"The Five Stages of Beer"

"The Five Stages of Beer," a locally made film airing at the second annual Park City Film Music Festival this week, includes music by locals CLA (Steve Foth, Sam Chammas, and Dennis Borlek), Mercedes Scalzitti of Roomful of Nipsey, the recently disbanded Dragons, and Melanie Peters (whose fictional band, the Funky Spunk, makes its only appearance in the movie).

Shot in town over nine days, the film includes the Liars' Club in Pacific Beach, the Park Manor Hotel in Hillcrest, the Live Wire in North Park, and Kearny Mesa's Boxing Club. Local microbrew Arrogant Bastard Ale also makes appearances. The film debuted September 2003 at the San Diego Film Festival.

The script, by local video producer Brian Mix ("distant cousin" of western star Tom Mix) and longtime San Diego Comic-Con principal Mark Yturralde, concerns "the romantic trials and tribulations of Dennis, a man trying to get back on his feet after his wife leaves him for a clown...literally!"

Mix, who graduated from Patrick Henry High School and SDSU, says, "The entire movie was self-funded for around $75,000. Most of the cash went to local actors because we had to use all-union guys...."

Last year the Park City Festival awarded The Five Stages of Beer a gold medal for "Excellence in the Most Creative Use of Music Style."