Finders Keepers - True/False Film Fest

Finders Keepers

“Carolina Man Buys BBQ Grill, Finds Human Leg Inside.” What sounds like a tabloid headline provides a surprisingly transcendent look at celebrity, legal wranglings and modern media. Presented by Holder Susan Slusher Oxenhandler
Director: Bryan Carberry & J. Clay Tweel
Runtime: 1:22
In-person: co-director Bryan Carberry
Fest Year: 2015
At first glance, Finders Keepers could be considered a slim slice of cornpone. Yes, it is a classic, weird-ass freak show about two men locked in a pitched battle over one of their misplaced limbs. But these self-aware rednecks’ tussle becomes a more transcendent look at the nature of modern media through the use of reality TV tropes, the quest for fame and grace, and other elusive themes. Amputee John Wood and entrepreneur Shannon Whisnant are both authentic, immensely quotable Southern characters, who were made for the big and small screen. Whisnant even admits to rehearsing for this moment for his entire life. While it begins as a diverting human-interest story, its impact deepens over time. It’s the film’s meta-to-the-max orientation and surprisingly complex tragicomic characterizations that win the day. (PS) Presented by Holder Susan Slusher Oxenhandler.