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Sean Durkin '00 Captures the Indie Film WorldBy Stefany Gutu '13, Assistant Features Editor |
As I sit transcribing Mr. Booth’s latest praise for Kent Alum Sean Durkin '00 (“very much an individual,” “great heart,” “loyal to the people he respected and cared about”), Booth suddenly stops mid-sentence. Next to him sits a New York Times article about education. As Booth holds up the article, he points to an ad in the corner of the paper in the shape of an ‘M’. The letter stands for Martha Marcy May Marlene, the title of Durkin’s directorial feature debut which earned him the Dramatic Directing Award at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. Upon accepting the award, Durkin first thanked his parents, a confirmation of the loyalty mentioned by both Mr. Booth and Mr. Robey when interviewed about Durkin’s success.
Durkin and Drew Innis, his close friend from Kent, played basketball and soccer together and still keep in touch. In contrast to their high school days though, their current similarities revolve not around sports, but the arts. Today Innis works as a director and photographer while Durkin operates as part of a three man team at the production company, Borderline Films. He and his two partners, Antonio Campos and Josh Mond, founded the company and work on most of their projects together, rotating responsibilities in production. Durkin has worked with his partners since they met at NYU, and has continued to maintain his high school friendship with Innis. To say that he is loyal seems to be an understatement.
However, Durkin is remembered not only for his allegiance, but also for his “unique character.” Ms. Lisa Brody, who taught Durkin in her architecture class, describes him as a student uncertain of his drawing skills, who went “the extra mile” anyway and ended up creating “ingenious” designs. Mr. Arthur Walters, Durkin’s varsity basketball coach, calls Sean “a serious kid” who “played with a very intense purpose” – “a winner in every sense.” Booth recalls Durkin as a kid with “a little bit of a healthy anti-establishment attitude” who “took great appreciation for the human mindset” – all of which probably fueled his “curiosity about the world around him.” Robey states that he “wasn’t particularly surprised” to find Durkin doing well “because he has a unique view of things" and “didn't always see things the same way everyone else saw them."
Durkin both wrote and directed Martha Marcy May Marlene in which Elizabeth Olsen stars as a woman who has escaped an abusive cult, but remains psychologically plagued even in safety.
