:South of 8

{{Infobox film

| name = South of 8

| image = South of 8.jpeg

| alt =

| caption = Poster

| director = Tony Olmos

| producer = {{Plainlist|

Ryan Binse
Jeanette Di Pinza
George Jac
Tony Olmos
Luke Anthony Pensabene

}}

| writer = Tony Olmos

| starring = {{Plainlist|

}}

| music = Sergio Corona

| cinematography = Tony Olmos

| editing = Tony Olmos

| studio = Rosewood Five

| distributor = MultiVisionnaire Pictures

| released = {{film date|2016|09|26|Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival|2019|07|30|VOD}}

| runtime = 91 minutes

| country = United States

| language = English

| budget = $9,000

}}

South of 8 is a 2016 American crime drama heist film written and directed by Tony Olmos in his directorial debut. The film stars Brian Patrick Butler, George Jac, Jennifer Paredes, Kathryn Schott, and Raye Richards.

The story is centered around a young group of criminals in San Diego knocking off banks in the dystopian future. It was made with a guerrilla filmmaking approach and premiered at the Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival in 2016 where it won Best Dramatic Screenplay.

Plot

San Diego in the 2040s has unemployment and crime at an all time high. Government surveillance, mass poverty and drought has decimated much of the population. Economic divide has caused society to be on the brink of another Great Depression in the United States.

Victor Vasquez (George Jac) is released from prison and subsequently forms a group called "The Vanishers" with Ryan Bertrand (Brian Patrick Butler) and Lori Randolph (Kathryn Schott). In disguise, Bertrand is a bank robber, Vasquez is the getaway driver and Randolph is a hacker who disrupts surveillance drones scouting the area. After conducting several heists, the group lays low for a while. Vasquez meets Emma (Jennifer Paredes) who wants him to leave the life of crime, but "The Vanishers" are in too deep with Lt. Armando Harris (Shane P. Allen), a detective closing in on them.

After a case of mistaken identity, Bertrand hires a mercenary named Benji (Luke Pensabene) and a thief named Lola 5 (Raye Richards), the last surviving member of a group of women vigilantes known as "The Lolas." They take on more banks, and come across Johannes Koppel (Michael C. Burgess), a diamond merchant who seeks to exact revenge on the group. The group retreats to a safe house with Emma.

Cast

Brian Patrick Butler as Ryan Bertrand
George Jac as Victor Vasquez
Jennifer Paredes as Emma
Kathryn Schott as Lori Randolph
Raye Richards as Lola 5
Luke Anthony Pensabene as Benji
Shane P. Allen as Lt. Armando Harris
Michael C. Burgess as Johannes Koppel

Production

File:Tony Olmos at "South of 8" premiere for DTLA.jpg]]

Originally intended to be a short film, Tony Olmos said the idea of the story was if past gangsters had existed in the future.{{Cite web |last=Mackin-Solomon |first=Ashley |date=2024-01-14 |title='Good type of cringey': La Jolla filmmaker to screen latest creation at Oceanside International Film Festival |url=https://www.lajollalight.com/personalities/story/2024-01-14/good-kind-of-cringy-la-jolla-filmmaker-to-screen-latest-creation-at-oceanside-international-film-festival |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240114163056/https://lajollalight.com/personalities/story/2024-01-14/good-kind-of-cringy-la-jolla-filmmaker-to-screen-latest-creation-at-oceanside-international-film-festival |archive-date=2024-01-14 |access-date=2024-01-14 |website=La Jolla Light |language=en-US}} Principal photography occurred in San Diego County, including Ramona{{Cite web |last=Elling |first=Regina |date=2023-11-16 |title=Filming of indie thriller 'Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea,' in Ramona was a family affair |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/ramona-sentinel/news/story/2023-11-16/ramona-home-serves-as-location-for-indie-horror-movie |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=Ramona Sentinel |language=en-US}} and downtown,{{Cite web |last=Sklar |first=Debbie L. |date=2025-04-04 |title='Attack of the Killer Tomatoes!' and 9 other off-the-wall movies filmed in San Diego |url=https://timesofsandiego.com/arts/2025/04/04/attack-of-the-killer-tomatoes-and-9-other-off-the-wall-movies-filmed-in-san-diego/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250405081551/https://timesofsandiego.com/arts/2025/04/04/attack-of-the-killer-tomatoes-and-9-other-off-the-wall-movies-filmed-in-san-diego/ |archive-date=2025-04-05 |access-date=2025-04-05 |website=Times of San Diego |language=en-US}} with a local cast and crew and a $9,000 budget.

