Burnaby filmmaker launches movie at Austin Film Festival

A Burnaby filmmaker is launching his new feature-length comedy at the Austin Film Festival this week.

Ace Dixon is having the world premiere of Mop King at the 20th Austin Film Festival, running Oct. 24 to 31.

Dixon, a graduate of Simon Fraser University's film program, originally decided to make a film when he injured his back.

"Laying on his bed with a herniated disc, with a recovery time of over a year, Ace decided to create a feature-length film," he explains on indiegogo.com, where he's running a fundraising campaign to help with promotion and travel costs.

He got Felix Oltean - a cinematographer he knew from film school - on board, and Mop King was born.

The film is about a freelance maid who still lives with his parents. When his parents vacation to Maui, he runs into a drifter girl who changes the maid business forever.

"It's an irreverent comedy full of outrageous characters and provides insight into the self-made maid," the indiegogo write-up explains.

The film was shot in Burnaby and the Greater Vancouver area using local cast and crew members.

"We made the film on scraps, and from the help of a cast and crew that contributed in a family-like manner," the filmmakers explain on indiegogo. "Screening at the Austin Film Festival is a great opportunity to gain exposure for the film and build an audience. We hope to gain some contacts that can make Mop King accessible to a wider audience and be available on several platforms."

But, they note, "We're the little guys among big players. The 2013 lineup is impressive, with Mop King being screened alongside the films of the Coen Brothers, Alexander Payne, Steve McQueen and James Franco. We need your help to get to Austin and to get noticed."

The filmmakers are seeking $5,000 to help with travel and promotion.

To find out more about the fundraising campaign, find Mop King on indiegogo or online.