SXSW 2023 documentary review: Dan Covert paints a picture of art and artist in ‘GEOFF MCFETRIDGE: DRAWING A LIFE’

GEOFF MCFETRIDGE: DRAWING A LIFE

The mind of an artist is a splendid thing. SXSW 2023 doc GEOFF MCFETRIDGE: DRAWING A LIFE delves into the wondrous mind of a nurtured creative. Director Dan Covert puts a face and a name to the work we’ve seen for years. Meet Geoff McFetridge, graphic designer, visual artist, and family man.

Geoff’s animated drawings curiously play over his voice. Combined with the equally infectious score, you are instantly charmed. Talking heads of fellow artists, filmmakers (friends Sofia Coppola and Spike Jonze), writers, photographers, and every creative in between share their admiration of Geoff’s mind. As a child seeking identity, Geoff used drawing as an outlet. It helped him to explore his inner turmoil. Poems describe childhood moments with effortless glee. These are yet another form of communication.

“Running on ambition.” Geoff is obsessed with his process, his created color palette, and the perception of his work. Balancing his passion and his family only works because of his wife, Sarah Devincentis. She pulls him out of his angst. He 100% credits her for their work-life harmony.

Geoff uses the most minimal lines possible, and still, his work expresses life’s mundane snapshots in wildly profound ways. They are spellbinding pieces. There is something in his repertoire for every human. Geoff’s is a hot commodity in the corporate world, from Nike, Oreo, Apple, and everyone in between. Geoff is that artist you know, but you don’t know you know. Ya know? Thanks to Dan Covert, now the whole world will.


Film Screenings

 
 

Credits

Director:

Dan Covert

Executive Producer:

Spike Jonze, Andre Andreev, Amanda Adelson

Producer:

Dan Covert

Screenwriter:

Erik Auli, Dan Covert, Amy Dempsey, Tara Rose Stromberg

Cinematographer:

Claudio Rietti, Daniel Vecchione

Editor:

Erik Auli, Dan Covert

Sound Designer:

YouTooCanWoo

Music:

YouTooCanWoo: David Perlick Molinari, Derek Muro

Principal Cast:

Geoff McFetridge, Spike Jonze, Sofia Coppola, Sarah DeVincentis, Andrew Paynter, Bill Powers, Liv Siddall, Atiba Jefferson, Jesper Elg, Andy Spade

Additional Credits:

Co-Producers: Erik Auli, Amy Dempsey, Tara Rose Stromberg, Still Photography: Andrew Paynter, Camera Operators: Tucker Phillips, Andre Andreev, Andrew Trost, Sean Mattison, Connor Lawson, Adam McDaid, Herbie Wei, Sound Mixing: Matteo Liberatore, Ben Adams, Kelly Wright, Kevin Crawford, Cel Animation: Hao Li, Additional Animation: Colin Hess, Archival Researcher: Richard Kroll

SXSW 2023 documentary review: ‘ART FOR EVERYBODY’ reveals the darkness inside the painter of light.

Art For Everybody

The brand vs. the man. In the 90s, looking at a Thomas Kinkade painting felt like peering into a storybook. But Miranda Yousef‘s SXSW 2023 doc ART FOR EVERYBODY shows audiences that the self-appointed “Painter of Light” was, in truth, filled with darkness the public never saw. Could a dream lead to the discovery of his entire body of work? Prepare for your shining vision of the world’s most marketable artist to change color. His family, friends, fans, and critics speak about the man they knew.

You could not escape Kinkade work in the 90s. There were calendars, postcards, commemorative plates, and entirely dedicated galleries in the mall of idyllic cottages. As an English lit nerd, I remember being enamored by his paintings. So much so that I almost dropped $600 on a piece in my early 20s. I did not have that kind of money to spend on art back then.

Critics hated him. Kinkade didn’t align with the idea of what real art is, so he took it as a business opportunity to lean into a facade of marketable Christianity. The ego is the most cringeworthy part of the story. Outtakes from the numerous video archives are increasingly abrasive and eye-roll-inducing. Then the spiraling behavior. The film reveals a more nuanced side to the man. Original audio from Thom at age 16 echoes behind photographs from his youth should have tipped us off from the beginning. Once his daughters open his vault, the real Kinkade spills into reality. His family drops the forced filter they used to keep up in front of the cameras. Thomas Kinkade becomes a shattered image.

It’s a conversation about how art affects your soul, the nuance of the industry, and how creativity can be an outlet for trauma. ART FOR EVERYBODY is a complex portrait of how we bought a fake.


 

Film Screenings

Mar 13, 2023
5:45pm7:23pm
 
Mar 15, 2023
8:45pm10:23pm
 
Mar 16, 2023
12:30pm2:08pm
 
Mar 16, 2023
1:00pm2:38pm
 

Credits

Director:

Miranda Yousef

Producer:

Morgan Neville, Tim Rummel

Cinematographer:

Tasha Van Zandt

Editor:

Miranda Yousef, ACE

SXSW 2023 documentary review: ‘PLAN C’ features the saving grace of abortion access.

PLAN C

*This review originally appeared on AWFJ.org*

The modern-day version of The Janes are revolutionaries protecting people who seek abortion access in SXSW 2023 documentary PLAN C. Elisa Wells and Francine Coeytaux are co-founders and the creator of the organization Plan C. “They are not providers. They share information.” They and their team of doctors and regular women across the globe do everything they can to provide the healthcare that is being stripped away by the minute.

The film begins in 2019 and progresses into 2023. As the laws change and public tensions rise, tactics must shift in kind. In-person meetings turn into zoom calls. When the 6-week abortion ban took effect in Texas on September 1st, 2021, Francine got extra creative, making QR code stickers that led to the site and paying for a brightly lit digital advertisement truck. Private mailboxes across state lines became a lifetime. Accessing the abortion pill once again becomes a clandestine operation. Plan C is careful to protect its volunteers and those they serve. It is all hands on deck, lawyers on call, with states battling between righteous morality and freedom.

Some women hide their faces for safety. Frankly, I don’t blame them. The hysteria from the right has become a full-blown Handmaid’s Tale situation. The film features audio from users of Plan C. Each woman explained her intensely personal motives. The stigma attached to abortion can be soul-destroying. Family planning and body autonomy should not be an issue! PLAN C is more important than ever. It is required viewing for champions of basic human rights. You’ll never stop abortions, no matter what laws you pass. Pre-Roe came “The Janes.” Post-Roe, Francine, Eisa, and innumerable women take up their mantle. SXSW 2023 audiences get a peek behind the curtain of the women fighting the good fight, the ones you won’t regularly see in the spotlight.


Film Screenings

Mar 12, 2023
11:00am12:39pm
 
Mar 14, 2023
5:45pm7:24pm
 
Mar 18, 2023
3:00pm4:39pm
 

Credits

Director:

Tracy Droz Tragos

Executive Producer:

Jess Jacobs, Dr. Holly Corn & Jonathan Kaufelt, Kopcho Reproductive Justice Fund, Margaret Munzer Loeb, Kathryn Everett, Bryn Mooser, Tracy Droz Tragos

Producer:

Tracy Droz Tragos

Cinematographer:

Emily Topper and Derek Howard

Editor:

Meredith Perry

Music:

Nathan Halpern

Additional Credits:

Impact Producer: Jess Jacobs

SXSW 2023 documentary review: ‘SATAN WANTS YOU’ will fire you up.

