There are so many Star Wars fan films online that it takes something really special for the newer videos to break out of the pack. Earlier this month, director Stephen Vitale released a Star Wars short called Hoshino, and it’s easily one of the best fan films that we’ve seen.
Via Film School Rejects, Hoshino tells the story of the blind Jedi Master, Ko Hoshino (Anna Akana), as she builds a lightsaber while hiding out from Imperial forces. In flashback sequences, we see a much younger Hoshino as she receives instruction from her Jedi Master, Jaan-Xu (Tim McKernan). While there is some action in this short, it’s primarily driven by the story of how Hoshino became more connected to the Force and the high price she paid along the way. It’s a contemplative portrait of a young woman who nearly destroyed herself, but she clearly managed to overcome her personal tragedy. Vitale even manages to end the short at just the right moment to leave us wanting more.
It may not be entirely accurate to describe Hoshino as a fan film–a term that usually implies something made by folks who aren’t well-known in the entertainment industry–since it was written by Eric Carrasco, a screenwriter on the CW’s Supergirl;Â and Akana has a long list of credits that includes the Ant-Man movie. But whatever you want to call it, the film by Vitale demonstrates a lot of skill with his direction, and the special effects, the acting, the music, and the staging are very well done. To give fans a better idea about the work that went into this film, there’s also a short behind-the-scenes video.
What did you think about Hoshino? Use the Force, and leave a comment below!
Image:Â Stephen Vitale