During an interview with IntelleXual Entertainment, Jac said it was a guerrilla film because the schedule of filming had to be spread out over a year. Butler stated Olmos was inspired by spaghetti westerns and compared the style of filmmaking to El Mariachi and Reservoir Dogs.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTcdh_bggI8 |title=Our Barrio Premiere Night - San Diego Filmmakers Highlight - IX 0104 |date=2016-11-09 |last=Dawson |first=David S. |type=Video |others=Our Barrio premiere hosted by Ryan Casselman and Yvette Angulo |place=Museum of Photographic Arts |minutes=36:05 |access-date=2024-08-01 |via=YouTube}}

Olmos said he obtained injuries to his hand and foot during production that required him to be in a wheelchair throughout completion.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-07-22 |title=Meet Tony Olmos |url=https://canvasrebel.com/meet-tony-olmos/ |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=CanvasRebel Magazine |language=en-US}} Filming and editing was finalized in a span of 18 months{{Cite web |date=2016-10-10 |title=San Diego "South of 8" filmmakers make a feature film with (almost) no budget {{!}} FM 94.9 |url=http://www.fm949sd.com/blogs/san-diego-south-8-filmmakers-make-feature-film-almost-no-budget |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010211614/http://www.fm949sd.com/blogs/san-diego-south-8-filmmakers-make-feature-film-almost-no-budget |archive-date=2016-10-10 |access-date=2024-01-07 |publisher=KBZT}} and the film is Olmos' directorial debut.{{Cite web |last=III |first=Lee B. Golden |date=2015-10-29 |title=Watch The New Trailer For Tony Olmos's Grim Crime Pic, SOUTH OF 8 |url=https://filmcombatsyndicate.com/watch-new-trailer-for-tony-olmos-gri/ |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=Film Combat Syndicate |language=en-US}}

Ryan Binse, George Jac and Luke Pensabene produced the film{{Cite web |title=Ryan Binse - AFI |url=https://watch.afi.com/talent/ryan-binse-359879 |access-date=2024-01-07 |publisher=AFI Conservatory |language=en}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2020-07-20 |title=Meet George Jac of Rising Tides Creative in Downtown |url=https://sdvoyager.com/interview/meet-george-jac-rising-tides-creative-downtown-san-diego/ |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=SDVoyager |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2020-08-06 |title=Meet Brian Patrick Butler of Charybdis Pictures in Van Nuys |url=https://voyagela.com/interview/meet-brian-patrick-butler-charybdis-pictures-van-nuys/ |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=Voyage LA |language=en-US}} and Sergio Corona composed the score with Olmos. Musical artists that contributed to the soundtrack include Freedom Fries, Mother Mary Mood, Somerset Barnard and Spero.

Release

File:"South of 8" cast at Digital Gym Cinema.jpg

South of 8 premiered on September 26, 2016 at the Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival{{cite web| url=http://www.dtlaff.com/2016-dtla-film-festival-announces-feature-films-and-special-series/ | title = 2016 DTLA Film Festival Announces Feature Films and Special Series| date = 12 September 2016| publisher=DTLA Film Festival}} and later screened at San Diego Film Week before being distributed by MultiVisionnaire Pictures.{{Cite web |title=South of 8 |url=https://www.thefilmcatalogue.com/films/south-of-8 |access-date=2023-12-15 |website=The Film Catalogue |language=en}} It was released on video on demand on July 30, 2019.{{Cite web |title=South of 8 |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/south_of_8 |access-date=2024-08-02 |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes |language=en}}