SATAN WANTS YOU

Dollars and the Devil. SATAN WANTS YOU at SXSW 2023 is more relevant than most of us would like it to be. In 1976, Dr. Lawrence Pazder and Michelle Smith had an unusual doctor/patient relationship. Under hypnosis, Michelle describes dreams as Pazder records and interprets for her. These sessions became a bestselling book, ‘Michelle Remembers, and the beginning of what we know as ‘Satanic Panic.” The monetization of fear is a powerful little devil on your shoulder.

The film utilizes many media forms, from the infamous session tapes, photographs, archival footage, sit-down interviews, and clips from television appearances in the 80s. In interviews with Michelle’s sister, Charyl describes a violent childhood at the hands of an alcoholic and abusive father. But if you believe Pazder and the Catholic Church, there were an awful lot of Baby-stealing Satanists out there stalking hospitals and daycares. 

Michelle describes her recollections like scenes straight out of Rosemary’s Baby. The sheer absurdity of Michelle’s claims made me shake my head and roll my eyes. Dr. Pazder gives off quack vibes from the beginning. If you believe Larry’s family, Michelle may have been the driving force in this unusual relationship. Enough so that Marylin Pazder filed for divorce. These two were glued to one another, making money and collecting groupies hand over fist. 

You cannot ignore the similarities between Satanic Panic and the rise of “The Deep State” and QAnon. To think that one book caused such chaos for so long is downright infuriating. If they fear you, you can control them. Ask Fox News how they prefer their audience. No doubt, SATAN WANTS YOU will fire up SXXW 2023 audiences.


Film Screenings

Mar 11, 2023
9:00pm10:29pm
 
Mar 13, 2023
12:30pm1:59pm
 
Mar 13, 2023
1:00pm2:29pm
 
Mar 15, 2023
9:00pm10:29pm
Directors:

Sean Horlor, Steve J. Adams

Executive Producer:

Sean Horlor, Steve J. Adams

Producer:

Michael Grand, Melissa James

Screenwriter:

Sean Horlor, Steve J. Adams

Cinematographer:

Blake Davey

Editor:

Graham Kew

Production Designer:

Juan Gonzales

Sound Designer:

Mark Dolmont

Music:

Mark Dolmont

Principal Cast:

Sarah Marshall, Charyl Proby-Austman, Charles Ennis, Debbie Nathan, Ken Lanning, Elizabeth Loftus, Blanche Barton, Jeffrey S. Victor

Additional Credits:

Associate Producer: Hayley Morin

 

SXSW 2023 documentary review: ‘WHO I AM NOT’ is an eye-opening lesson on humanity and identity.

WHO I AM NOT

Gender identity is a hot-button issue around the globe. For intersex people, existing is complicated and emotionally taxing. SXSW 2023 doc WHO I AM NOT follows two individuals who follow divergent paths on their journey to self-acceptance. When intersex children are born, most doctors suggest that parents choose one set of genitals. This complex decision should not even be an option. Sharon-Rose and Katso were born with both sets of genitals. Neither function to produce children. The film exploring happiness, navigating family, discrimination, and dating is emotionally wrought and fascinating.

Dimakatso Sebidi is a male-presenting person whose intersex identity prevents them from finding a job. They feel their family made a terrible decision at birth, stealing any chance for pure happiness. In the search for medical answers, a pelvic exam proves excruciating for Katso. An ultrasound allows them to see what their internal sex organs look like for the first time. A chromosomal test confirms something astonishing. The stress and fear are palpable. They go so far as to seek validation and cleansing from elders. Spritual reckoning involves bone reading and four chickens.

Sharon-Rose Khumalo presents as a female. She and Katso connect for the same reasons but exist on opposite sides of the gender spectrum. Sharon-Rose is a beauty pageant winner, works in marketing, and hosts a DIY home decor Youtube channel. She longs to bear children but knows it is impossible. The classically beautiful and happy facade disguises deep, longing sadness. Her attempts to find a partner that accepts her inability to have biological children nearly break her. Director Tünde Skovrán takes the opportunity to convey her Sharon-Rises inner turmoil with thoughtful creativity.

I find it ironic that Christianity plays such a looming role in the lives of South Africans. If God created people in his image and is infallible, why do so many preachers and institutions narrowly define male and female? Religion is so often a spirit murderer. WHO I AM NOT explores how each family confronts these issues.

Sharon-Rose and Katso seek respect and live in harmony without judgment. In the way sexuality is not a choice, being born intersex is not a choice. WHO I AM NOT is an essential education for audiences far beyond the seats at SXSW 2023. It deserves a global audience.


Film Screenings

Mar 11, 2023
8:30pm10:12pm
 
Mar 12, 2023
6:00pm7:42pm
 
Mar 16, 2023
11:15am12:57pm
 

Credits

Director:

Tünde Skovrán

Executive Producer:

Patricia Arquette, Andrei Zinca, Tünde Skovrán, Marc Smolowitz, Jafta Mekgoe, Danielle Turkov, M.J. Packham, Maryse Rouillard

Producer:

Andrei Zinca

Screenwriter:

Tünde Skovrán

Cinematographer:

Daniel Szandtner, Felix Striegel, Guillaume Beaudoin

Editor:

Marianna Rudas HSE

Sound Designer:

Martin Cadieux-Rouillard

Music:

Luc Sicard; songs by Bonzegive Mabandla, Desiree, Brian Bibb

Additional Credits:

Co Producer: Paul Cadieux, Co-Producer: Patrick Hamm, Associate Producer: Amy Shepherd, Associate Producer: Daniel Szantnder, VFX & Color grading: Dean Lewis, Sound recording: Blaise Rival, Sound recording: Adam Vadasz, Associate Producer: Janos Kovacs, Associate Producer: Edith Weil

 

SXSW 2023 documentary review: ‘ANOTHER BODY’ is a new nightmare for women everywhere.

ANOTHER BODY

*This review also appears on AWFJ.org

Women have always felt unsafe. It is ingrained in our nature to fear, to look over our shoulders, and to carry our keys between our fingers late at night. As if we didn’t have enough to worry about, enter the newest AI nightmare into the conversation. Anyone can go online and copy and paste your photo to create a duplicate or entirely new profile on social media. As if things weren’t bad enough, catfishing gets a superpower with the introduction of deep faking. SXSW 2023 documentary ANOTHER BODY from directors Sophie Compton and Reuben Hamlyn follows the story of a young woman named whose life is upended by one spiteful person with an agenda.

Meet Taylor, an engineering grad student living her quiet life attending classes and living a quiet goal-oriented life with her boyfriend. After receiving what she thought to be spam messages from her classmates, Taylor finds her image stolen, her name tarnished, and harassed by strange men who now know where she goes to school and where she lives. She discovers her face has on someone else’s body in videos on an adult website. Her image and name have an entire account, and new videos keep appearing. ANOTHER BODY is a film about consent on numerous levels and the battle against gender-based violence.

The film mixes sit-down interviews with Taylor, cell phone footage from her investigative journey, and animated recreations of her emotional processing. That is not the most impressive visual aspect of the film. “Taylor” is not what she appears to be. Let me explain this statement. The face projected to the audience is an actress whose face has been deepfaked onto our storyteller. The reveal comes as a complete surprise but perfectly encapsulates the danger of this technology. You will find yourself overanalyzing her movements on screen and realizing how vulnerable our identities are. It is nothing short of fascinating work.

When Taylor reaches out to the police, it is clear that they are out of their element. There are no clear laws about a technology that is rapidly changing. Then the inevitable victim-blaming begins both from law enforcement and friends and family. Taylor takes it upon herself to discover the identity of the culprit. Becoming a DIY detective, she narrows it down to three likely suspects. The mystery deepens as her online sleuthing and fight for justice play out in real time. Taylor finds that other women in her circle are also victims. As they compare notes, one name stands out from the rest. It is undeniably compelling to witness her take action. ANOTHER BODY is an infuriating and invigorating watch. It will resonate with true crime audiences and victims of gender-based violence. When body autonomy becomes threatened, you must become your own warrior.


