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3rd Annual Lake Travis Film Festival announces lineup (September 15-18)

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3rd Annual Lake Travis Film Festival announces lineup
(September 15-18)

Laura Lehmus’ SWEET DISASTER is the Opening Night selection

Jordan O’Neal’s FABLETOWN and Sophie Miller’s RANCH WATER
share the honors for the Closing Night presentation

SWEET DISASTER, FABLETOWN, RANCH WATER


Bee Cave/Lakeway, TX (August 16, 2022) – The Lake Travis Film Festival’s 3rd edition returns next month (September 15-18) in beautiful Hill Country, just west of Austin. The film festival, whose independent personality and approach to the celebration of independent filmmaking is accentuated by its location in Lakeway and Bee Cave, just outside of the city known for independent film and music. LTFF’s Opening Night selection is Laura Lehmus’ dramedy Sweet Disaster. The Closing Night will offer two selections for filmgoers, including Jordan O’Neal’s fantasy Fabletown and Sophie Miler’s drama Ranch Water.

The four-day in-person film festival will once again present a film lineup showcasing films featuring a wide assortment of genres, styles, and topics from the indie film community, both stateside and international. The festival will screen 92 films (8 Narrative Features, 11 Documentary Features, 45 narrative short films, 6 short documentaries, 9 music videos, and 13 student shorts).

LTFF also will feature a pre-festival masterclass with screenwriter Owen Egerton (Mercy Black, Blood Fest), which requires a separate registration. Special events include a pitch party, live script readings, afterparties and an awards brunch. Additional opportunities for film enthusiasts to meet and interact with the filmmakers will be announced daily. Screenings and events occur at various pop-up locations throughout the cities of Bee Cave and Lakeway, Texas. Some of the venues include Hill Country Galleria, High5, ContraCommon, La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Lakeway, Star Hill Ranch, Goga Yoga, and Bee Cave City Hall.

Lake Travis Film Festival Founder and Executive Director, Kat Albert, shares, “The third year brings an opportunity to hone into what we best…curating an overall cinematic experience. We do not sell individual tickets. The suburbs don’t have a traditional downtown, so we’ve worked to make our pop-up style festival work with three walkable hubs. Thursday and Friday are in the Oaks at Lakeway. Saturday is in the Hill Country Galleria and Sunday is Texas Film Industry Day at Star Hill Ranch. The festival is young but garnering a reputation as a unique experience for filmmakers, screenwriters, and the local community.”

FOREVER MAJESTIC


The Lake Travis Film Festival will open on Thursday, September 15 with an afternoon screening of Michael Stephen Schwarz’s documentary Forever Majestic. The film looks at the complicated story surrounding a treasured Arkansas tourist destination and all the controversy that it sparks after it was struck by a mysterious fire. Following red carpet enrances for the attending filmmakers and talent, LTFF will present Laura Lehmus’ German dramedy Sweet Disaster. The film follows a woman who upon getting unexpectedly pregnant is promptly left by the father of her child as he re-unites with his ex. While she deals with serious health problems caused by the late pregnancy, she tries to get him back with the help of absurd, exaggerated and sometimes absurdly comic actions.

Two films will be featured as the Lake Travis Film Festival’s Closing Night choices. Austin-based co-writer/director Jordan O’Neal’s Fabletown is inspired by the DC Comics series of “Fables” graphic novels and Telltale Games’ The Wolf Among Us. Set in a New York City that serves as the home for a secret community of exiled folklore and literary characters. O’Neal stars as Sheriff Bigby Wolf, aka the Big Bad Wolf, who teams up with Fabletown Deputy Mayor Snow White on a case involving an exile being victimized by a dark magic that temporarily strips them of the human guise that allows them to move freely around the city. Wolf and Snow White quickly realize they must apprehend the practitioner of this dark magic before they can expose Fabletown to the human world.

Sophie Miller’s Ranch Water follows three sisters in small town Texas as they return to their family’s ranch for one last weekend. The sisters-only weekend quickly expands to a family and friends gathering while each sister tries to make their version of this last hurrah happen. The sisters and their friends flirt with their ideas of adulthood, as well as each other. Just when everyone thinks they’ve outgrown the fights, the gossiping, and the drinking games, they’re all back in the same house they were in as children and revert to their younger, chaotic selves.

LUCKY DOUG THE GOOD HEARTS CLUB


Additional highlights among the narrative films, include Austin-based filmmaker Eric Alan Rousseau’s comedy Lucky Doug about a man who decides to turn his moribund life around and come up with a genius moneymaking idea with a new catfood recipe when he finds out his long-time partner is pregnant. However, he finds out the road to success is littered by more than just cat food alone. William F. Reed’s Austin-set comedy The Good Hearts Club has some semi-autobiographical elements interweaved in its story of a group of co-workers and friends who must team up and work together in order to save Escape Room Austin from going under.

DELIVERING HOPE FIRESTORM 77 ME TO PLAY
DELIVERING HOPE, FIRESTORM ’77 THE TRUE STORY OF THE HONDA CANYON
FIRE, ME TO PLAY

Among the impressive slate of documentaries is Jordan Orsak’s Delivering Hope which chronicles the audacious attempt by ultra-runner Kevin Kline to become the first person in history to run the northernmost 300 miles of Alaska’s dangerous Dalton Highway to raise money for children suffering from cancer, However, Kline’s body shuts down with 100 miles to go, and everything – his life included, is thrown into jeopardy. Chris Hite and Dennis Ford’s award-winning Firestorm ’77 The True Story of the Honda Canyon Fire recounts the fire fought by a thousand people consisting of professional firemen and military personnel which resulted in four fatalities, sixty-five injuries close to ten thousand acres burned and significant damage to the military installation located there. The Air Force declared it a victory, a battle won by its brave Airmen. However, those who were there will tell you a different story. As part of the screening presentation, Travis County Fire Chief Robert Abbott will lead the post screening conversation about the film. Jim Bernfield’s festival hit, Me To Play takes us backstage and onstage as two professional actors with Parkinson’s disease put up an Off-Broadway production of Samuel Beckett’s “Endgame.” Mike Markwardt’s The Birth & History of Western Swing offers a comprehensive and entertaining look at Western Swing’s origins in Ft. Worth and legacy in the music landscape.

To purchase festival passes or to find more information about the Lake Travis Film Festival, please go to: www.laketravisfilmfestival.com.


2022 Lake Travis Film Festival Official Selections

OPENING NIGHT FEATURE SELECTION

Sweet Disaster
Director: Laura Lehmus
Country: Germany; Running Time: 90 min
When a 40-year-old art therapist finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, the father of her child, breaks up with her to reunite with his ex.


CLOSING NIGHT SELECTIONS

Fabletown
Director: Jordan O’Neal
Country: United States; Running Time: 82 min
A community of fairy tale characters live in hiding from the mundane, human world in New York City. But when one Fable’s true identity is exposed, a long-lost ally must return to face the community’s greatest threat, or their way of life will be forever lost.

Ranch Water
Director: Sophie Miller
Country: United States; Running Time: 80 min
Before their family ranch in Texas is sold, the Sterling sisters reunite with their once close-knit group of friends for a weekend where long simmering conflicts come to a head.


ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURES

Lucky Doug
Director: Eric Alan Rousseau
Country: United States; Running Time: 82 min
Doug finds out his long-time partner is pregnant, so he sets out to get rich, but quickly learns it’s not so easy to come up with a million-dollar idea.

Never Alone
Director: Paul Francis Bunch, Albert Soratorio
Country: United States; Running Time: 83 min
A high school romance is cut short by COVID and a new teacher uses music to lift their spirits.

Route One North
Director: Isabelle R Farrell
Country: United States; Running Time: 72 min
After their mother refuses to give 16-year-old Bee permission to marry, Bee and her sister set off to track down their long-absent father.

