Take 5 with "Prayers for Peace"

As we gear up for the Oxford Film Festival 2011 to be held at the Malco Studio Theater on Feb. 10-13, 2011, we thought we might introduce you to some of the people behind the movies we can't wait to show you.

Meet Take 5 filmmaker, Dustin Grella, director and animator of "Prayers for Peace."
For the full schedule and description of the films, visit www.oxfordfilmfest.com.

Q. 1: In 140 characters or less, describe your movie and why someone should see it.

A: This is a personal account of how the war is affecting us at home, rarely seen on the nightly news
Q. 2: Biggest lesson learned in getting the film made? Best part in getting the film made?

A: I'm really glad I was able to create a narrative that worked. My previous animations were more abstract and you never really knew what was going on. I liked this one because I set down to tell a story and I feel like the story was communicated. That's all I'm really trying to do anyway is just trying to relate to other people on some level deeper than, "Hello, nice to meet you." I'm a social being, I want to understand and be understood.
Q. 3: Tell us about you. What is your movie making background?

A:  I started making short films in 2005. I had just driven my van from Medina, Ohio down to the Panama Canal and on the way back it was all I could think about. When I got home I started animating. I've been doing it since then. My first completed short was roughly based on the life of Willem de Kooning. It was very abstract and experimental.
Q. 4: What's your dream distribution plan for the film?

A: I would really just like people to see this film. I'm not planning on getting rich from it. But it would be nice if people heard the story.
Q. 5: What does the future hold in store for your film and for you?

A: I'm starting to work on animating the Popol Vuh. It's the Mayan creation story. I'd like to go down and work on it in Guatemala during 2012, so I would have the end of the world and the creation all in one little bundle.