‘ELSE’ (Screamfest 2024) A visually consuming wonder.

Screamfest 2020 banner logoELSE

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A mysterious disease that merges living beings with their physical surroundings leads to a lockdown. After a one-night stand, uptight and brilliant hypochondriac Anx and free-spirited, flighty Cassandre find themselves in forced cohabitation. This odd couple fills the hours dancing, having sex, walking down memory lane, and chatting with neighbors through the vents. When suddenly confronted by an attack inside the apartment, Anx and Cassandre’s survival mode turns into something entirely different. ELSE supplies the shivers to Screamfest 2024 audiences. Get ready for some serious weirdness.

else 2Beautiful camera work has an immersive feel. Eccentric production design initially mirrors Anx’s graphic artist occupation, eventually morphing to match the ever-evolving circumstances of the disease. There is a Tim Burton/JimHenson-esque quality to the creature fx. A grotesque whimsy that makes it difficult to look away.

Matthieu Sampeur and Edith Proust give us magnificent performances. The script possesses a dark inevitably the longer they are together. Director Thibault Emin, alongside co-writers Alice Butaud and Emma Sandona, delivers a surprising link to childhood trauma in Anx. The existential aspect creeps up on you and burrows under your skin. The psychosexual element is bonkers. ELSE is a genre-obliterating love story.

Premiere Type: LA Premiere
 
Film Category: Feature
 
Run Time: 1h 40m
 
Country: France, Belgium
 
Directed by: Thibault Emin
 
Produced By: Damien Lagogué, Benoit Roland
 
Written by: Thibault Emin, Alice Butaud, in collaboration with Emma Sandona
 
Main Cast: Matthieu Sampeur, Edith Proust, de la Comédie Française, Lika Minamoto
SCREAMFEST 2024 banner
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‘TEACUP’ (Fantastic Fest 2024) Peacock’s Original Horror-Thriller Series is finally here!

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Peacock Original Teacup Vertical Key Art


The First Two Episodes, “Think About the Bubbles” & “My Little Lighthouse,” Premiere Thursday, October 10, Only on Peacock

Teacup Ep 01 - NBCUniversal MediaVillage - www.nbcumv.comEp 1: Think About the Bubbles

Based on Robert R. McCammon‘s novel Stinger, Peacock’s original series TEACUP finds a tiny rural community in distress as something unknown affects the animals and the electricity. We meet veterinarian Maggie Chenoweth, her two children, and the husband whose suggested infidelity drives a wedge between them. Their young son, Arlo, wanders into the woods only to come face to face with a bloodied and disturbed woman rambling incoherently. His return finds a child changed. Some mysterious force pushes these neighbors together while simultaneously pulling them apart. The first episode is a soldier teaser for what to expect. It is evident the story comes from a book. The tone of the script plays out like novella chapters. Each character intrigues with only a bit of background. The episode ends on a truly frightening note. You are hooked.


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Ep 2: My Little Lighthouse

Our small group of stranded folks begins to connect under their strange circumstances. Yvonne Strahovski captivates as Maggie. She is a force of nature without a hint of overbearing. Her chemistry with Caleb Dolden as Arlo gives us an emotional attachment point that holds strong.

The mystery holds in this second episode. What crumbs we do get leads to more questions and fear. A genuine “Oh, F*CK” moment throws our cast into greater chaos. Your heart will be in your throat witnessing the horrendous special FX makeup. Each hour ends with a song that is also the episode’s title. It is a clever and disturbing device. James Wan is genre gold. The fact that he co-produces alongside creator Ian McCulloch should get horror fans to tune in automatically.


TEACUP Trailer:


The First Two Episodes, “Think About the Bubbles” & “My Little Lighthouse,” Premiere Thursday, October 10, Only on Peacock


Teacup Ep 01 still 2 - NBCUniversal MediaVillage - www.nbcumv.com
Ep 101: Think About The Bubbles (Streaming Oct. 10)

Written By: Ian McCulloch

Directed By: E.L. Katz

Logline: There’s something in the air at the Chenoweths’ isolated farm/clinic; the animals are acting strangely, and the humans are uneasy. Maggie is doing her best to avoid a tense conversation with her husband, James, when their son, Arlo, goes missing. The rest of the family, including grandmother Ellen and daughter Meryl, join the search, along with several neighbors…




Teacup 02- NBCUniversal MediaVillage - www.nbcumv.com
Ep 102: My Little Lighthouse (Streaming Oct. 10)


“All killer, no filler”

Stephen King, Horror Legend & Author


ABOUT Teacup: 

Premiere Date: The first two episodes premiere on Thursday, October 10, 2024 followed by two episodes weekly through Halloween.