The Good Hearts Club
Director: William F. Reed
Country: United States; Running Time: 101 min
A tight-knit group of misfits, weirdos, and gamers, unite to hatch a plan to save Escape Room Austin from a corporate demise.

The Ugly Truth
Director: Krishna Ashu Bhati
Country: Germany; Running Time: 96 min
When an attractive 18-year-old comes to visit a seemingly idyllic family, profound problems are revealed, ultimately resulting in the tragic unraveling of this small family.


DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

Delivering Hope
Director: Jordan Orsak
Country: United States; Running Time: 89 min
Eight days before his 50th birthday, ultra-runner Kevin Kline sets out to become the first person in history to run the northernmost 300 miles of Alaska’s dangerous Dalton Highway, in winter, to raise awareness for children battling pediatric cancer. When Kline’s body shuts down after 200 miles, the crew is faced with a life-changing dilemma.

Exit
Director: Alison Jayne Wilson
Country: Spain; Running Time: 67 min
In pursuit of a life above the poverty line, three women find themselves in the depths of human trafficking networks. EXIT examines what it takes to regain one’s dignity in the face of unthinkable trauma.

Firestorm ’77 The True Story of the Honda Canyon Fire
Director: Chris Hite, Dennis Ford
Country: United States; Running Time: 54 min
Military commanders, fearful of the Base’s cold war secrets being compromised, attempted to control the protocols and procedures of the civilian fire fighters called upon to battle the1977 Honda Canyon Fire on Vandenberg Air Force Base. They intead offered up their own untrained personnel to fight a conflagration that, for all intents and purposes, should have never been fought and couldn’t be beaten.

Forever Majestic
Director: Michael Stephen Schwarz
Country: United States; Running Time: 86 min
Two activists race to save a once-bustling historic landmark struck by a mysterious fire.

Katia and Rimma
Director: Gulya Mirzoeva
Country: France; Running Time: 90 min
Rimma and her granddaughter Katia of Dushanbe, Tajikistan, are waiting for the scheduled demolition of their home and their subsequent rehousing. French-Tajik filmmaker Gulya Mirzoeva follows their intimate journey towards a new life.

Me To Play
Director: Jim Bernfield
Country: United States; Running Time: 72 min
Two professional actors with Parkinson’s disease put up an Off-Broadway production of Samuel Beckett’s “Endgame,” a play he wrote after his mother succumbed to Parkinson’s as a metaphor for living with the disease.

Never Had a Bad Day
Director: Matt Richmond
Country: United States; Running Time: 66 min
Inventor, entrepreneur and engineer Bernie Karl runs Chena Hot Springs Resort in Alaska year-round on 100% geothermal power. The film follows him as he prepares for his annual energy fair.

The Birth & History of Western Swing
Director: Mike Markwardt
Country: United States; Running Time: 74 min
This landmark film traces Western Swing’s origins, development, and legacy utilizing original and contemporary voices.

The Graduates
Director: Dusan Gajic
Country: Serbia; Running Time: 86 min
Thirty years after graduating, a group of Serbians embark on an introspective journey to examine their lives and the history of Serbia.

The Innocents
Director: Wojciech Lorenc
Country: United States; Running Time: 80 min
Using a variety of found objects composers, Allen Otte and John Late explore the issues surrounding wrongful imprisonment and exoneration in the American criminal justice system.


NARRATIVE SHORTS

A Day Will Come
Director: Nicolas Cazalé
Country: France; Running Time: 29 min

A Feast That Never Comes
Director: Maria Juranic
Country: United States; Running Time: 16 min

Amaranth
Director: Robert Lloyd Moore
Country: United States; Running Time: 13 min

Ang Motel
Director: Jon Matthews
Country: United States; Running Time: 10 min

Au79
Director: Rafael Hovhannisyan
Country: Armenia; Running Time: 7 min
Valery, a retiree working as a night watchman in a newly built building, inherited gold from his

Between The Trees
Director: Kelli Horan
Country: United States; Running Time: 16 min

Between Two Worlds
Director: Jax
Country: Not Specified; Running Time: 8 min

Brother Troll
Director: Gudmund Helmsdal
Country: Faroe Islands; Running Time: 30 min

Collision
Director: Ann Marie Martin
Country: United States, Running Time: 5 min

Composure
Director: Eric DePriester
Counytry: United States, Running Time: 11:40 min

Cookaphony
Director: Joe Chvala
Country: United States; Running Time: 9 min

Crude Massacre
Director: Ven Scott
Country: United States; Running Time: 16 min

Curiosity
Director: James Sunshine
Country: United States; Running Time: 15 min

Cutter
Director: Dan Repp, Lindsay Young
Country: United States; Running Time: 16 min

Divertimento
Director: Keyvan Sheikhalishahi
Country: France; Running Time: 30 min

Dog Gone
Director: Ronald Short
Country: United States; Running Time: 14 min

El Rey
Director: Jonathan D London
Country: United States; Running Time: 9 min

Enjoy Your Stay
Director: Tara Dickerson
Country: United States; Running Time: 6 min

Fig Jam (Film)
Director: Frank J. Avella
Country: United States; Running Time: 22 min

First Day
Director: Suzanne Weinert, Julia Barnett
Country: United States; Running Time: 5 min

Full Tilt
Director: Isaac Jeffrey Scego
Country: United States; Running Time: 40 min

Good Neighbors
Director: Lennon Sullivan
Country: United States; Running Time: 14 min

I Hate You
Director: Taylor Olson, Koumbie
Country: Canada; Running Time: 9 min

Jimmy Arcurio Presents: Rebel Without A Beer
Director: Mattias Marasigan
Country: United States; Running Time: 18 min

Karate Belt
Director: Stephen Huff
Country: United States; Running Time: 12 min

Lifecell
Director: Tyler Mann
Country: United States; Running Time: 13 min

Loose Ends
Director: Shrader Thomas
Country: United States; Running Time: 12 min

Man Seeking Man
Director: Travis White
Country: United States; Running Time: 12 min

Millennial Tiny House USA!
Director: Joshua Koszewski
Country: United States; Running Time: 13 min

Neon
Director: Ehson Rad
Country: United States; Running Time: 10 min

Oh Deer
Director: Richard C. Jones
Country: United States; Running Time: 6 min

Saving Salvador
Director: Luisa Maria González
Country: United States; Running Time: 12 min

Scout
Director: Allen Robertson, Damon Brown
Country: United States; Running Time: 45 min

Second Wedding
Director: Taylor Olson
Country: Canada; Running Time: 9 min

Sons of Toledo
Director: Monty Cole
Country: United States; Running Time: 20 min

Terminator: Bad Judgment Day
Director: Lisa Belcher
Country: United States; Running Time: 6 min

The Perfect Fit
Director: Anya Swanson
Country: United States; Running Time: 16 min

The Puppeteer
Director: Paul Greenamyer
Country: Not Specified; Running Time: 8 min

The Terrible Old Woman
Director: Troy Wayne Fortenberry
Country: United States; Running Time: 19 min

The West Virginian Starfish
Director: Katherine Davidson, Hyten Davidson
Country: United States; Running Time: 15 min

The Witch’s Bargain
Director: Corey J. Trahan
Country: United States; Running Time: 30 min

Wasted Seed
Director: Nino Mancuso
Country: United States; Running Time: 18 min

Yester-Year
Director: Andrew Kallimani
Country: United States; Running Time: 7 min

Zabut
Director: Giuseppe Schillaci
Country: Italy; Running Time: 21 min


DOCUMENTARY SHORTS

Jedi Training – Equality Begins at the First Bolt
Director: Drew J Hayes
Country: United States; Running Time: 28 min

Rector
Director: Lester Platt
Country: United States; Running Time: 22 min

Sunset at Dry Creek
Director: Budro Partida
Country: United States; Running Time: 30 min

The Art of The Headshot
Director: Keaton Davis
Country: United States; Running Time: 11 min

