Sisters share passion for filmmaking

Festival brings siblings back to Lowcountry

RUSSELL CARPENTER

Maria White Mebane and Vanessa White

Sisters Vanessa White and Maria White Mebane are not yet the distaff version of the Coen brothers, but they are auditioning for the part.

Raised in Summerville, the actress/filmmaker siblings today live two miles from each other in Hollywood. But they are back in town, delightedly, to present their respective short films at the inaugural Charleston International Film Festival. Having worked on projects independently of each other thus far, it's their hope to return home to shoot a feature-length movie in tandem.

"There are no female Coens in film. Why not us," said Vanessa, referring to the Oscar-winning writer-directors of "No Country for Old Men."

Vanessa co-wrote and stars in "Tangled Web," which screened Saturday. A horror-thriller directed by Todd Svoboda, the nine-minute short involves a lonely woman who seeks romance over the

Internet, only to discover just how perilous playing with strangers can be.

Today at 2:15 p.m. at the Terrace Theatre, Maria and filmmaker husband Matthew Mebane will present "Tackle Box," a drama based on a poem of the same name by Maria's aunt, University of Alabama English professor Patti White. Matthew Mebane wrote and directed the 10-minute film, about the enduring powers of love and redemption, with Maria serving as producer and star.

"We've screened 'Tackle Box' worldwide on the festival circuit," Maria said, "but it's exciting for my husband and I to come back here where we made the movie. It's great fun."

"And we were both so amazed that after more than 500 submissions the festival received, both our films got in," Vanessa said.

Vanessa and Maria are but half of a talented four-sister combine, though sister Tara and step-sister Stefani direct their creative energies in other realms.

"Our mom, who passed away when we were young, did graphic art and modeling," Vanessa said. "She always introduced us as the White sisters, believing we always did well as a team. And we're definitely a tight unit. Maria and I understand each others' strengths, and working together we know we can fill in the gaps for each other."

Both went to California with dreams of becoming actresses, Vanessa 10 years ago, Maria following not long thereafter. Developing their skills in other areas of filmmaking is an evolving passion.

Next up for Vanessa is work on a pair of screenplays, one a "dramedy" centering on a nursing home, the other "an 'Austin Powers'-like comedy," while the Mebane's next short form project will be to produce and direct an adaptation of the 1927 short story "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway.

"But Vanessa and I also are working on some other projects together, and hope to get something in theaters or on TV soon," Maria said. "We hope to come back here within the next year and make 'Lowcountry,' for which we're now developing a script, an autobiographical about growing up in the South."

Among other gigs, the sisters have moonlighted as body doubles, Vanessa for Angelina Jolie in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," Maria for Demi Moore in "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle."

"It was a good way to get a Screen Actors Guild card," Maria said.

A steppingstone only, but a foot in the door. Stay tuned.