Synopsis: TEACUP follows a disparate group of people in rural Georgia who must come together in the face of a mysterious threat in order to survive. Inspired by the New York Times bestselling novel Stinger by Robert McCammon.
Writer / Executive Producer: Ian McCulloch (Yellowstone, Deputy, Chicago Fire)
Director (101, 102) / Executive Producer: E.L. Katz (The Haunting of Bly Manor, Channel Zero)
Executive Producers: James Wan (The Conjuring Universe, Archive 81, M3GAN), Michael Clear (Archive 81, Swamp Thing) and Rob Hackett (Archive 81, I Know What You Did Last Summer) for Atomic Monster, Francisca X. Hu, Kevin Tancharoen
Executive Producer / Author (Stinger): Robert McCammon
Cast: Yvonne Strahovski, Scott Speedman, Chaske Spencer, Kathy Baker, Boris McGiver, Caleb Dolden, Emilie Bierre, Luciano Leroux
Studio: UCP, a division of Universal Studio Group
Genre/Format: Horror Thriller, 8 x 30 Min Episodes 


NOTE FROM IAN MCCULLOCH (SHOWRUNNER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

When Atomic Monster first approached me about creating a series adaptation of Robert McCammon’s Stinger—a no-holds-barred, gargantuan spectacle of a novel along the lines of The Stand, Independence Day and Mars Attacks—to be honest, I didn’t want to throw my hat in the ring. I’m not a spectacle writer. I’m a less-is-more writer. I gravitate more toward what are known as keyhole epics. Large stories told through small lenses. Think Signs, The Thing, A Quiet Place.

But here’s the thing. I read Stinger and it stayed with me. Wouldn’t leave me alone. I just couldn’t stop thinking about its razor-sharp premise, how it unfolds over the course of a single harrowing day, and about the relatable and real family McCammon puts center stage. That’s when the flash bang-light bulb idea hit…

What if I adapted Stinger in a way that honors the book and stays true to the kinds of stories I like to tell? Keep the conceit. Keep Stinger’s most effective elements. Take away the large ensemble. Take away the giant set pieces. Even take away the book’s crowded town setting. The adaptation would be like an acoustic guitar version of, say, a Radiohead song. It won’t have the production value, electronic instruments, loops, or synthesized bells and whistles but it will still have the melody, the structure, the lyrics, the real magic at the core, all the stuff that makes a great song a great song.

All of which is to say I could suddenly see exactly what to do and how to do it. Two weeks later, Atomic Monster had the script for the first episode. Soon after that, Peacock bought it. Not so long after that, both my creative and career dreams actually started coming true as more scripts were written, hires made, actors cast, sets built, and production began…

Of course, during production the series changed and evolved. Just as it should. Even the title’s different. Stinger is now Teacup. The reasons for this are too spoilery to share but watch the first few episodes and all will be revealed. Point being, the series is now very much its own thing: a puzzle-box mystery, an edge-of-your-seat thriller, a can’t-but-must look horror story, a family drama, a science fiction epic—of the keyhole variety, of course. But as singular, strange, and surprising as I hope Teacup is, all you need to do is peel away the layers, characters, situations, and mythology and look behind the thrills, chills, hairpin turns and make-you gasp reveals. Do all that and you’ll see, at its heart, Teacup is still very much standing on the shoulders of Stinger. Just as it should.

NOTE FROM JAMES WAN (EXECUTIVE PRODUCER)

After reading Robert McCammon’s book Stinger, the entire team at Atomic Monster felt a spark. The story had all the ingredients for a captivating series and Ian McCulloch had a vision to bring it to life in a fresh way that was both startling and darkly atmospheric, but filled with a rich sense of humanity — often lacking in edgy narratives. Add in our incredibly talented cast led by Yvonne Strahovski, Scott Speedman and Chaske Spencer and fans are in for a true edge-of-your-seat experience.