Three Seconds Later
Director: Justin Sweidel, Christopher Shepherd
Country: United States; Running Time: 12 min

Waterproof
Director: Ross Kauffman
Country: United States; Running Time: 31 min


MUSIC VIDEOS

AZXO – Idle Mind
Director: Joey Martinez, Zhipeng Xing
Country: United States; Running Time: 3 min

Baker Hotel
Director: Billy Cano
Country: United States; Running Time: 8 min

Brandon Callies Band “Gone Cold”
Director: Brandon Norman Callies, Paco Estrada
Country: United States; Running Time: 5 min

Kady Rain – Got Away
Director: Jackie Pardue Scripps
Country: United States; Running Time: 3 min

Reverie
Director: Caitlin Gray
Country: United States; Running Time: 5 min

Shining Light
Director: Taylor Fredricks
Country: United States; Running Time: 5 min

Small One
Director: Micah Nelson, Alexandra Dascalu
Country: United States; Running Time: 4 min

Smoky Cold Pint Glass
Director: Taylor Fredricks, ImaGene Loop
Country: United States; Running Time: 4 min

Super Penguin
Director: Matthew Gilchrest
Country: United States; Running Time: 3 min


STUDENT SHORTS

Dead Keys
Director: Allegra Pizzolatto
Country: United States; Running Time: 2 min

Earthbound
Director: Hendrix Crockard
Country: United States; Running Time: 3 min

First Days
Director: Parker Benningfield
Country: United States; Running Time: 2 min

Gone
Director: Kyle Ward
Country: United States; Running Time: 5 min

I’m Here
Director: Grace Eitrheim
Country: United States; Running Time: 3 min

It’s Getting Bad Again
Director: Sarah Reyes
Country: United States; Running Time: 4 min

Saving Santino
Director: Jonathan Campos, Hans Sellers
Country: United States; Running Time: 9 min

Summer Days
Director: Ava Nicole Wilson
Country: United States; Running Time: 3 min

Sunny Side Up
Director: Lucy Kimber
Country: USA; Running Time: 2 min

The Face Off
Director: Jose Miguel Martinez-McIntosh
Country: United States; Running Time: 5 min

The Final Thought
Director: Tadji Ulrich
Country: Australia; Running Time: 10 min

The Suit
Director: Cassy Steuerwald
Country: USA; Running Time: 3 min




ABOUT LAKE TRAVIS FILM FESTIVAL (LTFF)
Lake Travis Film Festival (LTFF), is a vibrant experiential festival with an eye to showcasing filmmakers around the globe with authenticity, vision, and purpose. The festival connects independent filmmakers and industry professionals with an eager community audience. Located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country it offers natural beauty and an abundance of visitor activities including many hotels and locations suited to the screenings, parties, and workshops that will accompany the event. Featuring intimate discussions, exhilarating after parties, and unparalleled access to some of the most exciting venues in the Lake Travis area make the Lake Travis Film Festival a destination for filmmakers and a cultural enhancement for the community. In addition to an annual slate of films in juried competition, the festival offers a showcase for young filmmakers to screen their work.

Fantasia 2022 review: ‘Incredible But True’ is another ludicrously comical creation from filmmaker Quentin Dupieux.

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INCREDIBLE BUT TRUE

Quentin Dupieux brings his unique level of absurdity to audiences once again with Fantasia 2022 film Incredible But True. Alain and Marie’s new home comes with one hell of a caveat; a tunnel in the basement that transports the individual 12 hrs forward in time. But that’s not all it does. This sharp comedy manages to be socially relevant through its silliness. 

The meandering dialogue is hilarious and infuriating. Dupieux has characters constantly waiting to get to the damn point already, and you know what? It works like gangbusters. Performances are outstanding across the board. They feel effortless through the profound theme of chasing vanity. His previous films Rubber, Keep An Eye Out, and Mandibles are cult classics. Incredible But True is a brilliantly bizarre addition to his signature storytelling style. You’ll want it in your Dupieux catalog. 

To find out more about Incredible but true screening at Fantasia 2022 click here!

Incredible But True sees a husband and wife move into a suburban house of their dreams only to discover that a mysterious secret is hidden in the basement, which may change their lives forever.
The quirky French comedy stars Alain Chabat (The Science of Sleep, Mood Indigo), Léa Drucker (Custody, The Man of My Life), Benoît Magimel (The Piano Teacher, Thieves) and Anaïs Demoustier (Sweet Evil, Alice and the Mayor).

Fantasia 2022 review: ‘The Breach’ is gooey and gruesome.

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The Breach

Just before he leaves for the big city, Chief of Police John Hawkins (Allan Hawco) is asked to consult on a strange case. A body is found in a boat on the Porcupine River with unsettling wounds.

Director Rodrigo Gudiño brings the gross and engrossing to Fantasia 2022 with The Breach. A genre mash-up of sorts that’s as gooey as it is mindboggling. When a body washes up on shore, the small-town Chief of Police follows the clues that lead him to an isolated house in the woods. With his pseudo-girlfriend and her ex in tow, the mystery grows deeper (and weirder) with strange writings, the home in shambles, mutilated bodies, and supernatural happenings. 

The film begins with a bang. Sweeping shots of a seemingly abandoned canoe quietly floating down the river. The title is reminiscent of classic horror films like The Blob. We become familiar with the townspeople pulled into this bizarre case. Suddenly the pace feels like it goes off a cliff. 

Here is where I struggled. In the film’s final third, the screenplay takes three very different concepts and tries to mash them together. It was a real head-scratcher for me, as I was all in with the body horror ala The Fly idea. Everything sort of implodes from there. Ian Weir and Craig Davidson‘s screenplay is based on an audible original of the same name by Nick Cutter. (Cutter is Davidson, Davidson is Cutter) It makes me want to go back to the source material to compare the work. 

The best performance comes from Natalie Brown as Laura. She is a mother mired in grief and desperate for answers from her physicist ex-husband. Her vulnerability, anguish, and badassery should be applauded.

Yes, that kickass music you hear is by executive producer and rick legend, Slash. It’s nothing short of epic. Arguably the best aspect of The Breach is the design team. The main set is a spectacularly dressed mess with peeling wallpaper and inches of dust. Practical FX and makeup are literally gag-worthy. These are the things Fantasia audiences eat for breakfast.

Click here for all things Fantasia 2022!

Fantasia 2022 review: ‘Moloch’ brings unique folklore horror to viewers.

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MOLOCH

A sinister score from Ella Van Der Woude and sweeping cinematography by Emo Weemhoff immediately let us know we’re in for something truly frightening. Perhaps cyclical in nature, unresolved trauma rears its ugly head in the form of a supernatural creature and a celebrated legend. Moloch is a keenly written and beautifully performed horror.

Sallie Harmsen plays Betriek with an unbridled nuance. Existing in a caretaker role for her mother and young daughter, we are privy to childhood trauma that everyone in town seems to know more about than Betriek. Harmsen is raw and determined. She encapsulates a woman mired in distress.

It’s not an exaggeration to say my mouth was agape at the final reveal. So many seemingly minute details in the script came rushing into my brain. Writer-director Nico Van Den Brink and writer Daan Bakker have given Fantasia 2022 audiences a moody, atmospheric folklore horror. Lucky for Shudder fans, Moloch is now available to stream.

38-year-old Betriek lives at the edge of a peat bog in the North of the Netherlands. When she and her family are attacked by a random stranger one night, Betriek sets out to find an explanation. The more she digs, the more she becomes convinced that she is being hunted by something ancient.

Premieres July 21 on Shudder

Click here for more info on Fantasia 2022!

