Mar 4, 2008 2:07 PM

UCLA documentary filmmakers explore the mysteries of detective fiction-writing

Four acclaimed writers of detective fiction guide viewers through the fictional landscapes of their stories in a new documentary being screened on March 12, 7:30 p.m. in the James Bridges Theater in Melnitz Hall.

Filmmakers Pamela Beere Briggs and William McDonald talked with writers Nadia Gordon, Laurie R. King, Nina Revoyr and Kirk Russell — all of whom who make California a character in their work — in "Mysterious California: Four Authors." The result is an intimate exploration of universal themes: the love of land, the importance of personal and social history, the desire for truth and justice, the power of place to inspire story.

The filmmakers as well as the authors will be at the screening for a Q&A, followed by a reception.

Beere Briggs and McDonald, her husband and head of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television's (TFT) cinematography program, created the documentary as the centerpiece of an inventive "film and book club in a box," distributed free of charge to libraries by the non-profit California Center for the Book. The new film is a follow-up to their award-winning 2000 production "Women of Mystery," in which top crime novelists Sue Grafton, Sara Paretsky ands Marcia Muller were profiled.

Briggs and McDonald have worked as a team for 20 years, both as life partners and filmmaking collaborators. "Mysterious California" is the fourth film they have made together,

Briggs came up with the concept for the second "Mystery" film when she noticed how often she was recommending crime novels set in particular place to friends who were traveling. "The book captures the personality of a place," Briggs says, "while the detective is hard at work capturing the criminal."

Mary Menzel, director of the California Center for the Book, embraced Briggs’ concept for the new film and book discussion program, which focuses on novels that span a century of history and 500 miles of diverse landscape: Nina Revoyr's "Southland" (Los Angeles in the 1940-'90s); Kirk Russell's "Shell Games" (the Northern California coast); Laurie R. King's "The Art of Detection" (San Francisco in the early 20th century); and Nadia Gordon's "Sharp Shooter" (the Napa Valley wine country).

Beere Briggs, who directed “Mysterious California,” also wrote, directed and edited the award-winning short narrative film, "Out of the Rain," starring the nationally-recognized playwright/actor Anna Deveare Smith. McDonald, cinematographer for the film, has numerous credits on both documentary and dramatic films. Working with them as film editor and sound designer was Eric Marin, who has extensive experience in both feature and documentary editing and who teaches courses in picture editing and sound editing at TFT.

For more information on “Mysterious California," visit the website of the California Center for the Book.

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