I saw "Feast of Stephen" over a year ago, at IFC Center, and find myself on this page because it still resonates in my memory...
I loved it! I felt the technical quality was very high; the directing choices were brave and original and felt intentional. I had a range of real feelings while I watched and the ending surprised and satisfied me. It's quite different from many shorts I've seen and I've seen plenty.
A wise person once told me that negative reviewers are writing about themselves more than they are writing about the movie. I would pay no attention to the negative reviews here.
I hope James Franco continues directing and I look forward to seeing more of his work! I hope this short gets released online soon so I can watch it again and share it with people.