Sundance Signals big things for Atlanta Actress

• Reviews: The Signal | Dark Remains 

Cheri Christian with Scott Poythress in a scene from 'The Signal.' (coutesy POPfilms)

However, not everyone is going to want to sit through this film. It's not for the squeamish. It's as audaciously visceral as any in the horror genre. Part of it can be attributed to the special effects mastery on display but most of it is sold on the intense performances of the excellent cast.

One of the most intense scenes involves Atlanta actress Cheri Christian. You'll have to see the film to know which scene I'm talking about, but it was one of the most affecting scenes I've seen in any film in quite a while.

Cheri is a veteran of the Atlanta independent film scene and has done good work in many a movie that has seen release, and several that have not. She's always turned in solid performances no matter what the results of the films as a whole. She's also a busy commercial and voice-over talent with over 30 commercials to her credit in 2006 alone.

She grew up in Athens and earned a degree in drama from the University of Georgia. Her roles in the recent films Dark Remains, My Christmas Soldier and The Signal show her versatility and point to the undoubtedly bright future that this actress has in front of her.

(image courtesy Cheri Christian)

CinemATL: How did you get involved with The Signal?

Cheri Christian: I actually went to The University of Georgia with most of the guys who make up POPfilms. Since we have all been working in Atlanta together for years and collaborating on projects, Jacob [Gentry] knew my work and asked me to audition for The Signal. I was just lucky enough to be what they were looking for at the time.

CinemATL: How was the Sundance experience for you?

CC: Sundance was an absolutely amazing experience. It was quite surreal actually to be amongst filmmakers I have admired my whole life. Being treated with such respect for something we all created out of our own blood, sweat, and tears definitely refueled my enthusiasm for independent film. Some of the highlights were meeting Sir Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Bacon, Christian Slater, and the amazing MC Hammer who told me I did a great job in the film. Pretty cool!

CinemATL: You've lived in the South and are from the South, but what keeps you here in the Southeast?

CC: Other than the South being the coolest part of the U.S., it is also my home. There is a quality of life here you can't get anywhere else. As long as I can do what I love here and make a decent living, I'm staying.

CinemATL: Have you tested the market elsewhere, like New York or LA?

CC: I have lived in LA and worked in NY. Yes, there is a lot going on in those markets but if everyone from the South continues to flood those markets, Atlanta will never grow into the entertainment giant it can be. In the last decade, more Southerners have committed themselves to building the region and it is obviously starting to pay off.

Cheri Christian attends the premiere party for 'The Signal' at Sundance. (photo: Charles Judson)

CC: Dark Remains is the creation of Brian and Laurence Avenet-Bradley of Avenet Images. It is a suspense thriller which follows my character as she deals with the murder of her child and moves to a haunted cabin in the mountains. Dark Remains has done very well on the film festival circuit and is now out on video. Dark Remains was my first lead in a feature and I can't thank Brian and Laurence enough for taking a chance on me. It was also made in Atlanta and throughout Georgia so please continue to support local independent film and check it out.

CinemATL: You've now been in quite a few horror films that have found their way to release, are you fearful of typecasting at all?

CC: I think being a Scream Queen is an honor. The horror fans are by far the most devoted and the most forgiving. They will always pick up your next film in spite of the last bad decision you may have made and encourage you to go on to bigger and better things. Also, I have balanced my resume with dramas and comedies to hopefully remind people I can do it all.

CinemATL: What has been your favorite role or favorite project in your career thus far?

CC: That is a really hard question. Having done Dark Remains and The Signal back-to-back has been my greatest experience so far. Although they were very different experiences, I was pushed as an actor farther than I have ever gone before - as well as treated with so much respect and kindness. To come out of those projects with such a wonderful feeling and have them both received so positively is definitely my highlight thus far.

CinemATL: Do you feel being based in the South is an advantage or disadvantage for an actor?

CC: Being based in the South as an actor is both an advantage and a disadvantage. Starting out in the industry Atlanta is an amazing market, it is much easier to get an agent and have someone take a chance on you. Also there is a lot of work here in the South, yes, it may be a lot of commercials, industrials and voice-over, but it is work. I have many talented friends in LA that don't work half as much as I do here. On the other hand, you are limited to the size of role you will be offered. When the big budget films come into the South they will only offer the smaller supporting roles to local actors and even some of those will go to LA talent. If you are looking to be a star and not just a working actor the South isn't for you.

Cheri is haunted in 'Dark Remains' (courtesy Avenet Images)

CC: I have wanted to be a performer since I was born. Shy, I was not. At three I told people I was going to be a stripper when I grew up. I thought a stripper was just a dancer. Why I thought that? You would have to ask my mom.

I would stop anyone in the grocery store to sing and dance for them. I didn't discover theatre until middle school but I was hooked. I turned down several volleyball scholarships to college because they wouldn't allow me to focus on my acting. Once out of college, I moved to Atlanta and after doing professional theatre for a few years I got talked into doing a crazy TV series called Witch Hunters Extraordinaire [written and directed by CinemATL's own Dave R. Watkins], where I played a lesbian goth witch, the rest is history.

CinemATL: Where do you see the filmmaking community in the Southeast, particularly in Atlanta in the next couple years? Do you think that the community is turning a corner with the recent successes?

CC: Atlanta's recent successes are well deserved and I believe just the tip of the iceberg. After years of hoping people would notice our amazing talent we finally got tired of waiting and decided to take control of our own destiny. The difference in Atlanta's recent success and previous success is the people it is happening to. Out of the last three films I have done in the South which have garnered some notice, the directors and producers have had to move to LA to stay in the loop.

However, all of these filmmakers are only gaining the connections and money they need to bring their next feature back to Atlanta. All of the upcoming films will have LA money behind them but Southerners leading the way. Their loyalty will make the difference.

• Reviews: The Signal | Dark Remains

Martin Kelley is Editor-in-Chief of CinemATL.com. He's also a local screenwriter and filmmaker who co-founded the Atlanta Screenwriters Group, one of the largest screenwriting organizations in the Southeast.