It all started in 2023, around Christmas time. Senior Diego Kunke’s dream of directing a film began, and with the support of friends and castmates, Hills and Roots was created.
Hills and Roots is a short film that follows a New York journalist whose job is being threatened. He travels to Piedmont, California, and uncovers hidden truths about the town. Kunke said that Piedmont has a thick, interesting history that isn’t widely discussed, which motivated him to focus on the city and show its complex layers.
Senior Ilias Mueller Harley plays the descendant of Sidney Dearing in the film. “The film is catered to an audience that already knows Sidney Dearing’s name, but not quite the full story,” Mueller Harley said.
Kunke began the filmmaking process by writing down ideas in a journal and eventually advanced to scriptwriting using specialized software. In 2024, he organized his own film company, Northwest 17 Pictures, and reached out to the PHS acting department and his friends. From there, his ideas evolved into drafts that were peer-reviewed and edited into the final film.
Kunke said that working on a budget added a level of authenticity that is difficult to achieve. “At the end of the day, we are a bunch of high schoolers who are making a movie,” senior Ben Wakefield said.
Because no permits were required, most scenes were shot in public buildings or at cast members’ homes. “Filming a movie as high school students is very different from doing it professionally,” Kunke said.
Wakefield and Kunke said their favorite scene was filmed in Wakefield’s backyard, transformed into a formal party. “It was so funny to pretend that it was someone else’s party when it was my own house,” Wakefield said.
Mueller Harley said understanding his role and getting into character was challenging, but shooting group scenes made it easier. “Acting with other people is fun because you get to be a character with someone else who is in character,” he said.
Kunke said scriptwriting was difficult due to the short timeline. While shooting, he had a basic synopsis, but many scenes relied on improvisation. “When improvising, it makes it clear that you are putting words out there that are coming from your brain, which was a benefit of improv,” Wakefield said.
Originally, Kunke had hoped to release the film in 2024, but funding delays pushed the timeline. After filming, Kunke’s cousin Miles Palacios led the editing team, piecing together the final production. “The movie looks great and the quality is amazing, so I’m excited for the final product,” Mueller Harley said.
Hills and Roots will premiere at Park Way Theater on Thursday, December 11. Tickets will be available via a Google Form, and the film will be available for streaming on Diego Kunke’s YouTube channel on Thursday, December 18 at 7:30 pm.
