LYNCHBURG, Va. – D.K. Lawhorn spends most of his free time writing original screenplays, reading books about filmmaking, and watching his favorite films. He’s seen the movie Dirty Dancing more times than he cares to admit, but says each viewing is different from the next, with a new background detail or dialogue choice that he notices each time. Lawhorn says that part of the appeal of filmmaking comes from the small details that can add depth to a story.
“The real power that comes to film versus all these other art forms is you capture it and cement it,” said Lawhorn. “You can engage with the same exact thing every single time, but you still get something different out of it every time you engage with it.”
Lawhorn doesn’t have a filmmaking degree, but this hasn’t stopped him from becoming one of the most intriguing voices in the Lynchburg film scene. At just 28 years old, Lawhorn is set to be a special guest at this year’s Lynchburg Film Festival on Oct. 25, where he will showcase three of his short films and be part of his own audience Q&A session.
“Marvins Gardens,” “Life is But a Dream” and “Elsbeth” are the three short films that Lawhorn will screen at this year’s event, all of which he spent the last year making around Lynchburg.
Lawhorn began his artistic career on stage as an actor in high school, performing in his school’s theatre arts program. After graduating, he attended the University of Lynchburg and earned his bachelor’s degree in theatre in 2018. He then earned his master’s degree in creative writing from Randolph College in 2023. Lawhorn says that his experiences in writing and stage acting led him to become a filmmaker.
“I saw filmmaking kind of as a way to marry those two passions,” said Lawhorn, who had only written for the stage before his mentors encouraged him to write screenplays. “There’s something even better about filmmaking where you can keep trying it until you get it exactly right.”
After he wrote and directed his first scene, Lawhorn says that he was immediately hooked on filmmaking. He then spent the better part of the following year writing screenplays for some of the short films that will be screened at this year’s festival.
Lawhorn, who is an enrolled member of the Monacan Indian Nation, has explored his indigenous identity in a short story that he wrote titled “Mother Tongue” and hopes to adapt the story into a feature film someday. He says he wants to bring awareness to the mistreatment of Native Americans across North America, something that he believes is misrepresented and overlooked in film.
Lawhorn describes his filmmaking style as “surrealist” and “avant-garde,” citing late filmmaker David Lynch as one of his inspirations. Much like Lynch, Lawhorn views filmmaking as a collaborative effort, which he says has helped him build a rapport with his crews and produce quality work.
“Film is a very collaborative art because of the fact you can control so much of it,” Lawhorn noted. “To be able to make sure it works, you can’t always be inside your own head. What works and what makes sense for you might not make sense for everybody else.”
Lawhorn says he is excited for the opportunity to screen three of his short films this year and to speak to the audience about his passion for filmmaking. He says that the audience experience is always in the back of his mind when piecing together his films.
“I think part of the power of movies comes from the audience themselves; being able to experience it with an audience,” Lawhorn said. “You have it to where it’s this one time you’re watching it, and that one time you’re watching it will never be recreated.”
Looking ahead, Lawhorn hopes to produce more short films here in Lynchburg and eventually create his first feature film, which he admits will be a big financial challenge. But Lawhorn is hopeful that the success of the Lynchburg Film Festival will help local filmmakers like himself gain exposure in an industry that he says seldom recognizes its independent creators.
Lawhorn shared that after attending last year’s inaugural festival, where he screened his short film “Around the Bend,” he connected with many other filmmakers and was inspired by their work. This year, he is excited to see the other official selections, which will include 40 short films from local, national, and international filmmakers, as well as one feature film.
“I think that we are such a big jumbled mess of everything in our heads; it’s so nice to see and realize that you’re not alone in being a jumbled mess. It really is a way to make us not feel so alone,” Lawhorn said.
To learn more about D.K. Lawhorn and the Lynchburg Film Festival, check out thecritograph.com