KC movie star shot his own film in his hometown. Here’s your chance to see it

David Dastmalchian has found success in Hollywood co-starring in the “Ant-Man” movies, “Blade Runner” and TV’s “Twin Peaks.” But when he decided to create his own independent film, the Shawnee Mission South alum came home.

Dastmalchian wrote and stars in the indie drama “All Creatures Here Below,” which was filmed around Kansas City in 2016. Now local audiences finally have a chance to see it.

It will have its Midwest premiere at 6:45 p.m. Friday, April 12, as part of KC FilmFest International 2019 at the Cinemark Palace at the Plaza. Dastmalchian and director Collin Schiffli will be on hand for a Q&A after the show, moderated by freelance writer Jon Niccum, who has written several stories about Dastmalchian for The Star. And before the movie, Dastmalchian will be presented with the festival’s Independent Award. (See kcfilmfest.org for tickets.)

“All Creatures Here Below,” which co-stars Karen Gillan (“Guardians of the Galaxy” and TV’s “Doctor Who”), could be called “a road movie, an outlaw couple movie or just a love story,” Dastmalchian told The Star on a break from filming in 2016. They play Gensan and Ruby, a couple struggling with poverty, which only gets worse when Gensan loses his job. He finally resorts to breaking the law, sending them on the run to their native Kansas City.

Dastmalchian continues to show his love for his KC roots. Emblazoned on his right shoulder is a tattoo of the Kansas City Royals’ crown logo.

“It wasn’t just because I love the Royals,” he told The Star in 2016. “I knew my character was from KC, and I wanted him to have a KC-centric tattoo. I honestly did it more for the movie.”

Dastmalchian is also a regular guest at the annual Big Slick Celebrity Weekend fundraiser, scheduled this year for June 7-8. In fact, one of his “All Creatures” co-stars is Big Slick host David Koechner, who grew up nearby in Tipton, Missouri.

KC FilmFest runs April 10-14 at the Cinemark Palace.

This story was originally published April 9, 2019 at 1:06 PM with the headline "KC movie star shot his own film in his hometown. Here’s your chance to see it."