From the halls of Chestnut Hill Academy to the otherworldly realms of alien invasions, Christian Sarkis Graham is making waves in the indie film scene with his award-winning comedy, “Higher Grounds.” The 35-year-old Chestnut Hill native has produced a critically acclaimed short film that's as much about extraterrestrial antics as it is about humanity's response to climate change. 

Graham's latest effort with filmmaking partner Joe Kramer makes deft use of both humor and social commentary, and includes a cameo from 'Seinfeld' star John O'Hurley. The recipient of the Philadelphia Independent Media Finishing Fund grant from Scribe Video Center and the Wyncote Foundation, “Higher Grounds” was named a finalist for Best Comedy Series in the Austin Comedy Film Festival (2023), as well as for the Audience Award in the Raindance Film Festival satellite event (2022).

The film's Philadelphia premiere at the FirstGlance Film Festival in October 2023 clinched both the Audience Award and the award for Best Special Effects. The film also snagged Best Short Comedy at the Jersey Shore Film Festival and Best New Jersey Short at the Brightside Film Festival.

Shot on location in Philadelphia and produced in partnership with the Greater Philadelphia Film Office, "Higher Grounds" is an extraterrestrial science fiction comedy with a twist. The plot follows two aliens sent to Earth, specifically Philadelphia, to initiate the obliteration of the planet. Meanwhile, oblivious humans believe the duo is there to help cool Earth's rising temperatures. The film features a scene-stealing performance from O'Hurley (J. Peterman, catalogue company entrepreneur) as the eccentric alien commander.

But "Higher Grounds" isn't just about laughs. Graham and Kramer tackle urgent social themes such as humanity's lukewarm response to threats of climate change and tendency toward mob mania in times of unrest. They handle these issues with a cartoonish, Simpsons-like satire and visual style influenced by non-traditional filmmaker Wes Anderson.

Graham's journey to filmmaking began after his time at CHA. He majored in English and Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, following in the footsteps of a family of writers. 

"There is a fair amount of writers in my family," he said. "My great-grandmother was a novelist, my mother a journalist, and my brother is currently an editor and reporter at The Guardian, so it can often feel like the family trade."

It was during college that Graham found his passion for filmmaking.

“I became really excited by the idea of filmmaking as a collaborative meeting point between visual, musical and written arts," he explained. "So I started taking screenwriting and video production classes and enrolled in a six-week summer course at the New York Film Academy. That's been the general track ever since."

Cinema has always been a part of Graham's life. Holiday dinners in the Graham household historically included sessions of favorite movie lines, Hitchcock films were an informally prescribed diet, and one of Graham's favorite Christmas morning memories is his mother making breakfast to the "Layla" montage in "Goodfellas."

So it’s no surprise, then, that his childhood memories of Chestnut Hill are characteristically cinematic.

"Hiking through the Wissahickon, Christmas pageants and singing in the church choir at St. Paul's or St. Martin's, Little League seasons with the Chestnut Hill Fathers' Club, classes with the 'Animation Stewdio' up and down Germantown Avenue and scooping ice cream at Bredenbeck's – it's like a storybook upbringing,” he said. 

"Higher Grounds" is not Graham’s first foray into filmmaking. He has made a handful of short films over the years, though of much smaller scale. His portfolio also includes several music videos and a documentary with a Philadelphia band called Ill Doots, who contributed to the original score of "Higher Grounds."

Graham's filmmaking partner, Joe Kramer, a Fishtown resident, shares an equally passionate origin story. 

"My first professional aspiration was to be a Ghostbuster," Kramer confessed. "When I realized the lack of upward mobility in that, I shifted gears to comic book artist, and at around 12, I saw my first independent film and realized that I could tell stories like the ones I was drawing but with movement, music, and sound effects. I started shooting silly little films with friends after school, and I haven't stopped since."

Viewers of “Higher Grounds” who watched Seinfeld on TV will no doubt wonder how Graham and Kramer were able to persuade Seinfeld ensemble star O'Hurley to play the boss of the two alien leads.

"We needed a recognizable face to cameo in that part,” Kramer said. “It can't be overstated how tremendous an influence Seinfeld has been on mine and Christian's writing. Our lead actress, Kristen Vaganos, had worked with John in a commercial, and we got the film in front of John, thanks to her. He really liked it and said he'd like to be a part of it."

Graham added, "John was fantastic. He really got such a kick out of seeing himself as an extraterrestrial warlord. I like to think that we might have lent a hand in validating some kind of long-standing wish on his part."

With its mix of humor, social commentary, and star power, "Higher Grounds" has found a home on the Lunar42 Sci-Fi Channel.

“Higher Grounds” now runs regularly on the Lunar42 Sci-Fi Channel. Len Lear can be reached at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com