Casting About

Here's a side of the filmmaking process that even serious cinephiles—the type of fans who listen to DVD commentary tracks and read scripts and dissect directors' intentions—rarely get to see: casting. Indie filmmaker Barry J. Hershey set out in 2000 to interview performers for three different roles in a dramatic film, but instead decided that the resulting footage—of 180 actresses from auditions in Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, and Los Angeles—was fascinating on its own. And so Hershey shaped the material into this remarkably compelling look at these hopefuls' dreams and vulnerabilities. While Casting About offers an intriguing look at one specific challenge that faces filmmakers—how to choose among so many talented people—the film is even more absorbing as a meditation on the varied manifestations of beauty (both inner and outer), as well as the potent psychological forces of personality and drive. Recommended. [Note: DVD extras include deleted scenes, interviews, and audition monologues. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a winning doc.] (M. Johanson)