SCREENINGS:
 
Mar 11, 2023
12:15pm1:35pm
 
Mar 14, 2023
5:00pm6:20pm
 
Mar 16, 2023
9:15pm10:35pm
Directors:

Sophie Compton, Reuben Hamlyn

Executive Producer:

Jenny Raskin, Lauren Haber, Geralyn Dreyfous, Maiken Baird, Gloria Zhu & Stanley Tang – Bearcat Content, Ruth Ann & Bill Harnisch – The Harnisch Foundation, Inmaat Productions, Mason Orfalea & The Natalie Orfalea Foundation, Ann Lewnes, Meadow Fund, Lisa & Matthew Sonsini, Chris & Heidi Stolte

Producer:

Elizabeth Woodward, Sophie Compton, Reuben Hamlyn

Screenwriter:

Sophie Compton, Reuben Hamlyn, Isabel Freeman

Cinematographer:

Nausheen Dadabhoy

Editor:

Isabel Freeman, Rabab Haj Yahya

Sound Designer:

Gisela Fullà-Silvestre

Music:

Holland Andrews

Additional Credits:

Co-Executive Producers: Nina & David Fialkow, Meryl Metni – Ubiquitous EG, Kelsey Koenig, Co-Producer: Avery McCann, Post Production Supervisor & Associate Editor: Claudia Tanney, Animation Studio: Cream Projects, Motion Graphics: Spencer Haley, Studio Macuna, Deepfake Artist: Fernando Sánchez Liste, Consulting Producer: Scott Macauley, Consulting Editor: Karen K.H. Sim

SXSW 2023 documentary review: Ian Cheney’s ‘THE ARC OF OBLIVION’ is here to blow your mind.

THE ARC OF OBLIVION

Clever, thoughtful, curious, and a bit meta, Ian Cheney asks profound questions about archiving life and memories. From DNA to a digital photo, ancient libraries to bat guano, the SXSW 2023 documentary THE ARC OF OBLIVION is here to blow your mind. What starts as a plan to build an ark in his parents’ Maine backyard spirals into a complex study of man’s obsession with record keeping.

Cheney is building his Arc and documenting each step by delving into the history of the slightest details, human, animal, and mineral. Sporadically punctuated by amusing original limericks and images on his vintage portable television “Rex,” the film is a fascinating rumination on history, memories, and sentimentality. Ezra Wolfinger‘s striking drone shots juxtaposed with Melissa McClung‘s stop-motion transitional sequences are delightful. Close-up shots of wood rings and the ocean floor are awe-inspiring. It is a skillfully crafted journey. Oh, and Werner Herzog appears and produces, and it just makes sense. The final song choice, “Road To Nowhere,” is perfection.

Endlessly engaging, witty, and sometimes akin to experiencing the stream of consciousness of a creative mind, THE ARC OF OBLIVION is the kind of documentary SXSW 2023 audiences seek out. You’ll be surprised at the innumerable ways we record our existence.


Film Screenings

 
Mar 10, 2023
9:00pm10:38pm
 
 
Mar 15, 2023
7:00pm8:38pm
 
Mar 15, 2023
7:30pm9:08pm
 
Director:

Ian Cheney

Executive Producer:

Greg Boustead, Jessica Harrop, Robyn Metcalfe, Werner Herzog

Producer:

Meredith Desalazar, Manette Pottle, Rebecca Taylor

Cinematographer:

Ezra Wolfinger

Editor:

Ian Cheney

Music:

Colin Cheney

SXSW 2023: Horror and Sci-fi and Docs, Oh My! A curtain raiser for the masses.

SWSX 2023 has something for everyone, from franchise horror expansion to the hotly anticipated premiere of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. But we’re here to share some of the films on our radar this year.

 

Click here for tickets and all things SXSW 2023


Pure O
Director/Screenwriter: Dillon Tucker, Producers: Ricky Fosheim, Dillon Tucker, Ray Lee
A young screenwriter/musician grapples with Pure O, a lesser-known form of OCD while juggling his recent engagement and his day job at a high-end Malibu drug rehab. Inspired by the filmmaker’s own personal true story.

Cast List: Daniel Dorr, Hope Lauren, Landry Bender, Jeff Baker, Candice Renee, Breon Gorman, Tim Landfield, Isaac Nippert, Devon Martinez, Clint James (World Premiere)

Speaking as someone existing in a neurodivergent family unit, this one will hit hard for anyone battling invisible disabilities.


Raging Grace (United Kingdom)
Director/Screenwriter: Paris Zarcilla, Producer: Chi Thai
A bold coming-of-rage story where Joy, a Filipino immigrant, and her daughter Grace encounter a darkness that threatens all they have worked for.

Cast List: Maxine Eigenman, Leanne Best, David Hayman (World Premiere)

Femme-centric horror from Paris Zarcilla explores assimilation, trauma, and horror.


Another Body
Directors: Sophie Compton, Reuben Hamlyn, Producers: Elizabeth Woodward, Sophie Compton, Reuben Hamlyn, Screenwriters: Sophie Compton, Reuben Hamlyn, Isabel Freeman
Another Body follows a college student after she discovers deepfakes of herself circulating online. (World Premiere)

As if women didn’t have enough to fear, AI porn enters the arena. This mind-bending and infuriating doc shocks over and over.


Geoff McFetridge: Drawing a Life – 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

Geoff McFetridge: Drawing a Life
Director/Producer: Dan Covert, Screenwriters: Erik Auli, Dan Covert, Amy Dempsey, Tara Rose Stromberg
What defines a life? The iconic work of artist Geoff McFetridge is everywhere. But this film is more than a primer on his career—it’s about the choices we confront in trying to lead meaningful lives, and how we use our most precious resource: time. (World Premiere)

Hold on, I know that art! This charming and insightful doc will introduce you to Geoff McFetridge, an artist we all know, but don’t know we know. Ya know?


Deadland – 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

Deadland
Director: Lance Larson, Producers: Elizabeth Avellan, Bob Bastarache, Jas Shelton, Lance Larson, Tara Pirnia, Chris Wilks, Screenwriters: Lance Larson, Jas Shelton
A U.S. Border Patrol Agent tries to apprehend the ghost of his father, a grave decision that will haunt him forever.

Cast List: Roberto Urbina, McCaul Lombardi, Julieth Restrepo, Kendal Rae, Luis Chavez, Julio Cesar Cedillo, Manuel Uriza, Chris Mulkey (World Premiere)

Get ready for chills and politics to collide. You’re not ready.


Hail Mary - 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

Hail Mary
Director: Rosemary Rodriguez, Producer: Karina Miller, Screenwriter: Knate Lee
A young Belizean girl, Maria, finds herself mysteriously pregnant and trying to cross the US/MEX border while outrunning a deadly virus, the Cartels, Border Patrol, and the right-hand man of the Devil. This genre-bending retelling of the Mary and Joseph story begs the question – who are the real monsters? Cast: Natalia del Riego, Benny Emmanuel, and Jack Huston with Angela Sarafyan (World Premiere)

As a former Catholic school kid and a lover of genre-defying fare, Hail Mary is 100% on my list. The meer idea that this will work brings my eyeballs to the screen.