Fantasia 2022 short film reviews: ‘Deiji Meets Girl’ and ‘Summer Ghost’ are whimsical and complex

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Deiji Meets Girl

Deiji meets girl

Sixteen-year-old Maisie Higa works at the front desk of her family’s hotel, and she’s bored out of her mind. Then a familiar-looking teenage boy from Tokyo checks in, and Maisie’s summer break gets weird. She is scrappy, emotional, enthusiastic, and dramatic, and I could not get enough of her. Maisie has the perfect foil in the character of Ichiro Suzuki, who is overly nonchalant and annoyed about their whimsical predicaments. The two offer nonstop laughs and smiles as they experience their ever-evolving surroundings. I would eat this up as a feature. It has a lot of similar qualities as the Prime Video series Upload. In its current micro-series form, Deiji Meets Girl is the perfect lighthearted and creative entry for Fantasia 2022 audiences to enjoy. 

Summer Ghost

This stunning 40 minutes film about mental health comes to us in a gorgeously told mystery. When three young people meet in hopes of catching a glimpse of a local legend of a ghost girl, emotions run high as each carries the weight of sadness only known to them. With an ethereal score from Akira Kosemura and nuanced storytelling, Summer Ghost took my breath away, quite literally. It’s one of those films that run away with your attention before you have a moment to notice the runtime. With thoughtful writing from Otsuichi and a gasp-worthy ending, this one will be with me for a long time.

Both films screen as part of the Anime no Bento 2022 program

 

Fantasia 2022 review: The brutality of ‘Megalomaniac’ is burned into my brain.

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MEGALOMANIAC

Offspring of the most notorious and elusive serial killer in Belgium’s history, Martha must navigate her brother taking up the family mantle, working a job where she is the victim of sexual abuse, and the fragility of her sanity. Writer-director Karim Ouelhaj gives Fantasia 2022 audiences one of the most brutal and brilliant films of the year.

The sumptuous score from Gary Moonboots and Simon Fransquet is a push and pull between heaven and hell. The production design and camera work will haunt your nightmares. Simultaneously hideous and magnificent, the vast family mansion Felix and Martha reside in has cracking plaster walls, carved mahogany structures, and a plethora of aggressively posed taxidermy creatures. It’s Dracula’s wet dream.

Actress Eline Schumacher leaves her soul on the screen. The slow, deliberate fracturing of the human psyche is breathtaking. It’s a brave, emotionally wrought, and award-worthy performance.

It’s an understatement to say that the imagery in Megalomaniac made my blood run cold. I winced as I witnessed unapologetic violence on women’s bodies. The fear Martha experiences had a visceral effect on me. The film examines the patriarchal power structure in a heartbreaking and infuriating way. Ouelhaj nails it. The term “triggering” is not one I use often, but Megalomaniac encompasses that word from start to finish. The cyclical nature of evil cannot be denied.

To find out more about Fantasia 2022 click here!

Fantasia 2022 review: Zombies, comedy, remakes, Oh My! ‘Coupez!’ brings bloodbath and laughs.

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COUPEZ!

*Full disclosure, I have not seen Shinichiro Ueda‘s One Cut of The Dead (Fantasia 2018). This review is solely my take on COUPEZ!*

An eccentric director who activated a curse in order to get the best film possible? Sounds more like an industry documentary than a horror comedy to me. Coupez! turns filmmaking on its head with a structure that keeps on giving. Do not get comfortable because you’re about to enter the world of money, fame, indulgence, and the ridiculous in three distinct acts. 

Coupez! is unafraid to make fun of the collective zombie/ horror genre. At times, it’s like watching Film Twitter arguing with itself. This meta take on the industry will delight to no end. The handheld camera puts the audience into the action in a one-take, real-time unfolding of hilarious chaos. One can only imagine the amount of rehearsal it required to coordinate. The practical FX are cleverly achieved just out of sight. 

These actors give 200% in this splatterfest. The cast’s unwavering commitment sells this film. Romain Duris as Remi is just trying his best to make the movie he created on the page. But, like Hollywood, everyone has their hand/opinion in the proverbial pot. Duris has an upbeat energy that pulls you into his story. In truth, Coupez! is a masterful ensemble film. The double entendre dialogue never misses. It’s kind of like an amped-up version of Shawn of the Dead meets Noises Off. It was a risky move for writer-director Michel Hazanavicius to bring Coupez! to Fantasia 2022, but a massively successful one.

Click here for all things Fantasia 2022!

Fantasia 2022 review: ‘All Jacked Up and Full Of Worms’ is gagworthy arthouse horror.

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ALL JACKED UP AND FULL OF WORMS

Writer-director Alex Phillips brings a special kind of WTF to Fantasia 2022 with micro-budget arthouse horror, All Jacked Up and Full of Worms. In a wicked multiple narrative of some seriously messed up people, we are party to some of the sickest storylines we never signed up for. Roscoe, a motel maintenance man in a creepy, sexually adventurous throuple, a mentally ill man named Benny looking to be a father, a violent addict couple, the former pagan member giving an endless interview, and his sex worker daughter all collide. The throughline of these stories is that the characters ingest worms like drugs. The consequences will make you as queasy as you think. If David Cronenberg and Requiem for a Dream had a baby, you might get All Jacked Up and Full of Worms in the bassinet. The likelihood that you’ll be looking around the theatre to check if everyone else is just as horrified as you are incredibly high. Would I recommend you watch high? I’m not not saying it’s a good idea. Films like this bring audiences to Fantasia in the first place. Am I jacked up to see what Alex Phillips does next? Yup.

All Jacked Up and Full of Worms also stars Eva Fellows, Mike Lopez, Carol Rhyu, and Sammy Arechar. The film was produced by Phillips, Georgia Bernstein, and Ben Gojer.

Click here for more information about Fantasia 2022

Fantasia International Film Festival is back with its 26th edition to rescue us from reality. Here’s what we’re excited to see! #Fantasia2022

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It’s no secret that all the best genre films come through Fantasia Film Festival. 2022’s fest comes just in time to distract us from all the actual horrible things happening in the world.

Welcome to a list of things we’re excited about playing this year. Some are already on our best of the year lists and some we anticipate adding. Check out our picks below.

For all things Fantasia Film Festival 2022 stay tuned to Reel News Daily with some special posts from our friends at Unseen Films. 

Six films we’ve seen at previous festivals and their reviews can be found below. Highly recommend each of them for a myriad of reasons.

Next Exit
Legions
Sissy


Honeycomb
Hypochondriac
Speak No Evil (One of the year’s most brutal films)


FREAKS OUT (Italy)

– Dir: Gabriele Mainetti

Rome, 1943. A pack of sideshow performers with supernatural powers face off against occupying Nazis in the most unusual superhero film you will ever see. This fantastical and gutsy celebration of the different that walks an electrifying tightrope between blockbuster filmmaking and edgier, more subversive genre work. From the director of THEY CALL ME JEEG. Winner of the Leoncino d’Oro at last fall’s Venice Film Festival. Canadian Premiere. 

Sounding like a genre fan’s wet dream, FreaksOut is a priority watch this year.


Princesse Dragon

Bristle is a little girl raised by dragons. But when her father, Dragon, has to pay the Sorcerog using his second most valuable asset, he offers her Bristle – Throwing her into an infinite sadness and forcing her to flee the family cave. Bristle then embarks on a journey to discover the world of men.

Feminist anime? Give it to me all day, every day.

Polaris

Set in 2144 against the harsh backdrop of a frozen wasteland, Sumi, a human child raised by Mama Polar Bear, narrowly escapes capture from a brutal Morad hunting party and sets out across the vast winter landscape. When Sumi stumbles across Frozen Girl, an unlikely friendship is forged and together they race ahead of the vindictive hunters towards the only guiding light Sumi knows, the Polaris star.

All female-led opening film. Sold.