Teacup defies easy labels. It’s a genre-bending blend of horror, mystery, and drama, with layers that unfold like a captivating puzzle. It goes beyond chills and thrills and holds up a mirror to humanity, exploring the darkness that resides within us all. We hope you enjoy this wild ride as much as we’ve loved creating it!


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‘SHADOWLAND’ (Beyond Fest 2024) A shapeshifting doc from filmmaker Otso Tiainen


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SHADOWLAND

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WORLD PREMIERE / RELEASED IN: 2024 / 98 MINUTES / DIRECTED BY: OTSO TIAINEN

Beyond Fest 2024 documentary SHADOWLAND, filmmaker Otso Tiainen sets out to the French Pyrenees to explore an area known as “The Zone,” a place famous for embracing the occult, supernatural happenings, religious experience, and the home of cult director Richard Stanley. This documentary takes a dark turn during filming when domestic abuse allegations surface for Stanley, tainting his position in the community.

Shadowland-002Shadowland’s initial 38 minutes drag with long, meandering shots, particularly of Iranon (“chaos magician) doing what I would lovingly refer to as “witchy shit.” As a self-professed spooky girl, I mean no disrespect by that term. Frankly, it’s narratively monotonous.

It only piqued my genuine interest when Stanley’s Color Out Of Space appeared. After its success, additional Lovecraftian films were greenlit until the other shoe dropped. Fifty-five minutes in, the gut punch as Stanley’s former partner recalls her terror when, in 2014, he beat her and threatened to kill her. Turns out she was not the last partner to experience such abuse. SpectreVision immediately cut ties with Stanley.

Shadowland-004Stanley’s response is to call the women hysterical and spew conspiracy theories rather than take accountability for his actions. Iranon reenters the fray to detail when he discovers Richard’s allegations and their ensuing physical confrontation. It’s damning.

Shadowland-003As a contrary view, Richard’s sycophant protege and priestess, Anaiya, believes that baptism will cleanse his past. Witnessing these women embrace him feels icky. It is challenging to know if her intentions are pure or an act. But Anaiya’s journey does not end there.

When we finally see his accuser, writer Scarlett Amaris, her insight into Richard’s present-day mythology brings everything home. As it stands, the doc feels incredibly disjointed. Understanding that the Shadowland‘s original intent was obliterated, I think a recut with explanations added earlier would greatly benefit the flow.



Directed by: Otso Tiainen
Written by: Otso Tiainen, Kalle Kinnunen
Story Contribution: Panu Hietaneva
Produced by: Kalle Kinnunen
Cinematography by: Max Smeds, Peter Flinckenberg F.S.C.
Edited by: Jussi Heikkinen, Mikko Sippola F.S.E.
Sound Design: Svante Colérus
Music: Timo Kaukolampi, Tuomo Puranen

Year: 2024
Country: Finland
TRT: 98 min
Language: English, French w/English subtitles

For more Beyond Fest 2024 coverage, click here!

‘ZERO’ (Beyond Fest 2024) A dark, pulse-pounding thriller, that excites in every second.

Beyond_Fest_2024_1920x1080-H-202ZERO

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WORLD PREMIERE / RELEASED IN: 2024 / 83 MINUTES / DIRECTED BY: JEAN-LUC HERBULOT


Jean Luc Herbulot brings Beyond Fest 2024 audiences a heartpounder in ZERO. Two Americans in Senegal wake up to discover bombs strapped to their chests and an unknown man speaking in their ear. They have ten hours to complete seemingly unrelated tasks before they explode. Can they beat a madman at his own game? This stealthy geopolitical thrill ride does not disappoint.

At first glance, our leading men appear opposites, but the script slowly reveals their motivations are the same. ZERO is a game of cat-and-mouse on an entirely new level. A surprising philosophical angle is carefully crafted into the screenplay, branding a message into the audience’s psyche.

zero 2Fast-paced editing and augmented sound effects keep you engaged from the first frame. The concept combines the adrenaline of SAW and SPEED, but it’s funnier and inevitably much darker. The soundtrack is fantastic. Gregory Turbellier‘s camerawork is immersive and sharp.