Only The Good Survive - 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

Only The Good Survive
Director/Screenwriter: Dutch Southern, Producers: Thomas Mahoney, Justin X Duprie
While unwittingly doing crimes in Texas, Brea Dunlee stumbles upon a QAnon-like cabal that preys on the poor and the powerless. Through a series of interrogations led by a gaslighting sheriff named Cole Mack, we discover not everything is as it seems.

Cast: Sidney Flanigan, Frederick Weller, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Will Ropp, Darius Fraser, Lachlan Watson, Jon Gries, Patrick Grover (World Premiere)

Quirky, colorful, and confusing, this ping-pong, time-hopping delight is pure delightful mayhem.


Peak Season - 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

Peak Season
Directors: Henry Loevner, Steven Kanter, Producers: Lovell Holder, Patrick Ward, Henry Loevner, Steven Kanter, Screenwriter: Henry Loevner
An emotionally adrift young woman forges an unexpected friendship with a wilderness guide when she and her fiancé take a summer trip to Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Cast: Claudia Restrepo, Derrick DeBlasis, Ben Coleman, Fred Melamed, Stephanie Courtney, Will Neff, Caroline Kwan, Ron Hanks, Gadiel Del Orbe, Natasha Dewhurst (World Premiere)

Look out for this authentic, easy breezy dramedy that is like an emotional warm hug.


Art For Everybody - 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

Art for Everybody
Director: Miranda Yousef, Producers: Morgan Neville, Tim Rummel
Thomas Kinkade’s pastoral landscapes made him the most collected and despised painter of all time. After his shocking death, his family discovers a vault of unseen paintings that reveal a complex artist whose life and work embody our divided America. (World Premiere)

You could not escape his art in the late 90s. His “lit from the inside” painting of countryside cottages and mass marketable art held America captive. I almost bought one in a mall gallery at 20 years old. They were that enchanting. 


Satan Wants You - 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

Satan Wants You
Directors/Screenwriters: Sean Horlor, Steve J. Adams, Producers: Michael Grand, Melissa James
The shocking story of how a young woman and her psychiatrist ignited the global Satanic Panic with their bestselling memoir Michelle Remembers. (World Premiere)

One book twisted the narrative of a nation. It would start an avalanche of conspiracy theories that continues to run rampant in crazy circles today.


Who I Am Not – 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

Who I Am Not (Romania, Canada)
Director/Screenwriter: Tünde Skovrán, Producers: Andrei Zinca
There is male, there is female, and then there is i. Born male and female within one single body, a beauty queen and a male-presenting activist break the intersex taboo through a personal and intimate exploration of truth, faith, and belonging. (North American Premiere)

Timely and important. That’s all you need to know.


Brooklyn 45 – 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

Brooklyn 45
Director/Screenwriter: Ted Geoghegan, Producers: Seth Caplan, Michael Paszt, Pasha Patriki, Sarah Sharp
In the months following World War II, five old military friends are talked into an impromptu séance, which brings to troubling light each of their haunted pasts.

Cast List: Anne Ramsay, Ron E. Rains, Jeremy Holm, Larry Fessenden, Ezra Buzzington, Kristina Klebe (World Premiere)

Just because I know Ted Geoghegan to be one of the kindest and coolest gents in the biz doesn’t mean I have to mention his newest and perhaps most personal project yet. His work and the company he keeps (he is also producing Molli and Max screening at the fest this year), speak for themselves. I mean, how cool does this still look?! Shudder was smart enough to snap this up ages ago. 


Monolith – 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

Monolith (Australia)
Director: Matt Vesely, Producer: Bettina Hamilton, Screenwriter: Lucy Campbell
All you have to do is listen. A disgraced journalist turns to podcasting to try and rebuild her career – but her rush to generate headlines soon uncovers a strange artifact, an alien conspiracy, and the lies at the heart of her own story.

Cast List: Lily Sullivan (International Premiere)

The history of deceptive podcasting has changed the lives of suspects and the far right in recent years. This one deserves your full attention.


Talk To Me – 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

Talk To Me (Australia)
Directors: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou, Producers: Samantha Jennings, Kristina Ceyton, Screenwriters: Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman
Lonely teenager Mia gets hooked on the thrills of conjuring spirits through a ceramic hand, but when she is confronted by a soul claiming to be her dead mother, she unleashes a plague of supernatural forces.

Cast List: Sophie Wilde, Miranda Otto, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, Otis Dhanji, Zoe Terakes, Chris Alosio (Texas Premiere)

We caught this one at Sundance and can report that it is franchise worthy. Do not miss it. Talk To Me


The Wrath of Becky – 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

The Wrath of Becky
Directors/Screenwriters: Matt Angel, Suzanne Coote, Producers: Raphael Margules, JD Lifshitz, Tracy Rosenblum, Russell Posternak, Chadd Harbold
After living off the grid for two years, Becky finds herself going toe to toe against Darryl, the leader of a fascist organization, on the eve of an organized attack.

Cast List: Lulu Wilson, Seann William Scott, Matt Angel, Courtney Gains, Aaron Dalla Villa, Michael Sirow, Denise Burse, Jill Larson, Kate Siegel (World Premiere)

Firstly, Lulu Wilson is a phenom in my book. A follow-up to the 2020 film BECKY, I cannot wait to see this girl kick ass and not give a shit about names. 


The Artifice Girl – 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official SelectionThe Artifice Girl – 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

The Artifice Girl
Director/Screenwriter: Franklin Ritch, Producers: Aaron B. Koontz, Ashleigh Snead
Three special agents develop a bold new computer program to catch online predators, but its rapid advancement poses unexpected challenges.

Cast: Tatum Matthews, Sinda Nichols, David Girard, Franklin Ritch, Lance Henriksen (U.S. Premiere)

We could not escape the buzz that this film has been generating on the festival scene. It’s about time we join the crowd.


Molli And Max In The Future - 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

Molli And Max In The Future
Director/Screenwriter: Michael Lukk Litwak, Producers: Candice Kuwahara, Ben J. Murphy, Mallory Schwartz, Kate Geller, Michael Lukk Litwak
Molli and Max In The Future is a Sci-Fi Romantic Comedy about a man and woman whose orbits repeatedly collide over the course of 12 years, 4 planets, 3 dimensions, and one space-cult.

Cast: Zosia Mamet, Aristotle Athari, Danny Burstein, Arturo Castro, Okieriete Onaodowan, Erin Darke, Grace Kuhlenschmidt, Michael Chernus, Aparna Nancherla, Matteo Lane (World Premiere)

After following the cast and crew of this film along the way, Molli and Max feels like a festival darling from the start.


With Love and a Major Organ – 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

With Love and a Major Organ
Director: Kim Albright, Producer: Madeleine Davis, Screenwriter: Julia Lederer
In an alternate world where hearts are made of objects and suppressing emotions is self-care, a lonely woman rips out her own heart for the man she loves, only to discover that he has run away with it.

Cast: Anna Maguire, Hamza Haq, Veena Sood, Donna Benedicto, Lynda Boyd, Arghavan Jenati, Enid-Raye Adams, Ryan Beil, Laara Sadiq (World Premiere)

The concept alone makes me want to run to the theater. 


My Drywall Cocoon – 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

My Drywall Cocoon
Director/Screenwriter: Caroline Fioratti, Producers: Rui Pires, André Montenegro
Virginia’s death during her 17th birthday shakes up a luxurious building complex. For most residents, it’s a passing tragedy. For her mother and her friends, it is the beginning of a transformation: the crack in their drywall cocoon.

Cast: Maria Luisa Mendonça, Bella Piero, Michel Joelsas, Mari Oliveira, Daniel Botelho, Caco Ciocler (World Premiere)

The only Brazillian film in the fest this year, this intricately written film will surprise again and again.