One Cut of the Dead

(French remake of the cult classic)

After opening this year’s Cannes, FINAL CUT (Coupez!), Michel Hazanavicius’s riotous remake of Shinichirou Ueda’s ONE CUT OF THE DEAD, is coming to North America. Starring Romain Duris, Bérénice Bejo, Grégory Gadebois, Finnegan Oldfield, Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, and Yoshiko Takehara reprising her beloved role from the original film as a producer, this hilarious ode to the do-or-die spirit of filmmaking is a joy to behold. It is especially noteworthy for the film’s North American journey to be starting at Fantasia, as the festival was among the first to popularize the original Audience Award-winning ONE CUT OF THE DEAD in the West. Poetically, Ueda’s latest, POPRAN, will also be having its North American Premiere at the festival this year. Bet your viewfinder that FINAL CUT is going to bring the house down in cheers. North American Premiere.

Without knowing the original, the buzz around this remake is out of this world. Will it live up to its predecessor? I guess we’ll all find out together.

Huesera

Pregnant with her first child and consumed by terrifying visions, Valeria (Natalia Solián) believes that she may be cursed by a supernatural entity. A brilliant and frightening breakout debut as important as Jennifer Kent’s THE BABADOOK, HUESERA firmly announces Mexico’s Michelle Garza Cervera as one of the leading new voices of the genre. A scorching personal vision that asks complex questions with ferocious honesty, this profound, nightmarish blessing comes to Fantasia hot off its award-winning Tribeca launch and is already one of the most talked-about genre works of the year.  Canadian Premiere. 

A big winner out of Tribeca 22, this is a slick film tackling identity and motherhood in a surprising way. If you’ve ever been pregnant and didn’t love every single second of it, this one will cut extra deep.


Bodies, Bodies, Bodies

Also screening as part of Fantasia’s closing night events will be Halina Reijn’s wildly entertaining and gloriously twisted BODIES BODIES BODIES. A party game leads to murder when young and wealthy friends gather at a remote family mansion in this instant classic comedy horror joyride that maintains a taut balance of uneasy tension and wicked humor. Starring Amandla Stenberg (THE HATE U GIVE), Maria Bakalova (BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM), Myha’la Herrold (INDUSTRY), Rachel Sennott (SHIVA BABY) and comedy superstar Pete Davidson. Special Screening.

When people cannot stop talking about a film, you know you have to see it. Coming to theaters August 5th.

 DIRECTOR: Halina Reijn CAST: Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha’la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, Rachel Sennott, with Lee Pace and Pete Davidson

Piggy

Laura Galán appears in PIGGY by Carlota Pereda

During the sweltering summertime of rural Spain, Sara carries an extra load of teenage agony due to the perpetual bullying from her peers. She’s also an outsider at home—her parents and little brother just don’t understand her—so, feelings internalized, she’s often found buried in her headphones, drowning out her surroundings. One day, Sara’s usual solo dip at the local pool is disrupted by the presence of a mysterious stranger in the water and an exceptionally grueling bout of abuse at the hands of three girls. But, in a strange twist of fate, along the way home Sara witnesses her bloodied tormentors being kidnapped in the back of the stranger’s van.

Another buzzy title, this one focusing on mean girls and morality is a star vehicle for actress Laura Galán.

The Pez Outlaw

Steve Glew spent the 1990s smuggling rare pez dispensers into the USA from Eastern Europe, making millions of dollars. It was all magical until his arch-nemesis, The Pezident decided to destroy him.

Who wouldn’t want to watch a film about rival pez dispenser smugglers is really the question.

Everybody Goes To The Hosptial (short film)


Based on a true story, EVERYBODY GOES TO THE HOSPITAL is a stop motion animated exploration of physical, psychological, and familial trauma, telling the tale of 4-year-old Little Mata (writer/director Tiffany Kimmel’s mother) as she’s taken to the hospital in late 1963 with appendicitis.

This is s personal pick for me, as someone traumatized by hospitals more than once in my life. The first time was when I was diagnosed with appendicitis. Check out a teaser here.

For all things Fantasia 2022 stay tuned to Reel News Daily with some special posts from our friends at Unseen Films.

 

Bentonville Film Festival 2022 reviews: Short films ‘Anniversary’ & ‘The Syed Family Xmas Eve Game Night’ celebrate sisterhood in all its messy glory.

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ANNIVERSARY

Laugh out loud funny short film Anniversary finds two best friends and next-door neighbors getting glam together in preparation for what Carla thinks is a surprise 25th-anniversary dinner with her husband.

This unapologetic and unfiltered look at friendship is hysterical. The film possesses timeless energy. The costumes are bright, and the camera work is notably fun. Actresses Johnnie Mae and Lin Tucci have magical chemistry. Director Lain Kienzle highlights the importance of female bonding. In the end, it’s pure delight.

The Syed Family Xmas Eve Game Night

Three very different sisters collide during holiday festivities. Seeking the approval of her eldest and feistiest sister, Noor hopes her partner Luz makes a good impression. 

The cinematography and editing are super fun. Instagram-style stories add a modern touch. It is what I do with my siblings during game nights. The cast is spectacular. For a short film, these characters are lush and eclectic. Director Fawzia Mirza and writer-producer Kausar Mohammed absolutely nail the family dynamic. The Syed Family Xmas Eve Game Night will make you laugh, cringe, and nod your head knowingly. Bentonville Film Festival 2022 audiences will love it.

 

Tribeca 2022 reviews from Unseen Films: ‘Space Oddity’

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SPACE ODDITY

One of my favorite films of this year’s Tribeca was a film I wasn’t planning on seeing. It wasn’t until I decided to focus on the films not in the press library that it jumped onto my dance card…. and right into my heart.

The story follows Alex, a young man in a broken family, who is planning on heading to Mars on a one-way mission.  He wants to go to get away from the troubles of the world, but also from the reminders of his brother who died saving his life in a car crash. Unfortunately for him, his plans end up crashing into Daisy, a young woman new to the town. Now that Alex has met Daisy will he give up his plans and stay on earth.

Do you have to ask?

Yea, you know how this will go but it’s so well done you won’t care. I mean you really won’t care because you will be so absolutely in love with everyone on screen. These are wounded people we know. They are us. God bless director Kyra Sedgwick for keeping everyone real and not insisting that everyone gets fixed by the end. Yea there is hope but the damage is still there. As a result, the film resonates deeper.

What a glorious film.

The performances are across the board wonderful Kevin Bacon may have his best role here. Yea it’s nothing special on the face of it but watch all of the shading he gives it. Listen to the emotion in his voice. Alexandra Shipp is magical. She makes Daisy the person we all want to fall in love with.

I love this film. I really do.

It’s a joy.

Highly recommended.

DIRECTOR
Kyra Sedgwick
PRODUCER
Valerie Stadler, Kyra Sedgwick, Meredith Bagby, Richard Arlook, Jack Greenbaum, Mark Maxey, Mickey Schiff
SCREENWRITER
Rebecca Banner
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Alar Kivilo
EDITOR
Stefanie Visser
COMPOSER
Travis Bacon and Scott Hedrick
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Paolo Mottola Jr., Joe Z. Crosby, Ibrahim Alhusseini, JL Pomeroy, Daryl Roth, Brent Emery
CAST
Kyle Allen, Alexandra Shipp, Madeline Brewer, Carrie Preston, Simon Helberg, Kevin Bacon, Andrew Polk

Tribeca Film Festival 2022 review: ‘Of Medicine and Miracles’ provides a balanced look at the potential and problems of modern medicine.

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OF MEDICINE AND MIRACLES

You cannot help but be moved by Of Medicine and Miracles. This is an in-depth documentary of a thrilling achievement: an attempt to cure cancer by using cutting-edge medical science.  This story is told through the prism of one patient, young Emily Whitehead, who was diagnosed with leukemia when she was only 6 years old. When the standard course of treatment fails Emily, her health quickly worsens. Out of options, she is given the chance to enroll in a promising, but risky clinical trial.

The documentary benefits from direct interviews with Emily’s parents. Their emotional re-telling of events is incredibly moving. Their urgency and desperation are palpable. The audience also peers behind the curtain at the vast medical infrastructure supporting Emily’s treatment – the researchers, physicians, nurses, regulators, and the extended care team. The expression “it takes a village” will truly resonate differently for you after viewing this documentary.