Performances are outstanding. Unmistakable icon Willem Dafoe is the mysterious voice over the phone. There is something about his tone and rhythm that hypnotizes the viewer. Gary Dourdan adds a voice of enlightenment. His calm, powerful demeanor sets a tone against the tumultuous pacing.

zero 3Leading players Hus Miller (who also co-writes) and Cam McHarg have fiery chemistry, each delivering fully flushed-out characters even if we know the most basic information about them. They make a great on-screen team. I would love to see this entire crew create more projects together.

Jean Luc Herbulot delivers a winner in ZERO. Its bold messaging and fearless choices make it one of the year’s most shocking thrillers.

DIRECTOR: Jean Luc Herbulot
WRITERS: Jean Luc Herbulot, Hus Miller
CAST: Hus Miller, Cam McHarg, Gary Dourdan, Moran Rosenblatt, Annabelle Lengronne, Jessica Lorraine, Roger Sallah

For more Beyond Fest 2024, click here!

‘ABOVE THE KNEE’ (Beyond Fest 2024) This visceral ride into madness is body horror at its finest

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ABOVE THE KNEE

WORLD PREMIERE / RELEASED IN: 2024 / 76 MINUTES / DIRECTED BY: VILJAR BØE

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Norwegian filmmaker Viljar Bøe brings his psychological thriller ABOVE THE KNEE to Beyond Fest 2024. The film follows Amir, a man who has a rare psychological disorder called BID (Body Integrity dysmorphia). It is the desire to have a sensory or physical disability or discomfort with being able-bodied.

The film is one of the most anxiety-inducing watches I’ve experienced in a long time. Amir has to hide his plans from his longtime living girlfriend, Kim. He also uses his friend, Jonas, as a cover, taking advantage of his kindness.

His accelerated timeline and subsequent countdown appear on the screen. With each passing day, Amir’s visions of the gnarly deterioration of his leg haunt us, and so does his gross manipulation of those who care for him most.

Above the knee still 1His only outlet is Rikke, a woman whose own BID diagnosis manifests as self-induced blindness. As his accomplice, she offers him emotional and physical support and lines are easily blurred.

An incredibly effective transition device is the jarring image of a bloodied saw accompanied by viscerally augmented audio of cutting. This image repeats from slightly different angles and undeniably induces a shiver each time.

The one hour and twelve on my minute runtime is more than enough, with Viljar Bøe carefully crafted script. The film is based on a story concept by Bøe and leading man Freddy Singh. Singh delivers an award-worthy turn, existing a in morally gray area. ABOVE THE KNEE takes us into the darkest corners of the mind, boasting a shockingly sinister finale. You won’t be the same.


WRITER/DIRECTOR: Viljar Bøe
CAST: Freddy Singh, Julie Abrahamsen, Louise Waage Anda, Viggo Solomon

For more Beyond Fest 2024 coverage, click here!

 

‘PÁRVULOS’ (Fantastic Fest 2024) An exquisite wow and one of the year’s best films.

FantasticFest_2024_Poster (PÁRVULOS 

US Premiere

Parvulos poster

Filmmaker Isaac Ezban brings Fantastic Fest 2024 PÁRVULOS, the story of three siblings surviving in the woods by scavenging in a virus-ravaged world. The dangerous secret they harbor in the basement may be their undoing.

The cinematography is something to behold. The sepia-toned lens locks you into a compelling plot. It creates this magical, borderline eerie feeling. The production design team is aces with children’s drawings and makeshift inventions. The post-apocalyptic aspects are relatively subtle but incredibly effective. The end credits are outstanding. The original song “Our People Need Our Help” is a certified banger.

PÁRVULOS_StillTwo surprising performances will blow you away, but I won’t spoil that with specifics. I will only say that Norma Flores and Horacio Lazo give us everything they’ve got. Our three young brothers are magnificent. Mateo Ortega Casillas gives Benny the right amount of innocence and rebellion. Leonardo Cervantes delivers vulnerability and compassion as Oliver. Farid Escalante Correa gives Salvador a perfect mix of resentment and raging hormones. Together, they warm and break your heart.