Is There Anybody Out There? (United Kingdom) – 2023 SXSW Film & TV

Is There Anybody Out There?
Director: Ella Glendining, Producer: Janine Marmot
Inhabiting a bizarrely unusual body (the body I love), and navigating daily discrimination, I search the world for another like me. Is there anybody out there? (Texas Premiere)

Check out our previous coverage of Ella Glendining’s unfiltered look at self-acceptance and judgment. It will live in my family’s heart forever.


The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster - 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster
Director/Screenwriter: Bomani J. Story, Producers: Jack Davis, Darren Brandl, Bomani J. Story
Death is ever present in Vicaria’s world – violence, police brutality, substance abuse – and after watching her mother and brother succumb, she’s had enough. Vicaria is going to put an end to all this death… by bringing the dead back to life.

Cast: Laya DeLeon Hayes, Denzel Whitaker, Chad Coleman, Reilly Brooke Stith, Keith Sean Holliday, Amani Summer Boyles, Edem Atsu-Swanzy (World Premiere)

Writer-director Bomani J. Story takes on the complexities of survival and oppression with a femme-centric modern take on Frankenstein. Yes, please, and thank you.


SHORT FILMS

Fuck Me, Richard – 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

Fuck Me, Richard (Australia, U.S.)
Directors: Lucy McKendrick, Charlie Polinger, Screenwriter: Lucy McKendrick, Producers: Jenna Grossano, Lucy McKendrick, Charlie Polinger
Recovering from a broken leg, a romance-obsessed loner finds herself swept up in a passionate long-distance love affair. Richard is perfect in every way, except that he may be a scammer. (World Premiere)

As someone who “survived” a 5+ year long distance relationship, this one is a yes.


Dead Enders – 2023 SXSW Film & TV Festival Official Selection

Dead Enders
Directors: Fidel Ruiz-Healy, Tyler Walker, Screenwriters: Fidel Ruiz-Healy, Tyler Walker, Jordan Michael Blake, Conor Murphy, Producers: Raven Jensen, Amanda Crown, Gregory Barnes, Conor Murphy, Nico Alvo, Jordan Michael Blake, Eduardo Ruiz-Healy
A disaffected gas station clerk finds out why they call it the “graveyard shift” after oil drillers set loose an ancient race of mind-controlling parasites. (World Premiere)

Horror shorts for the win, ladies, and germs. Give me a new badass final girl every day of the week.


To find out more about SXSW 2023’s full lineup click here!

Berlinale 2023 Film Festival review: ‘UNDER THE SKY OF DAMASCUS’ gives a voice to the silenced.

UNDER THE SKY OF DAMASCUS
*WORLD PREMIERE*

Five Women Unpack the Deeply Entrenched Misogyny in Syria in this Intimate and Affecting Documentary


Heba Khaled, alongside co-directors Talal Derki and Ali Wajeeh, gives Berlinale 73 audiences a vastly impactful and furiously personal look inside the abusive patriarchal structure of Syrian society. Systemic oppression needs a voice of truth. Khaled finds a group of women who take matters into their hands by collecting the stories of women in their community in hopes of creating an original stage production exposing generational hurt. UNDER THE SKY OF DAMASCUS is pivotal storytelling. 

Inside a women’s mental hospital, residents recall their circumstances for being there. Family members dropped off most for pushing back on tradition, some for merely existing at all. Women in a cloth factory and a recycling center recall the physical abuse at the hands of their husbands, passed down to their daughters. Woman after woman, story after story, the abuse is systematic and heartbreaking. 

Ari Jan‘s score heightens the feeling that this situation is a ticking time bomb. As their work progresses, the group’s members begin to dwindle. Either out of fear or blackmail, women quit the project. The film reveals that one of the crew members violated the women while filming. Heba tells the remaining members on camera after flying to Beruit. What happened next broke my heart. We watch these brave women unravel, resulting in a shocking pause in filming. Three months later, a new development knocked the wind out of me. The Play’s self-appointed director makes a decision that could undermine the project’s entire mission statement. 

UNDER THE SKY OF DAMASCUS is often an emotionally crippling viewing experience. It overflows with equal parts despair and inspiration. Quite frankly, it enraged me. The film’s journey is a perfect example of the silencing of women’s experiences and how patriarchal abuse of power can consume even the best intentions. It is a dream and a prayer from one generation to the next. 


Directors: Heba Khaled, Talal Derki, Ali Wajeeh
Cinematography: Raed Sandeed
Editing: Marion Tuor
Music: Ari Jan
Sound Design: Mia Joanna Koskela
Producers: Sigrid Dyekjær, Talal Derki, Heba Khaled, Beth Earl
Executive Producers: Philippe Levasseur, Romain Bessi, Jenny Raskin, Kelsey Koenig, Maiken Baird, Ruba El-Khash

Nominated for the Berlinale Documentary Film Award



BERLINALE SCREENINGS

*PREMIERE: Monday February 20, 18:30 – Cubix 9*


Tuesday February 21, 19:00 – Cubix 5

Wednesday February 22, 21:45 – Cubix 8

Friday February 24, 19:00 – Zoo Palast 2

Sunday February 26 13:00 – International


 

Sundance 2023 Unseen Films review: Roman Liubyi’s ‘Iron Butterflies’ exposes the roots of current conflict.

IRON BUTTERFLIES

This is a look at the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur which was shot down by Russian forces over eastern Ukraine in 2014 threw news video, reconstructions, trial footage, and intercepted recordings.

This is going to be the most low-key film you will see on the never-ending Ukraine conflict. There is no narration only text that gives us context. Director Roman Liubyi is letting the words and images speak for themselves. Yes, this is almost a decade before the current mess, but it is one of the key events in the run-up to now.

Full disclosure while I liked this film a great deal, seeing the film in the middle of a festival crush resulted in it not having the effect it should have. The film’s low-key nature is what I remember not the emotional nature of the story of lives lost through stupidity, lack of caring, and the evil nature of some parts of humanity.

If you want to understand the roots of the current conflict this film is a must-see.


Screening Times

In Person

  • PREMIERE
    Jan. 22 9:15PM MST

    Egyptian Theatre

    PARK CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING
    Jan. 23 3:30PM MST

    Redstone Cinemas – 1

    PARK CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING
    Jan. 24 12:00PM MST

    Broadway Centre Cinemas – 6

    SALT LAKE CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING
    Jan. 26 9:00PM MST

    Prospector Square Theatre

    PARK CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING
    Jan. 27 3:30PM MST

    Holiday Village Cinemas – 2

    PARK CITY

Online

  • SECOND SCREENING
    Jan. 24 8:00AM MST

    Available Until Jan. 29  11:55PM MST


     

Sundance 2023 capsule review: Anna Hints’ profound documentary ‘SMOKE SAUNA SISTERHOOD’ is a collective sigh of womanhood.

SMOKE SAUNA SISTERHOOD

The ancient Estonian ritual of sauna building is a physical and spiritual cleansing. Women gather to share everything from funny childhood stories to earthly, almost guttural chants to intimate confessions with unfiltered honesty. Anna Hints‘ Sundance 2023 documentary Smoke Sauna Sisterhood is a visceral and profoundly deep film.

Mesmerizing closeups of body parts beading with sweat captured with static and handheld camerawork beautifully complement the conversations and place the audience inside the room. Haunting vocals during transition moments captivate the audience. Images of south Estonian matriarchs are projected on the sauna smoke as their voices recall tales from their lives. It is another stunning addition to an already visually sumptuous film.