You will be inspired, yes, but also frustrated. Of Medicine and Miracles also provides a clear-eyed perspective on the dysfunction plaguing the medical system. While the documentary takes great pains to showcase the innovation at the core of Emily’s treatment, it is equally clear that her life was often in the balance due to incredibly frustrating circumstances. Emily’s local care center does not recommend she seek out a clinical trial – it is only because her family shows the courage to solicit a second opinion from a leading pediatric facility (Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia) that Emily is even offered a chance at new complex regional pain syndrome cannabis treatments. Not everyone has the luxury of such a facility within driving distance. A critical last-minute care decision is shown to be possible only because members of Emily’s care team have read the right medical journal articles. This documentary shows us a miracle, yes, but also demonstrates that this miracle finds the light thanks to a foundation of privilege and luck.

Ross Kauffman’s documentary is an impressively balanced effort. It provides an incredibly intimate look at a family undergoing an incredible challenge, and the way this family is at times equally supported and challenged by our country’s medical structure.  I left it both inspired and enraged.

Available Starting

Tue June 14 – 6:00 PM

At Home

BUY NOW

DIRECTOR
Ross Kauffman
PRODUCER
Robin Honan, Nicole Galovski
CINEMATOGRAPHERS
Ross Kauffman, Henry Roosevelt, Naiti Gamez
COMPOSER
Amie Doherty
EDITOR
Hypatia Porter
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS
Sean Parker, Lessing Stern, Babbie Lester, Pam Williams, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Randall Gebhardt, Christopher Gebhardt, Eric Esrailian, Regina Scully, Jamie Wolf, Rusty Robertson
ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS
Gabriela Figueredo, Minoo Allen, Zada Clarke

Bentonville Film Festival 2022 short review: ‘Honey and Clover: A Recipe For Disaster’

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HONEY AND CLOVER


SYNOPSIS
Honey and Clover are former child stars from the hit show Rink Inc. where they played crime-fighting sisters whose parents owned a roller-skating rink. Past and future collide threatening to reveal their darkest secrets when the two are thrust back into the spotlight together after years of estrangement. They are forced to accept that the only way they can survive is together. Their timely reconnection teaches them to cope with their new lives while coming to terms with the shocking past that tore them apart in this deeply empathetic and magical portrayal of friendship.

A solid proof of concept short, I found myself wanting more information on both the leads and their manager Max, played spectacularly by actor Ray Abruzzo. I want to know who else this guy represents. Give me an entire BoJack Horseman style section in a series of all his clients. Our leading ladies, Theresa Burkhart Gallagher and Jackie Monahan engaging and complex. The short ramps up about 10 minutes in with a fun action scene mirroring their heyday skills. This was badass. The information we’re missing from their youth and everything in between feels pretty pertinent to the present-day chaos. I was genuinely interested. I’d love to see how Rink Inc. came to fruition, from the girls meeting as teens, cut back and forth their success, and their ultimate fallout. I’m assuming that’s the goal with this short. In its current form, Honey and Clover expertly bate the hook. Get me a pair of skates, I’m ready to roll.

Director:                                 Andrea Maxwell
Writers:                                   Matthew Gallagher, Theresa Burkhart Gallagher, Jackie Monahan
Producers:                             Matthew Gallagher, Theresa Burkhart Gallagher, Andrea Maxwell,
Jackie Monahan, Diana Zollicoffer
Executive Producers:            Emily De Margheriti, Benjamin Sharpe, Greg Tally
Editor:                                     Andrea Maxwell
Cinematographer:                 Sherri Kauk                          
Music:                                     Allyson Newman
Cast:                                       Theresa Burkhart Gallagher, Jackie Monahan, Ray Abruzzo, Dan Lauria,
David Barrera
TRT:                                        14:36 min
Country:                                 USA

Screening information:
Thursday, June 23 at 3:00PM
Awkward At Any Age (Competition Shorts)
Walmart World Room (105 North Main Street)

Ticketing information:
https://www.goelevent.com/BFF/e/AwkwardAtAnyAgeCompetitionShorts

Short films in our competition lineup telling stories at key moments of personal growth from childhood to adulthood and beyond. This program includes THE WEIGHT OF IT (Directed by Olivia Marie Valdez, Einar Soler Fernandez, Sandra Afonso Rodriguez), LOVE’S BABY SOFT (Directed by Lanie Zipoy), AMERIGIRL (Directed by Samina Saifee), ANNIVERSARY (Directed by Lain Kienzle), SEASICK (Directed by Lindsey Ryan), WEI-LAI (Directed by Robin Wang), HOPEFUL ROMANTIC (Directed by Kate Vinen) and HONEY AND CLOVER: A RECIPE FOR DISASTER (Directed by Andrea Maxwell).

Tribeca Film Festival 2022 reviews from Unseen Films: ‘It Ain’t Over’ & ‘Of Medicine and Miracles’

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Of Medicine and Miracles (2022) Tribeca 2022

This is the story of young Emily Whitehead’s battle with cancer through the battles of her doctors to cure her and others.

This is a good look at the battle to cure cancer for everyone. There is a great story here about how thinking outside of the box has opened the door to curing numerous cancers and possibly other diseases as well. Watching the film you will be filled with a great deal of hope for tomorrow.

As good as the film is the film isn’t perfect. The film is very dense with a lot of material, some of which doesn’t need to be here. Points are hammered home several times and more than once I wished bits had been removed. The film also is a bit too manipulative. This film is structured from the start to be a tearjerker in an obvious way. We are not given the choice to feel, the editors took care of it for us. I felt manipulated.

And yet this film has haunted me. The hope for a cure the film highlights can’t help but make you smile.

Reservations aside the film is worth a look.

It Ain’t Over (2022) Tribeca 2022

When Major League Baseball had the four greatest living baseball players show up at the  All-Star Game, they made a major mistake in forgetting Yogi Berra. While he is best known for his Yogi-isms, most people forget how good a player he really was. How good was he? He has 13 World Series rings, 10 as a player, which is more than the four players the shuttled out combined. When Berra’s granddaughter saw the “mistake” she took steps to correct it.

Containing a who’s who of admirers, both in baseball and out, IT’ AIN’T OVER is a moving film that fixes the record regarding Yogi Berra. One of the greatest that ever played, this film makes it clear that he was in many ways more amazing than Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. The trouble is he was a lovable guy who said things that sounded goofy (When you see a fork in the road take it).  He let the media create a character for him and he went with it, which endeared him to generations while hiding his real achievements.

Everything seems to be here, from his friendship with Jackie Robinson to his support of LGBT rights to a long laundry list of amazing things. Berra never stopped doing and doing the right thing.

I really liked this film a great deal. This is a superb film that is full of laughs and tears and more nostalgia than you can shake a stick at.

That said the film has one big problem and that is the film relies a bit too much on Berra’s granddaughter. While what she tells us is golden, having so much come from her and not other baseball players kind of lessens things. Why is she telling us this and not some of the other people who are interviewed? While I’m a long-time Berra fan and understand how good he was, I know people coming in blind may not be convinced.

Slight reservation aside, this film is an absolute must, more so if you love baseball.

For more of Steve’s insights on Tribeca 22, head over to Unseen Films!

Tribeca Film Festival 2022 reviews from Unseen Films: ‘Bowery’ & ‘The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks’

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Brief thoughts on Bowery (2022) Tribeca 2022

BOWERY is a wonderful film. A deeply moving portrait of people living on the street in the Bowery section of New York City, it is warts and all portrait of some good people in a bad circumstance. I was moved.

One of the biggest head-scratching moments to come out of Tribeca is why BOWERY didn’t play in person at the festival (it played online). The Bowery is down the street across  Manhattan from the area that gives the festival its title. It’s a film that is rooted deeply in New York City and the festival should have put it up on the big screen.

