Tabu Bartender Chosen to Show Short Film at Cannes

Fraser on the set of “Changed,” his senior project that will be shown at the Cannes Film Festival.

Philly filmmaker Jordan Fraser — who has likely slung you a vodka-cran or three at Tabu — is among a crop of 50 emerging auteurs nationwide who will be showing their short films at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in France.

The Texas-bred cameraman tells me he recently received his Bachelor of Science in digital filmmaking and video production at the Art Institute of Philadelphia. While studying he applied for an emerging filmmaker program through The American Pavilion, a program ran in conjunction with the Cannes Film Festival. He was accepted, earning him a trip to Cannes, but he was given the additional honor of being able to screen his senior project, Changed, in the Short Film Corner of the festival. He is one of only 50 filmmakers given the honor.

Changed was partially filmed at Tabu, and it stars straight actors Christopher Bennet and Seth Lineham, who are both playing gay roles for the first time. Here, Fraser explains what the film is about:

Blake and James have not had the easiest relationship. With many lies corrupting the past, they both doubt their future as a couple. James deletes a voicemail saying his father is in the hospital. Blake thinks James’ father is dead and hears the message. They begin fighting about the constant lies that take place in their relationship. Blake must convince James to see his ill father before its too late, but not too late to discover the real reason why he left James and his mother 20 years ago.

You can check out the full movie below, but your experience will pale in comparison to Fraser’s, who is in Cannes as I type, suited up in a tux, walking red carpets, and seeing major film premieres, like Nicole Kidman’s much-hyped Grace of Monaco. Le sigh. And yes, le congratulations.