Reception

=Critical response=

Emilie Black of Cinema Crazed said the film has potential citing "the story, directing, acting, and music are good" but also noted it had "framing, lighting, and focus issues".{{cite web |last=Black |first=Emilie |date=2017-02-17 |title=South of 8 (2016) [San Diego Film Week 2017] |url=http://cinema-crazed.com/blog/2017/02/17/south-of-8-2016-san-diego-film-week-2017/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421070435/https://www.cinema-crazed.com/blog/2017/02/17/south-of-8-2016-san-diego-film-week-2017/ |archive-date=2017-04-21 |access-date=2024-01-07 |work=Cinema Crazed}} Jodi Cilley said that "South of 8 is a fantastic example of what can be produced in San Diego." Meeta Borah at Sportskeeda said it is an "action-packed dystopian movie like Badland Hunters."{{Cite web |last=Borah |first=Meeta |date=2024-01-22 |title=6 action-packed dystopian movies like Badland Hunters |url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/6-action-packed-dystopian-movies-like-badland-hunters |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240122133219/https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/6-action-packed-dystopian-movies-like-badland-hunters |archive-date=2024-01-22 |access-date=2024-01-24 |website=Sportskeeda |language=en-us}}

South of 8 ranks #3 on Times of San Diego's 10 off-the-wall movies filmed in San Diego.

=Accolades=

class="wikitable"
Festival !Year ! Award ! Recipient ! Result ! Ref.
rowspan="1" \|Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival \|2016 \|Best Dramatic Screenplay \|Tony Olmos \|{{won}} \|{{cite web \|date=29 September 2016 \|title=DTLA Film Festival Announces 2016 Awards \|url=http://www.dtlaff.com/dtla-film-festival-announces-2016-awards/ \|url-status=live \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010211433/https://dtlaff.com/dtla-film-festival-announces-2016-awards/ \|archive-date=2016-10-10 \|publisher=Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival}}
rowspan="2" \|San Diego Film Awards \|2016 \|Best Trailer \|Tony Olmos \|{{won}} \|{{webarchive \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407135448/http://filmconsortiumsd.com/2016-san-diego-film-awards-official-winners-announcement.html \|date=April 7, 2016 \|title=2016 San Diego Film Awards- Official Winners!}}
2017 \|Best Narrative Feature Film \|South of 8 \|{{nom}} \|{{webarchive \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114142032/http://sdfilmweek.com/2017/2017/2017-san-diego-film-awards-nominations/ \|date=November 14, 2018 \|title=2017 San Diego Film Awards Nominations}}
rowspan="1" \|San Diego Film Week \|2017 \|Best Horror/SciFi/Thriller Feature \|South of 8 \|{{won}} \|{{webarchive \|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816125900/http://sdfilmweek.com/2017/2017/sd-film-week-award-winners-juried-awards/ \|date=August 16, 2018 \|title=SD Film Week Award Winners- Juried Awards}}

class="wikitable"

Festival

!Year

! Award

! Recipient

! Result

! Ref.

rowspan="1" |Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival

|2016

|Best Dramatic Screenplay

|Tony Olmos

|{{won}}

|{{cite web |date=29 September 2016 |title=DTLA Film Festival Announces 2016 Awards |url=http://www.dtlaff.com/dtla-film-festival-announces-2016-awards/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161010211433/https://dtlaff.com/dtla-film-festival-announces-2016-awards/ |archive-date=2016-10-10 |publisher=Downtown Los Angeles Film Festival}}

rowspan="2" |San Diego Film Awards

|2016

|Best Trailer

|Tony Olmos

|{{won}}

|{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407135448/http://filmconsortiumsd.com/2016-san-diego-film-awards-official-winners-announcement.html |date=April 7, 2016 |title=2016 San Diego Film Awards- Official Winners!}}

2017

|Best Narrative Feature Film

|South of 8

|{{nom}}

|{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114142032/http://sdfilmweek.com/2017/2017/2017-san-diego-film-awards-nominations/ |date=November 14, 2018 |title=2017 San Diego Film Awards Nominations}}

rowspan="1" |San Diego Film Week

|2017

|Best Horror/SciFi/Thriller Feature

|South of 8

|{{won}}

|{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816125900/http://sdfilmweek.com/2017/2017/sd-film-week-award-winners-juried-awards/ |date=August 16, 2018 |title=SD Film Week Award Winners- Juried Awards}}

Crossover

Olmos expanded this universe in his follow up film; the comedy horror Continuance premiered at Shockfest on December 10, 2021.{{cite web|last=Halen|first=Adrian|url=https://horrornews.net/170898/tony-olmos-slasher-continuance-world-premieres-at-shockfest-on-dec-10th/ | title = Tony Olmos Slasher 'Continuance' World Premieres at Shockfest on Dec 10th | publisher=Horror News Net|date=13 December 2021}}