I really liked this film a great deal. Being someone who frequented the areas in the film I felt at home. I loved that the film didn’t judge anyone. It simply let everyone be, with the result being is a documentary of great power.

A must-see.

The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks (2022) Tribeca 2022

The life and times of Rosa Parks, best known for refusing to give up her seat on a bus in the segregated south. The truth is there is a hell of a lot more to the small woman than most people know. She was politically active from an early age and never stopped trying to change the world.

This is a really good look at a woman who was revered by millions around the world. She was a woman who shook the pillars of heaven and influenced unexpected people. For example, when Nelson Mandela came to the US  he was going along a receiving line shaking hands until he caught sight of Mrs. Parks and he then bolted to her and snatched her up and gave her a bear hug. This is a film that is going to go a long way toward enhancing her reputation simply because it lets everyone know how special she was.

If I have any problem with the film it’s that the film drops the linear structure a couple of times to jump ahead for various reasons. While I understand why it was done, thematically the flash-forward tied into the moment at hand, the problem was that we didn’t have a setup for them. For example, The Republic of New Afrika is mentioned but fully explained.

Minor quibbles aside this film is a must-see simply because odds are you don’t know the full story of what Mrs. Parks did, and you really need to.

Recommended

See more of Steve’s insane amount of Tribeca 22 coverage at Unseen Films

Bentonville Film Festival 2022 world premiere: ‘The Seven Faces Of Jane’ is a visionary experiment from 8 filmmakers.

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THE SEVEN FACES OF JANE

Eight filmmakers come together to create one genre-obliterating film that centers around a woman named Jane. 

Goodbye/Hello

Gillian Jacobs

Jane drops off her daughter at sleepaway camp.

JaneSquared

Gia Coppola

In search of coffee, Jane encounters her doppelganger. 

Tayo

Boma Iluma

Jane reconnects with a previous lover. With super 8 footage overtop flashbacks, this story is pure romantic nostalgia. 

Guardian

Ryan Heffington

Jane rides an emotional and musical rollercoaster from delight to broken-heartedness, celebrating the friendship between her and a friend named Sybil. 

The Lonesome Road

Xan Cassavetes 

Jane picks up a free-spirited hitchhiker. Their drive is a fantasy sequence in more than one way. 

Rose

Julian J. Acosta

Jane encounters a girl running away from her Quinceanera. Their conversation turns to identity and confessions. It’s a celebration of similarities amongst strangers. As Rose, actress Daniela Hernandez is a star. 

The One Who Got Away

Ken Jeong

Community costar Joel McHale reunites with Gilligan Jacobs when Jane flags down a jogger and old friend sharing an intimate past. Jacobs and McHale have explosive chemistry together. When it comes down to it, McHale completely steals this scene. It is a wow of a turn. 

The Audition

Alex Takacs

Jane attends a call for a mysterious audition that begs more questions than answers. Breeda Wool gives us a manic performance you’ll struggle to shake. 

The only visual throughline is Jacobs and Jane’s all-new Ford Mustang Mach E. The automaker worked with producer Roman Coppola to bring the film to life. The stylistic maneuvering never lets you tune out. As each story differs in length and cinematography, The Seven Faces of Jane is an extraordinary film. Bentonville 2022 audiences are in for one wild ride.

Directed by:

Gillian Jacobs, Gia Coppola, Boma Iluma, Ryan Heffington, Xan Cassavetes, Julian J. Acosta, Ken Jeong, Alex Takacs

Starring:

Gillian Jacobs, Anthony Skordi, Chido Nwokocha, Sybil Azur, Emanuela Postacchini, Joni Reiss, Soledad St. Hilaire, Joel McHale, Caroline Ducrocq, Breeda Wool

Produced by:

Roman Coppola p.g.a., Jason Baum p.g.a. Sarah Park. Allison Amon p.g.a. and Luke Ricci

Executive Producers:

Chris Chang, Duffy Culligan, Tara Schaeffer, Alessandro Uzielli and Jordan Weisman

Editors:

Peter Cabada Hagan, Scott Hanson, Armen Harootun, Niles Howard, Jacob Mendel, Michael Wolfe

Cinematographer:

Andy Catarisano

Runtime:

92 minutes

To find out more about Bentonville 2022 click here!

In-Person Festival – June 22 – 26; Virtual Festival – June 22 – July 3

Tribeca Immersive 2022 reviews: ‘Plastisapiens’ & ‘This Is Not A Ceremony’ are visions of despair and pleas for action.

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THIS IS NOT A CEREMONY

I was greeted outside the exhibit by director Ahnahktsipiitaa (Colin Van Loon) before I knew I was about to enter his endlessly effective film. As I sat with VR goggles on in a small dark room, I was treated to an experience that would leave me forever changed. I bore witness to tragic stories of racism and mistreatment of Canadian Indigenous people. This structure is like a fever dream with reenactments, an enormous burning buffalo, and two indigenous narrators that guided my eyes in a 360-degree manner. When immersive tech first started to appear at film festivals, I was one of the earlier guinea pigs. Now, outside of the gaming world, immersive films have the ability to place an audience inside a story, touching almost every one of our senses. When This Is Not A Ceremony concluded, Van Loon handed me a Blackfoot tobacco tie, thanking me for being part of this narrative. The passion and format of this film are unmissable. You cannot help but feel the need to do something about the ongoing injustice. This Is Not A Ceremony is a haunting call to action.

PRODUCED BY
NFB (Dana Dansereau)
PUBLISHER
NFB (Dana Dansereau)
DIRECTOR
Ahnahktsipiitaa
PROJECT CREATOR
Ahnahktsipiitaa (Colin Van Loon)
SCREENWRITER
Ahnahktsipiitaa
EDITOR
Jessica Dymond
ART DIRECTOR
James Monkman
NAGAMO PUBLISHING
Nagamo Publishing
PRODUCER
Dana Dansereau

PLASTISAPIENS

Plastisapiens had an ethereal appearance as I approached the experience. Housed in a draped tent, with dripping and “organic” masses hanging from its ceiling. I was left to a small enclave and comfy stool where I was given my VR goggles and controllers. Plastisapiens had me on the bottom of the ocean floor back in time. The evolution of life and the introduction of plastic toxins into that environment are tracked into a speculative future. Used the controllers and my breath to maneuver forward through time and grasp objects. As the timeline pressed on, I skyrocketed upwards from sea to a new environment. The narration utilizes a modulated voice-over that is absolute perfection, as human merges with inorganic material, changing the very existence of life as we know it. Plastisapiens was mesmerizing. Writer-directors Miri Chekhanovich and Édith Jorisch created something mysterious, educational, and terrifying. I left awestruck.

PRODUCED BY
NFB (Marie-Pier Gauthier, Isabelle Repelin), Dpt. (Raphaëlle Sleurs), Lalibela Productions
PUBLISHER
National Film Board of Canada
KEY COLLABORATORS
Canada Media Fund, The National Film Board of Canada, Makor Foundation of Israel, The Israel Film Council, The Ministry for Culture and Sports
PROJECT CREATOR
Miri Chekhanovich, Édith Jorisch, Dpt.
CREATED BY
Dpt.
PRODUCER. NFB
Isabelle Repelin, Marie-Pier Gauthier
PRODUCER, DPT.
Raphaëlle Sleurs
PRODUCER
Lalibela Productions

Tribeca Film Festival 2022 review: ‘VENGEANCE’ is an impressive directorial debut.

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VENGEANCE

If you haven’t checked in on B.J. Novak since The Office, you’ll be surprised by the pitch-black tone of his directorial film debut, Vengeance. There are great laughs aplenty here, but the film presents an overall bleak view of humanity as it relates to our ability to connect and communicate. This is a stellar premier film.

