Mining for Ruby

Jack,anAlaskanexpatriot,returnstohisFairbankshomefollowingthedeathofhiswife.Heisfullofanger,guiltanddepression.Hisreclusivelifestyleischallengedwhenhemeetsagraduatestudentwhoisinvestigatingtheaffectsoftheminingoperationsonalocalwatersource.ThefilmwasshotonlocationinFairbanks.Thecinematographyisbeautifulandgenuine.Thereisnothingfakeorstereotypicalabouttheportrayalofthesubarcticsummerandlifestyle.Filmedduringinmid-Juneduringthelongestdayoftheyear,thecinematographerandthedirectormakeexcellentuseofthemidnightsunandtheseasonalbeautyuniquetothispartoftheworld.ForthisFairbanksan,itwasrefreshingtoseeafilmwhereInteriorAlaskaisportrayedwithsuchintegrity.DanielPonickly,whostarsasJackdeliversagoodperformanceasthewidowerwhoislostinhisgrief.Ponicklyalsowrotethescreenplay.ThisisthesecondfulllengthfeaturefilmfordirectorZoeQuist.Herfirstfilm,RawCut,athrillerwasalsofilmedinapanoramicenvironment-Dubois,WY-shemadeexcellentuseofthenaturalbeautyoftheenvironment.Throughthesetwodifferentstories,Quistprovedherdirectingtalentandability.NewcomerCarrieBaker,andveteranMischaBartongiveverygoodperformances.IwouldhavelikedtoseemoreofBarton.SydWilder,isveryconvincingasthewaitresswithaheartofgoldandabodyforsinasareveryconvincingintheirbadboyrolesJonathanBennettandLeviBen-Israel.BillyZaneiswellcastasaUAFSchoolofGeophysicsprofessor,TolyRamirezwrotethescoreforMiningforRuby,ashedidthehauntingmusicforRawCut.Thelengthofthefilmis95minutesandthiswriterfoundthemtobeaveryenjoyablewaytorediscoverhishometown.