CARMEN was Alexander Payne’s first short film, made while he was studying at UCLA Film School. It is a silent comedy, derived from the opera of the same name. In the film a mentally challenged gas station attendant is put in charge of the store, which leads to love and a tragic-comic end. With his films ELECTION, ABOUT SCHMIDT and SIDEWAYS Payne has since become known for his auteur distinctiveness - amplifying the disappointment and regret lurking within the can-do civic culture of middle America, while acknowledging the sweetness and innocence that’s still there.
