Ian Stout and Tiffany Groben star in Love in Dangerous Times, the latest film from acclaimed indie director Jon Garcia (The Falls Trilogy). As a virus spreads quickly throughout the globe, the protagonist Jason remains ambivalent about its danger. Unable to travel and with his family on the other side of the country, he decides to spend the pandemic working on a play that resembles his life and current circumstances. As writers-block and loneliness ensue, he begins to turn to online dating to find a buddy for the apocalypse where he meets Sorrel. With the infection rate worsening and feat looming, the two begin to lean on one another for support while they try to make sense of the times they’re living in.
In February of 2020, it was becoming clear that much of the world was in a panic. With so many unknowns and the threat of physical and financial crisis, writer/filmmakers Jon Garcia, Ian Stout, and Steven Avalon Gardner began to collaborate on a film project that delved into the complexity of emotions percolating as a result of COVID-19. Created on a shoestring budget of $2000, the concept, started at the very beginning of the pandemic and echoed what the filmmakers were feeling at that time; fear and distance from those they love. The initial idea was to tell a story about people looking for love during the pandemic, and not just romantic love, but people looking to preserve and repair broken relationships that only desperate times can mend.
Safety was definitely a concern for this production as universal filming protocols had yet been put in place for filming during a pandemic. For that reason, there was an open communication about how best to prevent the risk of exposure to the Coronavirus before, during, and after filming. The production was filmed mostly in an apartment in NW Portland and included 6 other actors, mostly cueing in via video chat or phone.
Love in Dangerous Times will be available November 3 on all major VOD platforms including iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu from Dark Star Pictures.