The film’s tone takes an unexpectedly amusing twist once Benny learns the secret that Oliver and Salvador keep in the basement. Benny convinces his brothers that normalcy can return if they try hard enough. Their unrelenting determination hits a snag when a young woman crashes their holiday plans. The film takes another turn during its nearly two-hour run. A wildly dark finale holds you captive.

PÁRVULOS has enough meat on the bone for a series. Visually striking, beautifully acted, and ceaselessly compelling. Is it not only a highlight of Fantastic Fest, but one of the year’s best films, period.


Fantastic Fest Website:

https://fantasticfest24.eventive.org/films/66bd75c881b0b4003a7b9cc1

Synopsis: In the aftermath of the Omega Pandemic, a devastating global catastrophe, teenage Salvador has assumed the role of caretaker for his younger siblings, Oliver and Benjamin. Equipped with a host of survivalist skills, Salvador harvests resources from the forest nearby and hunts small game for their table while trying to instill a sense of normalcy through routine, games, storytelling, and holiday celebrations.

Director: Isaac Ezban

Cast: Carla Adell, Leonardo Cervantes, Felix Farid Escalante, Norma Flores, Noe Hernandez, Horacio Lazo, Mateo Ortega

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‘HEADS OR FAILS’ (Fantastic Fest 2024) Lenny and Harpo Guit take a gamble on one disarming dame.

FantasticFest_2024_Poster (HEADS OR FAILS

FANTASTIC FEST 2024 World Premiere

BURNT ENDS

Heads or FailsMasterfully absurd, Lenny and Harpo Guit’s latest film, HEADS OR FAILS, introduces Fantastic Fest 2024 to the ceaselessly irresponsible and eternal hustler, Armande. Down on her luck and owing money to everyone in her path in Belgium, risky wagers are her bread and butter. Whether they pan out is another thing entirely.

Immersive handheld cinematography heightens the silliness. Quick takes follow the Guit’s style of fast-paced, chaotic dialogue. You immediately recognize it from their 2021 film MOTHER SCHMUCKERS. A recurring gag is that men seem to fall head over heels for Armande, and she could not be less interested. She is a magnet for all sorts.

Maria Cavalier-Bazan is undeniably charming as Armande. Her give no fucks personality is smirk-inducing. Cavalier-Bazan’s take on Lenny and Harpo Guit’s script begs your attention. Much like the plot, she is an Energizer Bunny. Living inside the nonstop whirlwind storyline, Cavalier-Bazan effortlessly carries HEADS OR FAILS. Leaving audiences dizzied and amused, she is one disarming dame. Lenny and Harpo Guit’s gamble pays off.

https://www.fantasticfest.com/film-guide


Belgium, France

2024 – 86m – Color

French with English subtitles

Produced By:

Roue Libre Production, Fair Play Production, Clubb Guitos



Armande Pigeon is the queen of shenanigans. In Brussels, she struggles to make ends meet because she can’t stop gambling on everything, always ending up on the wrong side of luck. When she teams up with Ronnie one night, everything changes – they win it all. And when you hit a winning streak, you have to know when to stop.


Lenny and Harpo Guit Heads or Fails

About Lenny and Harpo Guit

Like the Lumière brothers, the Dalton brothers and the Grimm brothers, Lenny and Harpo Guit are brothers. Born in Paris in the ’90s, they founded Clubb Guitos with their sister Lulma Guit in 2000. In the 2010s, they went to university in Belgium and made a number of self-produced short films, including NATHALIE F*** YOU ALL (2016), LA SEMAINE EST ENCORE LONGUE (2016) and RADIO KIFF (2018). In the 2020s, Lenny and Harpo made their first feature film, MOTHER SCHMUCKERS produced by Roue Libre Production. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2021.

©CLUBB GUITOS

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Fantastic Fest 2024 is genre heaven. 6 films we are psyched for.

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Our merry band of misfits, muckrakers, and miscreants is making it’s way to Austin, TX, for an 8-day carnival of cinematic delights – Fantastic Fest is back on Sept. 19th – 26th, taking place at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar cinema.


Fantastic Fest 2024 is upon us! The entire lineup is spectacular. Here are 6 films we are stoked for this year.

 

You can find the full Fantastic Fest 2024 Film Guide here!

