SYNOPSIS
At the Battle of the Wilderness, a war-hardened, North Carolina Confederate soldier makes a fateful decision in the heat of battle that sends him on a journey home through a parallel wilderness. May 5, 1864, Battle of the Wilderness, Cumberland Gap Campaign, American Civil War – Jeremiah Bowman, a ten year-old slave boy, loves to wander free in the forest. Only this time, he finds himself trapped between Confederate and Union lines. Just as all hell breaks loose, Samuel Barnett, a Confederate soldier with deeply-held Southern convictions, must face his own internal demons to make a decision that will determine the course of the rest of his life. From that moment on, the two unlikely companions take a journey through the ethereal back country of America, as a small black slave child leads the fight for change in a man's heart and soul through a parallel wilderness.
ABOUT MARBLES & BULLETS
MARBLES & BULLETS is a dark-comedy, thriller, independent feature film.Many films in this genre end up overly-focused on the bloodshed of war or are ideologically motivated pieces pushing preconceived and stereotypical ideas. This film is neither.
Much like a Mark Twain yarn, MARBLES & BULLETS is a well-spun traveler’s tale that tells the story of two characters making their way through the forest, on their way across a war-ravaged country. Quirky characters step into frame to celebrate, delight, and challenge the duo and the audience.
This story needs to be told. And, our cultural landscape couldn’t be more perfect for it than it is right now. This is a timely film with a positive message offering a message of hope in a divided country, from a very different point of view. It firmly places the idea of choice and change into the hands of the individual.
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From the Fog of War
May 5, 1864 - The American Civil War - Battle of the Wilderness, Northern Virginia. Samuel Barnett (brilliantly portrayed by Olivier and Tony Award-winning actor, Shuler Hensley) is a war-hardened, Confederate soldier waiting for the inevitable - crossing bullets and bayonets with the Army of the Potomac.
Just as all hell is about to break loose, Samuel spots Jeremiah (performed in his film debut by the wonderfully talented, Bijou Rising Star Ace Award-winning actor and musician, Christopher-Lawson Palmer), a ten-year-old slave boy wandering through the woods right into the killing zone.
As the battle erupts, Samuel makes the fateful decision to charge through the hellfire for Jeremiah. As the smoke clears, he realizes how close to death he's come, and soon starts to question his war-torn life and Confederate convictions. Jeremiah challenges the stubborn soldier's beliefs leading him on an otherworldy journey home through a parallel wilderness.
A Mythical Journey
MARBLES AND BULLETS is a soul-searching adventure in the likes of Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, and the psychological complexity of a Tennessee Williams tale. It challenges the audience to rise above what the man looks to be on the surface. The film forces difficult and current discussions into the light, in a way that focuses on growth and the potential for people to change their conditioning to be better human beings and act out of a desire to love and be loved, instead of acting in anger, hate, and fear.
A Child Will Guide Them
As the two struggle with friendship, Jeremiah's guiding light connects Samuel with the eccentric characters who come out of the woods, who challenge his inner demons, hatred, and war-scarred soul. Through the purity of Jeremiah's spirit, close encounters with life-changing characters, and letters from home the ways of the haunting ethereal wilderness guides, Samuel back home to be reunited with his war-torn wife. A journey that reveals that Jeremiah is the guiding light of Samuel's destiny.
INTO THE WILDERNESS - NEWS
https://civilwartalk.com/threads/new-civil-war-movie-into-the-wilderness-being-made-for-2019.148407/
https://vocm.com/news/local-musician-mallory-johnson-heading-to-the-silver-screen/
Michael A. Candela
Producer / Actor
Michael A. Candela was born as Michael A. Pappalardo. He is a casting director and actor, known for A Return to Salem's Lot (1987), Chasing Destiny (2001) and It's Alive III: Island of the Alive (1987). He has been married to Marsha Brooks-Candela since August 20, 1996. They have two children.
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