the script, went with me to Pine Ridge to be with the Native people.  We were totally aware that we needed to get it right or it wouldn’t work.” 

Despite the best of intentions, however, the idea that this L.A.-raised son of an Italian sculptor and White Texan is making a movie about Mormons and Natives isn’t sitting all that well with certain folks.  And this is before he has even begun shooting a single reel.  But Martini remains steadfastly behind his script and is determined to have it filmed by next summer or fall. 

“The Stone Child  is a story with a lot of heart and passion, and that is universal and real in every culture,”  he maintains.  “I’m going into this with full honesty, since the experience of a kid going through his parents divorce is very personal to me.  Did I receive criticism?  I’ve already heard it; and I’ve listened to those who’ve read the script and gave me a lot of advice.  I’m beyond the criticism at this point; now I’m concentrating on the story.” 

Martini’s film is already attracting the kind of support other rookie filmmakers dream of.  His script has been a finalist in a number of screenwriting competitions including the Slamdance Film Festival, which described it as “the epitome of indie filmmaking.”  He has enlisted the talents of Academy Award winning editor Richard Halsey and the interest of actors Graham Greene, Eric Schweig, Margot Kidder, and Simon Baker.   

In early December, Martini filmed a short version of The Stone Child  to show to potential investors; another step toward making his film a reality.  After the feature is completed, he’s planning to submit to the major film festivals—Cannes, Sundance, and Toronto among them. 

Clearly, this NYU Film School grad is going about it in the right way; but technical prowess aside, how will The Stone Child  be accepted by the viewing public, particularly Native and Mormon audiences? 

“It’s a fine line, stereotyping.  I’m not at that level of thinking.  You fall into that when you haven’t spent time with the culture.  Of course, you may get criticism. But I don’t personally feel it applies.  The great thing about this story is that it’s about a boy and his family, a family that’s like a lot of families out there.  It’s real for a lot of people.” 

And by all impressions, a film to eagerly anticipate.  For The Stone Child  is, above all else, a tale seen through the eyes of a 11-year old boy making sense of his world gone awry.  A boy who is Mormon; a boy who is Lakota.  

A quintessential American tale.    

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More about The Stone Child,  including story boards and a video pitch on the official website: http://www.triplemartini.net/stonechild