PÁRVULOS

Director: Isaac Ezban (LOVED The Similars & Parallel)

PÁRVULOS_Still
Three young brothers living in a cabin in the middle of the woods hide a dark, disturbing secret in their basement.
  • Year:
    2024
  • Runtime:
    119 minutes
  • Language:
    Spanish
  • Country:
    México
  • Premiere:
    US

TERRIFIER 3
Director: Damien Leone

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After surviving Art the Clown’s Halloween massacre, Sienna and her brother struggle to rebuild their shattered lives. As the holiday season approaches, they try to embrace the Christmas spirit and leave the horrors of the past behind. However, just when they think they’re safe, Art returns, determined to turn their holiday cheer into a new nightmare.

IN THEATERS: October 11, 2024

  • Year:
    2024
  • Runtime:
    125 minutes
  • Language:
    English
  • Country:
    USA
  • Premiere:
    World

FRANKIE FREAKO

Director: Steven Kostanski

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After calling a late-night party hotline that promises out-of-this-world fun, uptight yuppie Conor Sweeney must battle the pint-sized forces of evil that get unleashed through his phone line, led by the maniacal rock ‘n’ roll goblin Frankie Freako.

  • Year:
    2024
  • Runtime:
    82 minutes
  • Language:
    English
  • Country:
    Canada
  • Premiere: International

THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE

Director: Jon Spira

THE LIFE AND DEATHS OF CHRISTOPHER LEE
Follows fresh interviews, archival footage, and various animation techniques like marionation to recreate one of the world’s leading actors on screen, bringing them back to life through innovative methods.
 

  • Year:
    2024
  • Runtime:
    103 minutes
  • Language:
    English
  • Country:
    UK
  • Premiere:
    North American

STRANGE HARVEST: OCCULT MURDER IN THE INLAND EMPIRE

Director: Stuart Ortiz

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A faux true-crime documentary about two detectives’ pursuit of an infamous serial killer named Mr. Shiny, who terrorized Southern California for almost two decade

  • Year:
    2024
  • Runtime:
    94 minutes
  • Language:
    English
  • Country:
    USA
  • Premiere:
    World
Fantastic Fest 2024 Sizle Reel

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‘SUPERBOYS OF MALEGAON’ (TIFF 2024) A jubilant celebration of film and friendship

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Superboys-of-Malegaon_01Director Reema Kagti brings TIFF ’24 audiences a dramatized version of the 2008 documentary Supermen of Malegaon. The film begins in 1997 and follows aspiring amateur filmmaker Nasir Shaikh and fellow hometown artists in Malegaon, India. SUPERBOYS OF MALEGAON is a story of small-town dreams coming true. Get ready to feel all the feels.

Learning editing techniques from local VHS sellers, Nasir makes unique splices to films, selling more and more tickets to his small movie house. But the police halt the illegal viewings, alongside the customary cultural bribe, leaving Nasir and his friends with little hope. Genius sparks when they realize they can make parody versions of their favorite films.

From conception to writing, casting to makeup, dialogue memorization to shooting, SUPERBOYS OF MALEGAON delivers every moment of revelry, hardship, and passion. Egos clash, promises and hearts get broken, hard truths are exposed, and betrayals break friendships. How can such deep-felt hurt heal?

The story jumps to 2004, only to find Nasir’s original success waning. His crew of friends finally grasp how he has coveted the spotlight and the money. When loyalty and interest in Nasir’s parodies wear thin by 2010, devastating news prompts cinematic and relationship magic.

The cinematography by Swapnil S. Sonawane is stunning. Accompanied by Sachin Jigar‘s infectious original score, it establishes the tone immediately. Performances are spectacular across the board. Each cast member gives audiences the full spectrum of their emotional range, and it is damn impressive.

It celebrates the art of indie filmmaking, the community it builds, and how many hands and minds go into the creative process. SUPERBOYS OF MALEGAON is a joy-filled watch, perfectly balanced with hard-hitting emotional journeys. It honors dreamers and doers alike. It is an undeniable crowd-pleaser.


Reema Kagti

WORLD PREMIERE

India | 2024 | 127m | Hindi

Helmed by Reema Kagti (Talaash: The Answer Lies Within) in her latest collaboration with producer Zoya Akhtar (Gully Boy), this uplifting story chronicles the life of Nasir Shaikh, whose no-budget, community-sourced movies turned his hometown into an unlikely dream factory.

