COFFEE AND A DONUT is a heartwarming story.
This Award Winning short film – Written, Directed, Produced and Edited by Cary Patrick Martin – opens up with fabulous vintage music and witty credits that give this film a 50’s feel – with personality and flavor.
The diner matches the feel of the opening. Attention to detail in set design is priceless. The exit sign by the door, the old phone booths and the slip hanging over the door’s window, adds wonderful character to this story and gives a rich texture to the film.
Beautiful Cinematography by Shawn Schaffer, including a fabulous opening shot across the diner’s counter. A wonderful cast that includes a hardworking waitress, portrayed by Deirdre MacNamara – who has a Susan Sarandon feel. Every day is the same grind for this waitress – so when a new customer comes in who is very different – she is oblivious.
Enter Pablo, played with beautiful sensitivity by Memo. Pablo is a young immigrant, new to the United States, who speaks no English. When he first comes into the diner we see an almost childlike boy waiting for direction. We then realize he can’t read the menu or speak it to order. The customer next to him orders “coffee and a donut” so Pablo repeats that order – over and over again. Each time he comes into the diner he yearns for the other delicious dishes he sees – but is unable to communicate his wants other than “coffee and a donut”. When he attempts to try, his insecurities take over and he goes back to the safety of the only words he knows.
Until Camila (Rocio Mendez), an assertive female customer, enters and places her order. She being Latina-American takes him under her wing to teach him English and opens up a new world for him with language, friendship and patience.
The vulnerability expressed through Pablo is beautiful to see and teaches us how one can feel so isolated and alone among others. This film shows us that it only takes one person to reach out – to make you feel like you can fly.