34 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JUNE 1-7, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com FACE TO FACE When James Patrick Dillon moved—from New York and Florida via Vermont— to Carmel in 2022, he was full of doubt. His anxiety was stirred by one of the most ambitious projects of his life, even though he was no stranger to big efforts—in 2017, Dillon published a novel, The Stranger in Central Park. Shortly after the move, Dillon and his wife, Julia, ventured to the farmers market in Carmel. “We wanted to get a crepe,” Dillon explains. “And there I saw a quote from Austrian psychologist Viktor Frankl on the side of the cart. It was a beautiful serendipity. One of many.” The crepe cart belonged to Ehab Ali, now the owner of The Creperie Cafe where on Thursday, June 1, a special event takes place featuring a conversation with Dillon. More on that in a moment. Five months after the farmers market encounter, Dillon completed a script titled Viktor - 119104 based on the life of the writer and thinker who died in 1997. The Library of Congress lists Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning as one of the 10 most influential books in the U.S. Frankl formulated logotherapy, a form of therapy through finding meaning in one’s life. Frankl’s biography is as important as his work. He lost all his loved ones in the Holocaust and was himself a Nazi camp survivor. Those are the years explored in Viktor - 119104. The script has won nine screenwriting contests so far, including the Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards. We may see the story on the big screen one day. For now, you can meet Dillon as he sits down for a public conversation about his work at The Press Club. Weekly: Tell us about your life before Viktor? Dillon: Born in Brooklyn, I didn’t have a very stable childhood. I was raised by a single mom, and went to 17 different schools. I wrote my first book when I was 5 years old. But I was accepted to Columbia University for a writing program. Since then, I have published a dozen short stories, a novel, and got into screenplays. How did you encounter Frankl? I was a voracious reader and this is one of most-read books in the world. A lot of writers capitalized on that title, Man’s Search for Meaning. It was selling like hot cakes, because people are really searching for meaning. I guess I was too. How old were you? Thirteen. Since then, I have read it more times than I can count. I had the idea of the script at least 15 years ago, when I emailed Frankl’s second wife, who is still alive, to get her blessing. Then I spent a better part of the decade digging up information about the history of that period. Frankl allowed a visa to the U.S. expire, deciding to live in pre-World War II Vienna. Yes. Not only that, logotherapy took off in the U.S. first. He became successful in America first. Speaking of serendipities, Frankl was ready to leave for Australia in the ’50s. He was ready to give up, not getting recognition. And then someone passed a message from a rabbi from Brooklyn who said: “Don’t give up. This is going to work.” He changed the title of the book, and at the same time existential philosophy took off. The script is written. What happens next? Screenplaying is one of those enigmatic professions. I had an agent for fiction and nonfiction, but didn’t have an agent for screenwriting. We still have to decide if we want to produce it ourselves. That’s one option and we are working on something in Atlanta. We will continue this conversation over coffee at The Creperie Cafe on Thursday, June 1. I have millions of questions about the script, such as: Is Viktor - 119104 mainly a love story? Or why do we need another World War II love story in the first place? For those who can’t come, why do you think Frankl was and is so special to so many people? He shows people that it’s ultimately up to them how they feel. One can’t be assigned what to feel. It’s a big freedom—more than some people can handle. Frankl explains that with a great sense of humanity. He is also forthcoming about his own flaws, in this and other books—he wrote other books people don’t read anymore. He was a real person. Mic’d Up at The Press Club: Screenwriter James Patrick Dillon speaks about Viktor Frankl and the script Viktor - 119104 at 12:30-1:30pm Thursday, June 1. The Creperie Café @ The Press Club, 1123 Fremont Blvd., Seaside. Free. 394-5656, mcweekly.com. Frankl Speaking James Patrick Dillon moved to Carmel to finalize his award-winning script about Viktor Frankl. By Agata Pop˛eda Screenwriter James Patrick Dillon’s latest script is about Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl and a brief period of his life, including World War II. DANIEL DREIFUSS 831.200.9700 • www.gocatrescue.org AD SPONSORS SAVE LIVES! Sponsors are needed for our ads in the Monterey County Weekly. Sponsorships start at $100. Ads help foster cats find their purr-fect forever families. And when a cat gets adopted, it frees a foster home so we can help another cat in need! We welcome individuals, groups and businesses as sponsors. Ads can even be in honor of a beloved pet, family member or friend–or in memory of a pet or person who has passed away. Call us at 831-200-9700 or email goldenoldiescats@gmail.com to find out more. If you would like to sponsor our next ad, please contact us! Marilyn Want to meet Marilyn? Please fill out our online adoption questionnaire. Things to love: 10 years old - 12 pounds - female - Miniature Poodle Marilyn loves gentle pets and having someone nearby. She’s really longing for affection and will rub her head against your legs or any other body part she can get a hold off to secure more love. This girly is looking for a cuddle-ready forever home! 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