Novak pulls triple duty as the film’s writer, director, and star. He brings the perfect mix of smug arrogance and bewildered empathy to Ben Manalowitz, a New York writer (and aspiring podcaster) who is coasting through every moment. Ben’s catchphrase is “100 percent”, but the audience quickly comes to see that Ben isn’t really giving 100 percent to anything. His life is all surface, no depth. He believes he’s having deep conversations about his work and the meaning of society, but he’s looking at his phone the whole time. His relationships are nothing but informal hookups.

Then Ben gets a fateful call from West Texas – his former girlfriend (well, they had hooked up a few times), Abilene Shaw, has died of a drug overdose. Abilene’s family are under the impression that she and Ben were a real couple, and invite him to the funeral. Ben shows up in West Texas out of pity, but quickly decides to stay for more selfish reasons: Abilene’s family suspects foul play, and Ben can’t turn down a chance to tackle the “holy grail” of podcasting: a dead white girl. Ben’s editor mails him some fancy podcasting equipment faster than you can say “true crime”, and he’s off to discover the truth about Abilene (and hopefully make himself famous in the process.)

I’m still in awe of this supporting cast. Boyd Holbrook somehow manages to balance sincerity and absurdity as Ty, Abilene’s revenge-crazed brother. Could this be Ashton Kutcher’s best work since Dude, Where’s My Car? (don’t get it twisted, I mean that as a sincere compliment!) Kutcher’s Quintin Sellers is complex and layered. As a small-town record producer, Quintin is equally opportunistic and charismatic. Quintin provides a twisted country-fried contrast to Novak’s Ben, and their few scenes together are some of the strongest of the film. The female characters are unfortunately more thinly written, and mostly function to help us better understand the men.

A film like this doesn’t work without a rock-solid script, and this one delivers. Good comedy writing ensures that the pace of the film is maintained; great comedy writing is concerned with showing us deeper truths about character that may produce a smile, but also a sting. The soundtrack is also self-aware – I’ve never laughed so hard at a Lana Del Rey song.

Vengeance is a dual threat – a legitimately funny comedy that also lands sincere dramatic moments. It left me excited for whatever Novak has coming next (hopefully a podcast.)

In Theaters July 29

DIRECTOR
B.J. Novak
PRODUCER
Jason Blum, Adam Hendricks, Greg Gilreath
SCREENWRITER
B.J. Novak
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Lyn Moncrief
EDITOR
Andy Canny, Hilda Rasula, Plummy Tucker
CAST
B.J. Novak, Issa Rae, Ashton Kutcher, Boyd Holbrook, J. Smith-Cameron, Dove Cameron, Isabella Amara

Tribeca Film Festival 2022 reviews: ‘The Drop’ & ‘Don’t Make Me Go’ are two different films about parenting and identity.

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THE DROP

I’m a huge fan of Sarah Adina Smith‘s work. Midnight Swim, Buster’s Mal Heart, and most recently Birds of Paradise are an eclectic group of films that show her imagination and vision are one of a kind. Her latest Tribeca 2022 film is no exception. In The Drop, Lex and Mani are a vivacious married couple trying to get pregnant. Lex does the unthinkable after they arrive at a friend’s destination wedding. She allows the bride’s infant daughter to slip from her grip. The fallout from this moment sends this group of close friends into a tailspin of pretentiousness, ego, judgment, confessions, and chaos. The Drop is a proper hard R-rated adult comedy. The laughs are endless. Huge quirky personalities clash in a way that doesn’t let anyone off the hook. The film centers on parenting styles, communication, and the facade we all put up to survive. Smith and co-writer Josh Leonard skewer Millenial culture in the most brilliant ways possible. Anna Konkle and Jermaine Fowle lead this ensemble cast of your dreams. There is not a weak link in the bunch. The Drop is a crowd pleaser you’ll want to see with your closest friends. Then you can all sit around and decide which asshole character most represents you. You’re welcome.

DIRECTOR
Sarah Adina Smith
PRODUCER
Jonako Donley, Mel Eslyn, Sarah Adina Smith, Joshua Leonard, Shuli Harel, Tim Headington, Lia Buman
SCREENWRITER
Sarah Adina Smith, Joshua Leonard
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Shaheen Seth
EDITOR
Daniel Garber, Sarah Adina Smith
COMPOSER
Ellen Reid
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass
CAST

Anna Konkle, Jermaine Fowle, Jillian Bell, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Elisha Henig, Jennifer Lafleur, Joshua Leonard, Aparna Nancherla, Robin Thede

DON’T MAKE ME GO

Hannah Marks is a damn gem. Her films have insight and heart for days. Her latest Tribeca 2022 film, Don’t Make Me Go, takes on a father-daughter relationship that will shake even the hardest of hearts. John Cho and Mia Isaac play Max and Wally. When Max discovers that his headaches are a brain tumor, he takes a reluctant Wally on a road trip to his college reunion. The journey serves a dual purpose; spending time with Wally and reconnecting with his ex-wife and Wally’s estranged mother. The screenplay by Vera Herbert is overflowing with coming-of-age moments, humor, and grounded conversations about mortality. It manages to be a story of redemption through creative means. We watch Wally make one bratty and irresponsible decision after another, yet her actions are ceaselessly relatable on the journey of finding your identity. Max is chasing the clock and lies to Wally for most of the film. With the purest intentions and all the love and emotional sacrifice a parent can muster, Don’t Make Me Go is a beautiful story about vulnerability and living life to the fullest every day.

DIRECTOR
Hannah Marks
PRODUCER
Donald De Line, Leah Holzer, Peter Saraf
SCREENWRITER
Vera Herbert
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Jaron Presant
EDITOR
Paul Frank
CAST

John Cho, Mia Isaac, Mitchell Hope, Jemaine Clement, Stefania LaVie Owen, Kaya Scodelario

US Release Date: July 15, 2022

Tribeca Film Festival 2022 review: Colson Baker paves a dark road to stardom in ‘TAURUS’

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TAURUS

An all too familiar story of the rise and fall of a musician takes center stage at Tribeca 2022. TAURUS stars Colson Baker as a talented rapper battling addiction and the industry’s ownership of his brand.

If you’ve got a sharp ear, TAURUS opens with the melody from “Eyes On Fire” by Blue Foundation. That single track becomes a theme that appears throughout the film. The reworking of the original track makes it feel like a horror soundtrack. The lyrics of that song profoundly linked to every part of this story.

Maddie Hasson as Ilana is electric. As his assistant, handler, babysitter, and closest confidant, she bears the brunt of his aggression and strung out misbehavior like a saint. Hasson goes toe to toe with Machine Gun Kelly’s presence, never once overshadowed. You can’t deny Colson Baker’s (Machine Gun Kelly) powerful demeanor as Cole. He fills each frame with visceral sadness, which often manifests as rage. He brings volatility that hits hard. Watching him work is like getting high. If you ingest music and art as I do, the scene in the studio will give you full-body chills. Baker is a star.

TAURUS encapsulates the hidden pain, pressure, and danger of living in the public eye. The film is outstanding. Taurus’ final take is breathtaking. Writer-director Tim Sutton has thoughtfully crafted a film that allows Baker to soar, and the film’s music, all from MKG, is spectacular. “Paper Cuts,” the track that plays over the credits, is a fucking hit, and his cover of “Girl Like You” is magic. Tribeca 2022 is the perfect place for TAURUS to shine. You’ll find yourself in a woeful state by the end, angry at the cyclical nature of the fame machine.

DIRECTOR
Tim Sutton
PRODUCER
Jib Polhemus, Rob Paris, Mike Witherill
SCREENWRITER
Tim Sutton
CINEMATOGRAPHER
John Brawley
EDITOR
Holle Singer
COMPOSER
Machine Gun Kelly
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Tim Sutton, Colson Baker
CAST
Colson Baker, Maddie Hasson, Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory, Megan Fox, Ruby Rose, Scoot McNairy, Lil TJay, Naomi Wild