Watch The Fig Garden
- 2007
- 1 hr 49 min
Jessica is currently at a metaphorical fork in the road. A college graduate whose first foray into the working world ended in her firing from a Fresno radio station. Now she's, at her husband's insistence, pursuing a documentary film on Ronald Simmons, an infamous Fresno serial killer, in an effort to break into journalism. While interviewing Simmons, Jessica starts to have two very opposite emotional reactions. She feels sorry for the self-described "lonely shut in", but is terrified of Simmons and the project she is trying accomplish. She begins to have visions of Simmons and conducts self-interviews to explain her feelings for Ronald and the subjects covered. Simmons professes his innocence, claiming he was `set up?' by Fresno authorities. During the interviews Simmons shares his rendition of what the authorities accused him of, and what he contends is the truth. In addition, he has conversations regarding his views on fate, religion, other serial killers, politics and government. While Jessica is doing this, she tries to get comfort from her husband, who is on a temporary duty away from home. The only thing that she gets from her husband is the feeling, which is later confirmed, that he is cheating on her once again. Her only releases are her friend Violeta, alcohol, and exercise. Finally, Jessica disappears and becomes a missing person, as Violeta finishes the documentary in her memory. On the date of her disappearance, Simmons dies due to a large tumor in his brain.