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‘VIKTOR’ (TIFF 2024) A striking and awe-inspiring doc about a deaf person’s experience with war.

tiff 2024bannerVIKTOR

viktorViktor wants to be a soldier, but his deafness prevents it. His late father instilled “the military spirit,” and by Miyamoto Musashi’s canonical The Strategy of the Samurai, Viktor aspires to a noble warrior philosophy. Facing rejection after rejection, he finally convinces the local army to take him on as a volunteer field photographer. This opportunity to pursue his talent changes his path forever.

Viktor poetically narrates his thoughts. It is like a love letter to his deceased father. The audio comes in dynamic forms, hyper-augmented and muffled. It is the way our protagonist receives the sound. Director and veteran war photographer Olivier Sarbil hired the sound design team that worked on TIFF ’19 Platform contender Sound of Metal. It creates a dazzling effect, placing the viewer in Viktor’s body and mind, if only for 90 minutes.

The score is haunting and melancholy. The stunning black and white cinematography mirrors Viktor’s still photography on the Nikon, often slung around his neck. Footage of the first attack on Ukraine by Russia is visceral in a way that caught me off guard despite knowing it was coming. Viktor and his mother hunker in their basement as air raid sirens wail overhead. Their anxiety is palpable. That is merely the beginning.

The cinematic style of the film is jarring but magnificent. Sarbil utilizes classically powerful angles and breathtaking closeups. It is almost easy to forget it is a documentary. Remembering rekindles the tension and fear.

The film dives into disability discrimination and the chaos of armed conflict. The final scene is perfection. VIKTOR is an exquisitely crafted war diary through a unique lens and perspective.

Olivier Sarbil
WORLD PREMIERE
Ukraine, United States of America | 2024 | 89m | Ukrainian, Russian
 
Fusing rigorous reportage with innovative cinematic subjectivity, this bold documentary from veteran war photographer Olivier Sarbil is a uniquely intimate portrait of a Deaf person’s experience of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
 
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‘LIZZIE LAZARUS’ (Popcorn Frights 2024) A twisty horror mystery destined for cult status.

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LIZZIE LAZARUS

LizzieLazarus

Filmmaker Aviv Rubinstien gives Popcorn Frights 2024 audiences a reason to stand up and cheer with LIZZIE LAZARUS. Set in 1990, Bethany’s sister dies in a car crash on the way to her house. Lizzie’s mental state causes Bethany to question if her death was intentional. Enlisting the assistance of Lizzie’s ex, Eli, truth is stranger than fiction.

Tommy Oceanak‘s cinematography got a vehement “Hell Yeah” from me during the first frame. Opening with a song by Megan Oesterreich, in the titular role, I thought the film was a horror musical. I was mistaken, making the moment all the more delightful. Oesterreich is so likeable as Lizzie. I would watch a franchise surrounding Lizzie and Bethany.

Omar Maskati balances genuine feelings and suspect behavior. Rubinstien does an expert job at keeping you guessing, and Maskati leans into the crumbs, dropped one at a time. Lianne O’Shea gives Bethany a smart-aleck edge that lures you in. She is quippy and self-assured. O’Shea owns the frame, daring Maskati to keep up.

The screenplay utilizes conspiracy theories, scientific studies, and their naturally sparked debate from one intellectual to another. It’s easy to see that Bethany believes Eli has something to do with Lizzie’s demise, asking pointed questions along their clandestine midnight trek. She is suspicious and relentless in her pursuit to do right by her sister. Eli does not do himself any favors with a combative attitude. Secrets and confessions spill as they try to reach their destination and begin a reanimation ritual.

LIZZIE LAZARUS is a feminist-driven narrative that reels you in at every turn. Reveal after reveal keeps you on the hook. The finale is beyond satisfying for genre fans, anyone with sisters, and spooky girls alike.

YEAR: 2024

COUNTRY: USA

RUNTIME: 91 min

DIRECTOR: Aviv Rubinstien

WRITER: Aviv Rubinstien

STARRING: Omar Maskati, Lianne O’Shea, Megan Oesterreich

For more Popcorn Frights reviews, click here!