Topics like cancer, women’s rights, body shaming, unresolved trauma, sex, and sexuality swirl freely. It is a safe space I envy. Smoke Sauna Sisterhood brings a contagious joy. There is a raw elegance I think Sundance 2023 audiences, specifically female viewers, will welcome. This film is a celebration of our complexities, highlighting the tender care we take with one another. It is revelatory to rediscover the interconnectedness of women and our shared experiences, good and bad. It is an astonishingly rewarding emotional catharsis.


Screening Times
In Person
PREMIERE
AddFAVORITE
Jan. 22 6:00PM MST
Prospector Square Theatre

PARK CITY

SECOND SCREENING
AddFAVORITE
Jan. 23 8:30PM MST
Megaplex Theatres at The Gateway 6

SALT LAKE CITY

SECOND SCREENING
AddFAVORITE
Jan. 25 11:45AM MST
Egyptian Theatre

PARK CITY

SECOND SCREENING
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Jan. 26 4:00PM MST
Redstone Cinemas – 2

PARK CITY

SECOND SCREENING
AddFAVORITE
Jan. 27 12:00PM MST
Screening Room

SUNDANCE MOUNTAIN RESORT

Online
SECOND SCREENING
AddFAVORITE
Jan. 24 8:00AM MST
Available Until Jan. 29 11:55PM MST


Anna Hints is an Estonian film director with a background in contemporary art and experimental folk music. Having deep roots in the distinct culture of South Estonia, Hints’ second home is in India. As an active dumpster diver, Hints’ short documentary For Tomorrow Paradise Arrives initiated public discussion and growth of new grassroot movements against food waste in Estonia.


 

Sundance 2023 capsule review: ‘BAD PRESS’ is a striking microcosm of tribal oppression and corruption.

BAD PRESS

Imagine a scenario, if you will, where the federal government controlled the entirety of the media. Ask North Korea and China’s citizens how well that works for them. Native American tribes are sovereign nations. They do not have freedom of the press. In the Sundance 2023 documentary from Rebecca Landsberry-Baker and Joe Peeler, BAD PRESS exposes the crushing actions of tribe leaders to remain in power. MVSKOKE MEDIA journalists are under attack while the Chief manipulates the Muscogee community with misinformation. Who will protect the truth?

Bad Press describes the hierarchy of tribal media. Money and politics rule, making a constitutional Free Press amendment vital to every nation. The film follows the journey to change, from new candidates for a new chief to election fraud allegations, and boy does it mirror national shenanigans. MVSKOKE MEDIA journalist Angel Ellis and her colleagues report everything in real-time, fighting against fear, false claims, threats, and connected politicians who wish to silence them.

The biggest question becomes, “What do you have to hide?” BAD PRESS is the perfect Sundance 2023 companion to watch with Fantastic Machine. It’s a heart-pounding, sweaty palm viewing experience. The emotional gravity of this story is shocking. BAD PRESS is a microcosm of tribal oppression and global journalistic reality. Those in the film are brave as hell for speaking out. National news, take note. Transparency is key.


Screening Times

In Person

  • PREMIERE

    Jan. 22 8:40PM MST

    The Ray Theatre

    PARK CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING

    Jan. 24 3:30PM MST

    Redstone Cinemas – 1

    PARK CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING

    Jan. 25 12:00PM MST

    Screening Room

    SUNDANCE MOUNTAIN RESORT

  • SECOND SCREENING

    Jan. 26 12:40PM MST

    Holiday Village Cinemas – 2

    PARK CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING

    Jan. 27 9:45PM MST

    Broadway Centre Cinemas – 3

    SALT LAKE CITY

Online

  • SECOND SCREENING

    Jan. 24 8:00AM MST

    Available Until Jan. 29  11:55PM MST


Sundance 2023 documentary review: ‘FANTASTIC MACHINE’ is a gasp-worthy watch.

FANTASTIC MACHINE

Memory preservation, emotional resonance, exploration, and exposure of truth, FANTASTIC MACHINE explores the history of capturing the first image to the deliberate curation of media content through the ages.

The swiftness of the manipulation of images shocked me. From the beginning, the film is ruthless in its takedown of perceived truth. It is what we don’t see changes everything. Fantastic Machine has outtakes from a 2017 ISIS propaganda video, Eurovision’s use of the green screen in their scoring reports, how-to YouTube videos, and viral video reactions. At one point, I exclaimed, “What The Fuck,” louder than I intended. 

The power of curated messaging in politics is something we know well. The film features a breathtaking 1993 interview with a filmmaker that changed the face of WW2 and modern-day filmmakers. In 1934, The Nazi Party hired Leni Reifenstahl to show the movement as powerful and attractive. She speaks about the entertainment factor, how a two-hour speech must be compressed to five minutes with a beginning, middle, and thrilling middle, despite the subject. As I witnessed the pride in her technical work, my mouth was agape. Juxtapose those images with the Sidney Bernstein footage from the final day of the war in 1945. Charged with proving the atrocities of war ever existed, Bernstein brings humanity, suffering, and truth. In the end, it is a product. In most cases, it is void of morality.

Maximilien Van Aertryck narrates with a profound statement: “A lack of perspective can distort what the world looks like.” There is such a fine line between propaganda and truth. We are all too familiar with this tactic. The results of media manipulation are monumentally dangerous but immensely lucrative. Instagram is rewiring young brains in a similar manner fashion magazines impacted our self-esteem in the 90s. It, quite literally, changes brain chemistry. The editing from Mikel Cee Karlsson and writer-directors Axel Danielson and Maximilien Van Aertryck is award-worthy. As the saying goes, they understood the assignment.

FANTASTIC MACHINE is ceaselessly fascinating and undeniably disturbing to experience. As a commentary on entertainment, it is both a celebration and a condemnation. Sundance 2023 audiences are in for something absolutely brilliant. 


Screening Times

In Person

  • PREMIERE

    Jan. 23 3:00PM MST

    Prospector Square Theatre

    PARK CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING

    Jan. 24 6:55PM MST

    Broadway Centre Cinemas – 3

    SALT LAKE CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING

    Jan. 25 2:45PM MST

    Egyptian Theatre

    PARK CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING

    Jan. 26 3:00PM MST

    Park Avenue Theatre

    PARK CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING

    Jan. 27 9:30AM MST

    Redstone Cinemas – 1

    PARK CITY

Online

  • SECOND SCREENING

    Jan. 24 8:00AM MST

    Available Until Jan. 29  11:55PM MST


Sundance 2023 doc review: ‘Is There Anybody Out There?’ is an unexpectedly badass victory cry

IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?

In search of someone else with the same physical condition, Ella Glendining takes us on a thoughtful journey in Sundance 2023 documentary IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?

The editing combined with the score creates a charming and deeply affecting quality. Confessional diary logs place us in Ella’s headspace. She uses home videos and sit-down chats with her Mum and Dad about what it was like to raise her. Seeking specialists and families with the same disability offers Ella more questions than answers. We follow Ella through an unexpected pregnancy. Her gorgeous son River and the Covid 19 pandemic change how she views potential surgery options. As she speaks to others via Zoom, she contemplates the appreciation of her body.

The discussion of ableism is paramount to understanding Ella’s life and any family with a differently abled member. I am the mother of a seven-year-old son with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I suspect that with his off-the-charts cognitive abilities, the more precise diagnosis is Aspergers. I appreciated Ella and her best friend Naomi’s honest discussions about her autism and the challenges of an invisible disability. Each admits they cannot fully understand the inner workings of one another’s feelings and worry they have inadvertently said horrible things to one another. Understanding the staring, judgment, and how it pierces the heart cannot be ignored. That is also why the conversations with Ella’s parents resonated with me. Like Ella seeking someone to connect to, her Mum and Dad were touchstones for me.

IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE? tackles outdated stereotypes and deep-seated trauma, but also optimism. I hope Ella Glendining understands the gravity of her film. I have to thank her for sharing her life, and I look forward to sharing her story with my son when he is a bit older. IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE? celebrates individualism and isn’t that the ultimate goal?


Screening Times

In Person

  • PREMIERE
    Jan. 22 3:00PM MST

    Prospector Square Theatre

    PARK CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING
    Jan. 24 3:00PM MST

    Park Avenue Theatre

    PARK CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING
    Jan. 25 12:00PM MST

    Park Avenue Theatre

    PARK CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING
    Jan. 26 5:30PM MST

    Megaplex Theatres at The Gateway 6

    SALT LAKE CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING
    Jan. 27 2:30PM MST

    Holiday Village Cinemas – 1

    PARK CITY

Online

  • SECOND SCREENING
    Jan. 24 8:00AM MST

    Available Until Jan. 29  11:55PM MST


     

Sundance 2023 review: ‘PIANOFORTE’ earns a standing ovation for director Jakub Piatek.

PIANOFORTE

Four stages. 21 straight days. Since 1927, The Chopin Competition has been held in Warsaw. Featuring the most elite piano players in the world, Sundance’s 2023 documentary film PIANOFORTE follows a small group of contestants vying for the illustrious title.

The competition does not occur annually, making it all the more exclusive. Here is how it works: Stage One: 87 participants, Stage Two: 46, Stage Three: 23, Stage Four: 12. The film bounces from the competition to our pianists’ hometowns before competing. A peek beyond the bench, we witness rehearsals, family life, and personal confessions.

Eva (17) is an unsure but internationally acclaimed phenom. She is a sponge for the technical perfection demanded by her instructor. Marcin goes from a confident swagger to an anxious mess as the rounds progress. It is devastating. Alex utilizes yoga and meditation to focus, and his calm demeanor catches you off-guard. He has a surprising swagger as the ladies flock to him throughout the film. Hao (17) is quiet and intensely focused. In Stage Three, one moment of forgetfulness could be his last. Michelle is a delight, confessing her dog is her biggest fan. She also openly talks about the fear of competition and the reality of pursuing anything but piano. Leonora is a spitfire. She beams with each breath.

An undeniably shocking level of emotional investment comes with experiencing PIANOFORTE. The amount of pressure is unimaginable. The film’s final edit is a masterpiece. Undoubtedly, the audience may suddenly find themselves unexpected piano enthusiasts.


Screening Times

In Person

  • PREMIERE
    Jan. 20 2:30PM MST

    Egyptian Theatre

    PARK CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING
    Jan. 21 2:55PM MST

    Screening Room

    SUNDANCE MOUNTAIN RESORT

  • SECOND SCREENING
    Jan. 22 3:45PM MST

    Broadway Centre Cinemas – 3

    SALT LAKE CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING
    Jan. 24 12:00PM MST

    Redstone Cinemas – 7

    PARK CITY

  • SECOND SCREENING
    Jan. 26 6:00PM MST

    Park Avenue Theatre

    PARK CITY

Online

  • SECOND SCREENING
    Jan. 24 8:00AM MST

    Available Until Jan. 29  11:55PM MST


    In 2021, Jakub Piatek’s feature fiction debut Prime Time premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. (Now available on Netflix in all regions.)


 

ID original series review: ‘THE PRICE OF GLEE’ – Crew and friends talk behind-the-scenes drama and tragedies surrounding one of the most iconic shows in television history

 

THE PRICE OF GLEE

GLEE premiered the week of my 30th birthday. I was a musical theatre nerd in high school who graduated from a Manhattan conservatory that has churned out Tony winners and Oscar nominees. Watching GLEE made me feel seen for the first time through the storylines of these young adults. The attachment was real, and the show became a cultural turning point for millions. Because of that emotional investment, the drama surrounding the show still affects so many. Nothing is off the table in the salacious ID (Investigation Discovery) docuseries THE PRICE OF GLEE.

As a self-professed Gleek, the series contains so much information I didn’t know. Safety issues, money, and around-the-clock nonstop work, from the mouths of friends, crew members, and entertainment reporters, The Price of Glee pulls the curtain back on all the behind-the-scenes drama and addresses the all too familiar internet rumor that the show may be cursed. Episode one concludes with Cory Monteith’s death and ends on a cliffhanger. Episode two picks right back up where we left off, focusing mainly on the aftermath of Monteith’s passing. Delving into Mark Salling’s child pornography conviction and subsequent suicide, this episode melds into the third with Naya Rivera‘s father speaking about her tragic death.

Transitions between conversations feature video clips and cast photos. My main gripe with episodes two and three is the repetition of said images. A show that spanned six seasons deserved fresh photos. It was a glaring amateur mistake. Is THE PRICE OF GLEE a touch like an E! True Hollywood Story? Very much so, but as a fan, I was endlessly intrigued, hoping for any new information. While the cast has come forward to say they were not involved, hearing crew members that genuinely cared for them and with (mostly) kind words, their insight is vital to understanding the immense pressure this phenomenon created.

courtesy of ID


All three parts of THE PRICE OF GLEE premiere back-to-back Monday, January 16 starting at 9/8c on ID and will be available to stream the same day on discovery+


Synopsis: The cultural phenomenon and hit musical series, “Glee,” catapulted a cast of relative unknowns into international superstardom and literally rocked pop culture. But, the show that sparked a new era of acceptance was also saddled with extreme devastation on the inside. Endless scandals, tabloid gossip, and fatal tragedies plagued the rising stars on what was supposed to be the most joyful show on television. Now, ID pulls back the curtain on “Glee” to explore the harsh reality of fame with the three-part limited series, THE PRICE OF GLEE.

 

Review: One of the year’s best docs, Amazon Original ‘GOOD NIGHT OPPY’ is for every dreamer.

GOOD NIGHT OPPY

There is never a dull moment in the film. We barrel ahead with construction, testing, crunching numbers, and racing the clock because the planets literally have to align for the mission to succeed. The NASA scientists and engineers that built Spirit and Oppy speak about the emotional investment, comparing it to creating a human child. Years of work, passion, and inspiration were essentially alive in the form of two identical robots. Their survival depends on the weather, human ingenuity, and sheer luck.

The 6-month journey from Earth to Mars captured the most intense solar flares ever experienced in all space exploration, forcing the team to reboot both rovers. Angela Bassett’s voice gently narrates Spirit and Opportunity’s actions. The CGI simulations of Spirit and Opportunity are breathtaking. I’ve never seen anything like them. The footage from inside the labs and control room, combined with the tense sci-fi-inspired score, keep you on the edge of your seat. You find yourself cheering, holding your breath, tearing up, and singing along to the mission-curated soundtrack.

If the mystery of space intrigues you, if you’ve ever looked up at the night sky and wondered if we were alone in the universe, GOOD NIGHT OPPY is a film tailor-made for your imagination. It’s a shame The Academy overlooked such a crowd-pleaser. If there ever was a more appropriate “To infinity and beyond” moment in documentary filmmaking, I sure as hell can’t think of one.


