ENDLESS SEA
Follows Carol, an elderly woman on Medicare in New York City, as she struggles through the US healthcare system, a reality faced by millions of Americans who find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Carol navigates the healthcare system after finding that her heart medication has quadrupled in price. Doing all she can to pay for her pills, she hustles through Valentine’s Day, calling in favors, delivering flowers for tips, and waiting on hold with Medicare customer service. ENDLESS SEA culminates in a choice between life and death. Brenda Cullerton plays Carol brilliantly. She breaks your heart with unfiltered vulnerability and desperation.
Did you know we are the only country that advertises drugs? Profit over people, I guess. I lived in India in 2008 and had a health scare. I walked into a top hospital, saw the head of the ER, a specialist, got a biopsy, a mammogram, and results on a scanned card and printed in a folder I got to take from appointment to appointment, all for $73. The American healthcare system is broken. ENDLESS SEA illustrates the chaos of remaining healthy or merely staying alive in this country. In a short amount of time, this film packs a punch. It’s a must-see.
Film Screenings
Credits
Director: |
Sam Shainberg |
|---|---|
Executive Producer: |
Henry S., Alex O Eaton, Sam Shainberg, Catherine Shainberg |
Producer: |
Rachel Walden |
Screenwriter: |
Sam Shainberg |
Cinematographer: |
J. Daniel Zuniga |
Editor: |
Luca Balser |
Production Designer: |
Charlie Robinson |
Sound Designer: |
Eric Brown |
Principal Cast: |
Brenda Cullerton, Jacque Sebag , Iskandar Dridi, Johnny Zito, Vilma Ortiz Donovann, Nora Delighter, Alexandra Templar , Basil Constable, Anne Zuk , Muhammad Gueye |
Additional Credits: |
Casting Director: Eleonore Hendricks, 1st AC: Carlos Amador Wong, Gaffers: Adam Kim, Vuk Lungulovk, Wardrobe: Emily Costantino, Sound Mixer: Boris Krichevsky, Art Directors: Holly Mcclintock, Key Grips: Jordan Tetewsy, Eli Freireich |
Live-action FUNNY FACE
An autobiographical dramedy that retells Harris’ experience directly following her facial feminization surgery with the support of her brother and girlfriend, played by their real-life counterparts.
From the filmmakers of GAY HAIRCUT, SXSW 2023 short film FUNNY FACE brings audiences a conversation starter. The plot revolves around the hours following Sophie’s ten-hour face feminization surgery. It’s a family affair with her girlfriend and her brother from out of town, who are also meeting for the first time. Both take on the in-home care nurse who’s too wrapped up in her drama to do her job or be a human being. Funny Face is about respect and sacrifice, identity and love. The script is grounded in emotional honesty. It allows space for discussion while remaining lighthearted. Writer-director Jude Hope Harris retells her very personal story with her real-life family in the starring roles. Amusing, thought-provoking, and brave. FUNNY FACE is one to see.
Film Screenings
Credits
Director: |
Jude Hope Harris |
|---|---|
Producer: |
Genevieve Jones, Nick Vitale |
Screenwriter: |
Krista Fatka, Jude Hope Harris |
Cinematographer: |
Ingrid Sanchez |
Editor: |
Aviva Siegel |
Music: |
Charlie Harrison |
Principal Cast: |
Charlie Harrison, Krista Fatka, Sharon Zhang, Marieve Herington, Jude Hope Harris |
Additional Credits: |
Special Effects Makeup Artist: Kyrsta Morehouse |
A young Chinese-American rapper from New York struggles with her identity and career path in the thought-provoking short SLICK TALK. Balancing culture, passion, and parental pressure, Kiki responds to a manager who messages her online after watching her music video.
Animated short film SPROUT sees an agoraphobic scientist accidentally create a baby-like plant. As the creature rapidly grows, so does its curiosity to explore the outside, upending life in more ways than one. Written, directed, and animated by Zora Kovac, this sweet and child-friendly film tackles anxiety, bravery, human connection, and of course, growth. Watch it with the entire family.
Cooper is a screenwriter/musician who also works as a rehab counselor. Recently diagnosed with a form of OCD, he must navigate his new engagement, an ailing loved one, his clients, and his unpredictable compulsions. Writer-director Dillon Tucker‘s semi-autobiographical SXSW 2023 film PURE O makes the invisible disability visible. 
“Manifest your destiny” becomes literal in writer-director Tomas Gomez Bustillo‘s SXSW 2023 film CHRONICLES OF A WANDERING SAINT. In a small village in Santa Rita, Riat is an elderly chapel keeper who longs for sainthood. At odds with the righteous women from her prayer group, she cooks up a scheme to produce a “miracle’ at the expense of everyone in her life. 
