"George Washington" was directed by David Gordon Green and released in 2000. It was his debut feature film and was shot on a shoestring budget of $42,000. The film received critical acclaim and won several awards, including the New Voices/New Visions Award at the 2000 Chicago International Film Festival.
The film is set in a small town in North Carolina, and the main characters are a group of kids who spend their days hanging out and exploring the town. The film opens with a scene of one of the kids, George (Donald Holden), climbing a water tower and jumping off into a river below. The other kids watch in awe and admiration, as George is a natural leader and hero to them.
The group also includes Nasia (Candace Evanofski), who has a crush on George, her best friend Buddy (Curtis Cotton III), who is the group's clown and troublemaker, and Vernon (Damian Jewan Lee), who is quiet and artistic. The group spends their days exploring the town and dreaming of a better life beyond their small town.
One day, while playing in an abandoned amusement park, tragedy strikes when one of the kids, Buddy, is accidentally killed. The group is devastated and traumatized by the incident, and they struggle to cope with the weight of their guilt and grief.
The film is a poignant and dreamlike meditation on youth, love, and loss. It is beautifully shot, with a stunning visual style that captures the magic and mystery of childhood. The performances by the young actors are natural and heartfelt, and the film's themes of regret, forgiveness, and redemption resonate long after the credits roll.