GOOD NIGHT OPPY is now streaming on Prime Video


 

Review: ‘TURN EVERY PAGE’ takes you on a journey from cover to cover

Turn Every Page – The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb

When it comes to everyday popularity of historians, Robert Caro must have one of the highest batting averages out there. I haven’t read a piece of historical non-fiction biography that wasn’t assigned to me since 2010, and I know this guy’s name off the top of my head. It’s Caro and the guy who did the Hamilton biography. That’s the Mount Rushmore of historical biographies – the kings of books so fat they easily double as door stops or improvised weapons against home invaders. Among these books, Caro’s The Power Broker reigns supreme. It is the rare biography that has crossed over into nearly being a status symbol. I confess I’ve had a copy since the start of the pandemic, but have yet to start it. After watching Turn Every Page – The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb, I’m inspired to pull it off the shelf and dive in.

Turn Every Page is not only interested in providing background on Caro’s process and work, but also in taking a deep dive into his partnership with his editor, Robert Gottlieb. Gottlieb is no slouch himself, having edited hundreds of books over his illustrious career. The documentary details the delicate manner in which these two fundamentally different (sometimes even warring) perspectives and sources of expertise must come together to produce a harmonious end product.

The insights into Caro’s work process are breathtaking. One moment, in particular, stands out: while working on one of the volumes focused on the life of Lyndon Johnson, Caro had the opportunity to interview Johnson’s younger brother, Sam Houston Johnson. A tremendous opportunity, but Caro found he wasn’t getting the level of rich detail he craved. So, he brings Sam back into his childhood kitchen and has him sit in the very chair he sat in as a young boy. Caro sits behind him so that everything appears just as it would be in Sam’s memories. It is only then that Caro asks his questions again. Talk about literal background research.

The documentary is also ingenious in the manner in which it takes you into the details of both men’s lives. There is a certain risk that a documentary focused on the crafting of non-fiction biographies might be less than engaging for certain audiences. By balancing showing the men at work while acknowledging the quirkier aspects of their personalities, they come across as fully realized. Caro types his manuscripts up on the typewriter and haphazardly shoves the resulting small mountain-sized stacks of copy into a space above his refrigerator. Gottlieb collects plastic purses and proudly displays them on his bedroom wall, much to the chagrin of his wife. These moments are humorous but are also crucial to presenting these men without the sheen of perfection I find too frequently applied in these types of showcases.

Turn Every Page offers a peek behind the curtain of a complex and critical industry. Ironically, what it offers very little of is the dynamic between its two titular protagonists. Aside from one scene, they never interact on camera. Despite director Lizzie Gottlieb’s best efforts, this cannot help but feel a bit like a missed opportunity. In this framing, both men are free to lay their own narratives. It would have been a pleasure to see them challenged to edit one another’s perspectives.


TURN EVERY PAGE – THE ADVENTURES OF ROBERT CARO AND ROBERT GOTTLIEB (2022, 112 min) 

In Theaters in NY & LA December 30, 2022

Directed by Lizzie Gottlieb. Producers: Joanne Nerenberg, Jen Small, Lizzie Gottlieb. Director of Photography: Mott Hupfel. Editing: Molly Bernstein, Kristen Nutile. Music: Clare Manchon, Olivier Manchon. With Robert A. Caro, Robert Gottlieb. Appearances by Ethan Hawke, Lisa Lucas, David Remnick, Lynn Nesbit, Majora Carter. USA.

A Sony Pictures Classics Release.


 

Review: ‘MAKE PEOPLE BETTER’ pits science against ethics in Cody Sheehy’s new docu-thriller. It’s one hell of a conversation starter.

MAKE PEOPLE BETTER


A Film by Cody Sheehy

Scientists, tech journalists, ethicists, and filmmaker Cody Sheehy navigate the genome technology space of genetic tailoring. In 2018, world-renowned Chinese geneticist He “JK” Jiankui ignited a controversial firestorm when his edited embryos produced twin girls without the public support of the scientific community. MAKE PEOPLE BETTER is the story of the martyr for the scientists who thought this was a great idea until the negative PR did not serve them.

Understanding the global uproar the Covid 19 vaccine caused, the idea of an “embryonic vaccine” might cause mass hysteria. But what if we would prevent the existence of disease before birth? With scientific timelines displaying those who laid the framework of genetic modification, playing God is slowly becoming a reality.

“Ryan” takes an emotionally invested approach as JK’s publicist. He speaks in disguise, understanding the sensitive nature of everything he is about to reveal. Since Ryan has a sister with a painful genetic disease, his interest lies in protecting the children and JK’s bold innovation. Politics, science, government regulations, and public opinion clash as JK’s work is exposed before publication. The Chinese government rescinds its promise of protection.

The title of the film speaks volumes. “Make People Better” has innumerable interpretations. If we can stop disease, isn’t that what we want? On the other hand, choosing the attributes of a child, blue eyes and blonde hair, feels like a slippery slope on numerous levels. But, MAKE PEOPLE BETTER does an excellent job of putting scientific advances into perspective. Though instantly, the notion of socioeconomic comes to mind. What makes any of this technology available to those whose communities already struggle to receive rudimentary medical care? Weighing the positives and negatives will be an ever-evolving discussion. MAKE PEOPLE BETTER is a stunning continuation of a complex conversation. Ethical or not, it will not stop.


 

MAKE PEOPLE BETTER is available on TVOD Now!

In 2018, the Chinese scientist Dr. He Jiankui crossed a Rubicon in human evolution by altering the genetic structure of embryos to produce the world’s first genome-edited babies. This controversial experiment, supported by China’s government and top U.S. scientists, led to an
international uproar and swift moves by Chinese authorities to disappear not just Dr. He, but the twin girls whose genes he had edited. The documentary thriller MAKE PEOPLE BETTER reveals the unknown story behind this historic scientific event from the perspectives of those who were there including a whistleblower’s testimony, never-before-seen interviews with He Jiankui, and the depiction of a world being awakened to a future where rival governments and corporations compete to make designer babies the new normal.



Directed By: Cody Sheehy

Produced By: Cody Sheehy, Samira Kiani, Mark Monroe


https://makepeoplebetterfilm.com/


 

Oscar Qualifying Short film review: Jordyn Romero’s ‘We Are Like Waves’ drowns out patriarchal norms.

WE ARE LIKE WAVES

Sanu Sandeepani‘s passion lies in the Sri Lankan ocean she has lived on her entire life. When the waters enticed her, society said, ‘Sri Lankan girls don’t surf.” Sanu tests the waters of traditional gender roles by shirking familial expectations. She works at a surfing camp, admiring the many Western tourists who ride the waves. With the eventual encouragement from her instructor brother, Sanu’s goal of equality and empowerment of other girls to conquer the waves drives her life force. To bet on surfers similar to her, one can visit sites such as 겜블시티.

Director Jordyn Romero bonded with Sanu over their love of surfing, a predominantly male-dominated sport. Sanu’s fearless pursuit of wanting to become the first female surf instructor from Sri Lanka lies beyond the horizon. In Sanu’s words, “We Are Like Waves. You cannot stop us.” This simple act of rebellion is certain to have a ripple effect. Romero brings audiences a relatable story told with grace. Boasting a beautifully encompassing score, WE ARE LIKE WAVES sees Romero and Sanu carve a path for the next generation.

We are like Waves Teaser from Jordyn Romero on Vimeo.

About the Director:
Jordyn is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, storyteller, and creative. She grew up in the Rocky Mountains of Santa Fe, NM where she spent most weekends racing down the Rio Grande or hiking for fresh powder. From this innate need for exploration, her passion for filmmaking was born. She’s created work for brands including Specialized Bikes, GoPro, and Sierra Nevada. Her most recent film, We Are Like Waves, was released with The Los Angeles Times. Her films have premiered at Oscar-qualifying festivals, won jury and audience awards, and played in over 20 countries around the world. Through her creative endeavors, she aims to amplify the voices of diverse women in the outdoor industry.