Pure O
Raging Grace (United Kingdom)
Another Body
Pietro’s father only begins to invest his interest in his son’s life when his abilities might benefit him financially. The juxtaposition of his father and Professor Moretti is ceaselessly absorbing. Pietro’s friends slyly represent the adults in the film, each playing a separate role in their treatment of his potential gift. The issues of class, old world vs. new, and family dynamics loom large in the narrative. The film mixes elements of skepticism, belief, science, and faith. It is undeniably intriguing, richly shot, and brilliantly performed.
As Carl’s chances for individualism seem to dwindle, augmented audio in transitional scenes complements visuals of deterioration. The primarily static 16mm camerawork gives the film a documentary feel, as does the often sparse dialogue and long takes. The intensely funny town gossip and local far-right ignorance come together to paint a picture of global tension. 
Wuthering Heights fans will recognize the inspiration in Frances O’Connor‘s screenplay. Sibling and familial dynamics loom large, as does jealousy. A myriad of topics appears in the script; grief, individualism, and life in the arts. Emily shirks gender norms and yet yearns for the approval of her Father. Betrayal, morality, lust, defiance, sibling rivalry, adoration, and spite play keen roles in EMILY. A particularly sharp monologue serves as a Freudian confessional. It is brilliant and heartbreaking.
Fionn Whitehead plays Branwell Brontë with the vibrancy of a firecracker. He is a delightful foil for Mackey. Their connection is undeniable. Oliver Jackson-Cohen is Mr. Weightman. Battling societal morality and love, Jackson-Cohen gives a stunning performance. His intuition and chemistry with Mackey are explosive.
One of the most extraordinary and exciting cinematic experiences of the year, GRIMMFEST 2023 audiences got a taste of the uniqueness of Moon Garden. A five-year-old girl’s trauma manifests as bizarre and visceral images as she sits in a coma. The audience hears the real-time action as the doctors and her parents navigate their tumultuous relationship. Guided by her parents’ voices, Emma attempts to escape her mysterious prison world, wading through creatures of good and evil. Moon Garden is an industrial steampunk fairy tale that is relentlessly haunting and undeniably riveting.
Moon Garden is character and world-building at its best. Fascinating and terrifying all at once, we are right alongside Emma in this frightening in-between existence. A bit of Return To Oz with a touch of Pan’s Labyrinth, the magic of Moon Garden grows with each passing second. The editing is stunning. In addition to the monstrous action, writer-director Ryan Stevens Harris incorporates memories, giving Emma the tools to survive in her strange surroundings. It’s a beguiling screenplay tackling love and fear. 
On the surface, the film is an intimate character study of the growing tensions in a family and community in close quarters and the disruption of everyday life. Slyly mirroring the Israel-Palestine tensions in a darkly comedic way, LET IT BE MORNING tackles the status quo, the want for power, and the need for change in a superbly brilliant way. 
The Underbug is a moody thriller about two men on either side of sectarian violence in India stumbling into a strange house. The house is deserted or seems to be, except for the men who are soon faced with problems greater than themselves.
The film opens with Jeb Berrier and a glorious 10-plus minute monologue of stories and advice. His delivery lands somewhere between stoic and hypnotizing. It is an extraordinary turn. Charlie Plummer never ceases to amaze me with his grounded portrayals. It’s like watching a documentary. Plummer settles into Nate without missing a beat. His calming demeanor, similar to Berrier’s, grabs you instantly. Rutherford’s script allows Plummer to break free as the story progresses, and again, he nails it. There is a purity to the performance.
Cinematographer Alfonso Herrera Salcedo‘s work is beautiful. The combination of black-and-white and thoughtful framing captures your attention immediately. I adored the stationary swings. Long takes allow the audience to focus on the dialogue, heightening the emotional investment. The location is a cemetery and the surrounding open plains. Something about this choice speaks volumes on a metaphoric level. Short intercut scenes surprise and delight.
The film is a perfect fit for Slamdance 2023. Writer-director Jeff Rutherford offers an intimate portrait of attempted redemption and connection. Complete with full-circle moments, A Perfect Day for Caribou is a mesmerizing character study brimming with complexity.
The film looks beautiful. Fran Fernández Pardo‘s cinematography highlights the rich colors in fabrics and paint and captures extraordinary angles in fantasy sequences. The commentary on religious oppression and desire is unmissable. The performances are outstanding. Kiti Mánve breathes vulnerability and quiet ferocity into the role of Mari Cruz. It is a stunning, award-worthy turn.
Screening Times
In AirHostess- 737, we meet Vanina, a 39-year-old flight attendant trying to hold it together. Self-conscious over her new braces, her anxiety rises as the film progresses, exacerbated by a passenger, the pilots, and strong turbulence. But there is far more on Vanina’s mind than her newfound hardware.
As a frequent flyer, I instantly grinned at actress Lena Papaligoura‘s deadpan demonstration of safety protocols. Her performance hits every note. She is funny, manic, dedicated, and pitch-perfect.
Living in New York has its ups and downs. No matter how expensive your apartments are, the walls are always paper thin. You come to know your neighbors for better or for worse. Director Mike Donahue and writer Jen Silverman give Sundance 2023 audiences so much in their 15-minute short film TROY.
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