Screams from the Tower
Filmmaker Cory Wexler Grant gave DWF NY 2024 audiences belly laughs with the East Coast debut of SCREAMS FROM THE TOWER. The film follows best friends Julien and Cary as they vie for a morning radio spot at their high school in the early 90s. Getting there is only the beginning. As the show evolved, so did its creators and fans.
The script is quirky, whippy, and bold. The dialogue settles into 90s jargon in such a natural way you might think it has been sitting on a shelf since. I mean that as a compliment. Each character has unique flaws and big feelings. The chemistry between every cast member is outstanding. Even the parents and teachers are memorable.
David Bloom gives Cary a solid best-friend connection and comic foil for Richie Fusco. Opposites attract in every sense. Other notable performances from Ryan Golf, Madison Tevlin, Amanda Bruton, and TJ Lee round out the hilarity.
Richie Fusco has genuine Ducky meets Ferris Bueller energy playing Julien. From his style to his humor, he effortlessly commands this ensemble. His journey of self-discovery drives SCREAMS from beginning to end. He oozes charm.
Knowing that the film is an homage to Grant’s teenage years makes every aspect more delicious. As a theatre kid from the class of ’99 growing up on John Hughes films, this film tapped into every bit of my coming-of-age individuality. Grant taps into the loneliness of secrets and the handling of creative kids. I felt this film in my bones.
Screams from the Tower Trailer:
WRITER/DIR: Cory Wexler Grant
PROD: Alexander Wenger
CAST: Richie Fusco, David Bloom, Madison Tevlin
“Screams from the Tower” Synopsis:
“Screams from the Tower” is a gay, coming of-age comedy that follows Julien, his best friend Cary, and their outcast friends through high school in the early 90’s. Julien and Carys dream of having their own show on the high school radio station is finally realized, bringing them popularity and infamy they never imagined.“Screams from the Tower” Directors Note:
“Screams from the Tower” is broadly based on my teenage years, growing up in the 1990s in the Chicago suburbs. I wanted to write a gay, coming-of-age comedy in the style of the late great John Hughes who only ever hinted at the concept of being gay in his movies but was so very instrumental in highlighting the growing pains of the nerds, weirdos, and outliers. I didn’t want to focus on the trauma experienced by so many queer kids or even the passion surrounding unrequited teenage crushes. So many young adult gay movies have already illustrated these themes so well. Instead, I wanted to make a broader movie to which more people could relate. Focusing on the absurd, painful, and often laughable journey of self-discovery and identity exploration every teen goes through before graduating and leaving the lives they know.
I wanted to show the generation currently enduring high school the technological and cultural changes which have occurred since I was a kid – not out of nostalgia – but to highlight areas of cultural and social change and the areas which have not. Mostly, I hope they find it funny. I hope they can empathize. I hope they can identify in the same way those who lived it can. “Screams from the Tower” is a love story, but not a romantic one. This movie is a love letter to an old friend who forever changed my perception of the world. He taught me how to be proud, stranger and fearless. This movie i s in large part, for him and all the “weird” kids out there.
A MISTAKE
Christine Jeffs writes, directs, and produces the adaptation of the best-selling novel by Carl Shuker, A MISTAKE. The film follows Dr. Elizabeth Taylor, a teaching surgeon whose resident falters during a routine cut. The script jumps right into the case in question. The next morning’s death of the patient begins an avalanche of questions, accusations, and steering misogyny. We witness the systematic attempt at taking down a successful female surgeon who challenges power.
Elizabeth Banks starts as a confident and calming presence in the OR. Amid the chaos, Banks walks a tightrope of mothering Richard through his doubts and defending her skills and judgment. As circumstances spiral, her protective, almost cold exterior begins to crack, and mistakes manifest outside the hospital. One scene with a dog will bring you to tears and puts Banks’s character on the other side of loss. It’s a subtly powerful performance.
The cinematography, especially the quiet moments, has an emotional impact. Jeffs masterfully captures the nuance of being a woman, particularly in any position of power. Words and actions somehow have an entirely different meaning if you are female. Jeffs highlights the infuriating double standards. A MISTAKE delves into the wildly erratic medical field, the human element of playing God, and noble pursuits.
THE CRITIC
Lush cinematography and lighting immediately draw you into the narrative alongside McKellen’s iconic voice. From the costumes to the jewel-toned sets, it’s a period drama fans dream.
Sir Ian McKellen is vicious and brilliant. Playing Jimmy Erskine, he is a rather vile curmudgeon who revels in taking down enthusiastic artists and their work. Jimmy is an unapologetic diva. The fear he leaves in his wake destroys careers with the stroke of his pen. McKellen succeeds in making audiences adore a genuine villain.
THE MOTHER AND THE BEAR
Kim Ho-jung is magnificent. Sara’s journey spans motherhood, friendship, sleuthing, romance, and identity. Ho-jung embodies silliness, anxiety, boldness, and worldly naivete. She masters each moment with ceaseless charm. She is a star.
Sook-Yin Lee
Joseph Kahn
CLOSE TO YOU
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For all things Fantasia 2024, 
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DIRECTOR Joe Stephenson 
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THE BLEACHER
WILDFLOWER
DEAD TOOTH
Tribeca 2024 Shorts
Short | United States, France | 18 MINUTES | English, French | English subtitles
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SWEATY LARRY
Our introduction to Sweaty Larry is as ridiculous as it should be, and the original song saying over the credits (written and performed by ATL’s 
TIM TRAVERS AND THE TIME TRAVELER’S PARADOX
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Samuel Dunning is Tim Travers. He is funny, charming, and owns this role. Travers is stubborn as hell and honest to a fault. The character has authentic mad scientist vibes. The number of alternative death scenes and distinctly unique versions of the same character is Multiplicity on crack. Dunning eats it up.
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