REX DEAN: World Premiere of Sci-fi Comedy Film SPACE BABY at the Dances With Films Festival

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It took more than 25 years, but New England’s own existential sci-fi comedy, SPACE BABY, will be having its world premiere at the iconic TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood, as part of the Dances with Films festival on June 25th, 2023.

Three friends must stand up to a bumbling evil nurse in order to rebuild the holy grail and get a new soul for the earth. Each friend looks at the universe in a unique way: 8-year-old Sam (“Mental Man”) is a scientist and staunch atheist; 6-year-old Sophia (“Nature Girl”) talks to animals, is a caretaker of the earth, and worships a female god of nature; 300-year-old Blue (a great ballplayer like Satchel Paige) was the keeper of the holy grail before it was broken in Africa by slave traders, and practices all religions. With help from a squadron of ladybugs, they fight the “greed, intolerance and just plain cruelty” that fascist Nurse Nancy and her demonic crow represent.

With Charles Brown (Trading Places, Drop Squad, Kennedy, two time Tony nominee), Peter Wolf (J. Geils Band), Andrea Kooharian, Joan Tolentino-Dunton, and newcomers Nancy Sirois, Sam Dean, Sophia Dean, and Will Dean as Space Baby.

The film was shot entirely in Waltham at the director’s home, the surrounding forest, and the rest home next door on 35mm Kodak Vision 500T film stock. Even though it was shot in 1997, before iPhones, HD cameras, even before Facebook, Google, or Youtube existed — the film looks as if it were shot yesterday, and its themes are even more timely today than then. The delay of over 25 years to complete the film is explained by director Rex Dean: “After our investor, Wall Street wiz and philanthropist Michael D. Palm, died from AIDS in 1998 and his estate decided not to complete funding for the film, I had a choice: focus on my kids’ upbringing and education, or focus on being a filmmaker. My kids were far more important to me than being a director. All three were in the film, so it was a pleasure to work on the film for five years, and then pick the project back up 15 years later after they’d grown up and got jobs. I spent the last five years doing sound design and additional visual effects, investing my own time and money as I could. I’m proud of the way it turned out, and can’t wait for audiences to see it.”Dances with Films is a beloved festival devoted to truly indie films without big name stars. Dean said, “I couldn’t be happier to start our festival run with Dances with Films. Our goal over the next few months is to get some press and good reviews from festivals, and this is one of the best. The crazy thing is, DWF:LA is 26 years old — starting out the same year Space Baby was starting out. I also really like that this year’s festival theme is ‘Peace, Love & Celluloid’, and that’s exactly what Space Baby is all about.” Dean grew up in Colorado, studied Government at Harvard with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and so naturally the film contains hints of world history. “The film is really about childhood curiosity. It starts off with a quote from Euripides — Question everything — and ends with a quote from Einstein — Never stop questioning,” Dean explains. “In a way SPACE BABY is a glimpse into my mind — a curious kid with a pretty strong case of ADHD.”

About Dances With Films

The uniquely inspired DANCES WITH FILMS launched in 1998, answering the indie film community’s call to recognize films that were actually independent. What started out as a handful of films 26 years ago, has grown into a bi-coastal platform, curating thousands of submissions each year and providing the coveted first stop for top discoveries. Known for its integrity in its selection process, dedication to diversity in programming, and its fun summer camp vibe for filmmakers, DWF:LA is the main event in Los Angeles and is one of the largest film festivals of its kind in the U.S. Branded early on by the media as “the defiant fest of raw talent,” DANCES WITH FILMS continues to champion innovation, talent, creativity and the sweat equity that revolutionized the entertainment industry.

Tickets to the June 25th screening in Los Angeles/Hollywood are available here: