By John Wildman
AFI FEST Daily News Staff Writer

Jean-Pierre Caner (TANAREXIA)

“Some people have religion, I have the tanning salon.”

The opening quote of the lead character in Jean-Pierre Caner’s TANAREXIA could easily have led to a tongue-in-cheek treatment of the self-tanning culture. But Caner has a few other things on his mind, most notably the struggle we all face to come to terms with our own potential – both as we see it and as others see it. The accomplishment is that he doesn’t wield a sledgehammer to give us this insight into his protagonist’s battle with the seductive self-image gained by a golden tan. Instead, Caner low keys his journey all the way. His vision of a post drinking bender is having someone make a “snow angel” on their living room floor using beer cans instead of snow.

Where did the concept for this film come from?

TARAXEXIA
screens as part of SHORTS PROGRAM FOUR
9:50 p.m. Thursday, November 6 @ ArcLight 10
12:30 p.m. Friday, November 7 @ ArcLight 10
Jean-Pierre Caner will attend both screenings and participate in a Q&A afterward.

Being “tanarexic” had long been a joke of (lead actor) Andrew Kuykendall since we visited my family in Begur, Spain. Despite the many siesta hours we labored at “Sa Riera” (the local beach) Andrew was never tan enough. The joke quickly evolved into a character Andrew modeled off of the surfer clichés we’’d come to know having both spent several years living in Santa Barbara, CA. One summer afternoon I convinced Andrew to perform an improvisation of his character. It was a free flowing interview with “Johnny,” a tanning addict. While the absurdity of the character was entertaining, it wasn’t until we began to explore the disparity between Johnny’s life and his aspiration that the idea for TANAREXIA was born. His real life problems made him palatable as a character and made the concept of the film dynamic. After the improvisation I began writing the script.

If tanning were a religion, would using a tanning cream be like worshiping a false idol?
First, you would have to define tanning in the context of the religion. Is it simply altering your skin pigment to appear pleasurable to the eye or is it about the experience of lying down and feeling the sun against your body?

Do you think places like Sunset Tan are missing out by not advertising there are no rodents?
Oliver Stahl, my co-producer, came across a closed tanning salon and the owner of the space, Connie Marquez, was very supportive and let us shoot there. The lessees, who owned the tanning business, had left the space in complete disarray. When we first stepped inside the idea of lurking rats was very real although that feeling may have been attributable to the giant tanning beds that sat there without electricity like coffins.

I’m not too familiar with “Sunset Tan” but I think any tanning salon would benefit by advertising that they celebrate Billy Ocean’s entire catalogue. They should also advertise coconuts. The smell reminds of summer beach days, which makes me happy. I think we could all use a little more “happy” right now.

When you drink with the “man in the mirror”, does he buy? And is that “man” Michael Jackson?
Very good question. That particular phrase came to me when I was on a National Geographic shoot just outside of Vladivostok (East Russia). We were on a hunting lease and our Russian “actors” insisted that we take shots of vodka with them because drinking alone is “drinking with the man in the mirror.” I think it was the charm of their English accents that made the phrase stick in my head. I’m not sure if the man in the mirror buys but he/she always pays.

The “Man” isn’t Michael Jackson, although Michael Jackson was “The Man” when he was working with Quincy Jones (see “Off The Wall”/1979).

Have you ever made a “beer can” angel?
Sadly, in my college years I often found myself lying on the floor unable grip what had happen and turning to that safe memory of making snow angels. Sometimes it was after a hard night of drinking and other times it was after a David Ravetch accounting exam.

When Charize Theron showed up at the Oscars all aglow in orange, was that hot or not hot?
Several years back I saw a photo of Charize Theron in a tabloid. She was sun bathing on a boat and smoking pot out of an apple. The decision to use an apple made her appear earthy, clever, and…healthy? Maybe it’s the whole “Eve” thing but ever since then she’s always been hot, expect for that one time she was in MONSTER, which was an excellent AFI FEST Gala film.

What will happen in the feature-length sequel to TANAREXIA?
In the feature, Johnny will make his way across country toward a beach community discovering other walks of life along the way. When he eventually arrives at the beach he’ll find a parallel life waiting for him—the same type of apartment, the same type of roommate, the same type of job. He’ll lead his life just as before only now, after a long day of aimless work, he’ll schlep over to the beach just before sunset, scan the horizon, and take a breath of the ocean breeze as the sound of waves crashing engulf him. As he exhales a smile will come across his face.

While you can run away from where you live you can’t run away from who you are—the inherent challenges you face as you try to find your path. It’s the little moments of pleasure that make the journey bearable if not enjoyable…like Sunday morning breakfast with my wife.