‘THE NIGHT IS YOUNG’ (Popcorn Frights 2024) Love bites, but only if you’re lucky in Patrick Rea’s newest film.

popcorn frights 2024 logoTHE NIGHT IS YOUNG

TheNightIsYoung
Director Patrick Rea’s THE NIGHT IS YOUNG comes to Popcorn Frights 2024. Jumping on the content creator subgenre, or perhaps a page out of the REC playbook, this vampire romance uses all the best tropes for a breezy homegrown horror. 

Jake Jackson wears all the hats as cinematographer, special effects makeup artist, and Nora’s brother Jake. We only see him briefly at the end of the film because he’s but a voice behind the lens for the entirety of the film. He’s fantastic. 

Rea co-writes with star Sarah McGuire. I could have watched her dating shenanigans for another hour. McGuire gives Nora a relatable vibe, owning each moment with ease. Her chemistry with Valerie Bates (Emelia) feels incredibly natural. I’m excited to see what she does next.

Utilizing security footage and Jake’s real-time video maintains a sense of urgency during the countdown to sunrise. The reveal is unsurprising, but the why is much more fun for vampire canon nerds like me. THE NIGHT IS YOUNG is the definition of indie filmmaking. Taking a look at the credits, everyone had multiple roles. It’s a perfect runtime for the story. There is a solid set-up for a franchise, so color me intrigued.

DATE: Saturday, August 10
TIME: Video On Demand
VENUE: Digital Screening Room

YEAR: 2024

COUNTRY: USA

RUNTIME: 76 min

DIRECTOR: Patrick Rea

WRITER: Sarah McGuire, Patrick Rea

STARRING: Valeri Bates, Sarah McGuire, Jake Jackson

For more Popcorn Frights reviews, click here!
 

 

‘DIRTY BAD WRONG’ (Fantasia 2024 short) Erica Orofino’s short finds a mother between a promise and a boundary.

Fantasia 2024 logo

DIRTY BAD WRONG

Dirty Bad Wrong PosterDesperate to keep her promise to host the best superhero party for her 6-year-old, young mother Sid, a sex worker, takes extreme measures and books a last-minute client with a dark fetish. Dirty Bad Wrong is a drama/body horror that explores the darkest sides of capitalism, and just how far we’ll go for the ones we love.

STILL1 - Dirty, Bad, Wrong - Image by SAMANTHA FALCOSTILL1 - Dirty, Bad, Wrong - Image by SAMANTHA FALCOLife changes when you become a mother. It is impossible to describe to someone who has never protected another human with every ounce of their soul. In Erica Orofino‘s Fantasia 2024 short film DIRTY BAD WRONG, audiences are plunged into the world of a mother who would do anything for her child. 

Dirty Bad Wrong 3 - Photo by Samantha Falco50Jack Greig has a presence that is hard to teach. He gives Jesse a palpable innocence and curiosity. Michaela Kurimsky plays Sid with earnest desperation and unconditional love for her son. The chemistry between her and Grieg is enchanting. Kurimsky is nothing short of captivating in fourteen minutes. I would watch her in anything.

Outside of the authentic choices for survival, the horror aspect is subtle in the most powerful way. The messaging behind the images screams off the screen. The necessary evils one will endure for a loved one knows no bounds. DIRTY BAD WRONG begs for a feature. There is enough meat on the bone, no unintended, for delicious worldbuilding. 

Dirty Bad Wrong stars Michaela Kurimsky (Alouette, Firecrackers, The Boathouse), Jack Greig (Dark Side of the Ring), and Cody Thompson (The Shape of Water, May the Best Wedding Win, Mrs. America) and is produced by Fonna Seidu (virgins!, Fresh Meat, Being Black in Toronto). It was shot in Toronto, Canada.

Fantasia 2024 posterFor all things Fantasia 2024, click here!

‘ONE FOR THE ROAD’ (LA Shorts 2024) Based on a Stephen King short story, it is pure fear.

LA Shorts logoONE FOR THE ROAD

One for the Road Teaser TrailerBased on a Stephen King story, Daniel Carsenty‘s short film ONE FOR THE ROAD is here to terrify LA Shorts International Film Festival audiences with its world premiere.

It’s 3 am, and a mysterious, rather odorous man walks into a truck stop diner, muttering one phrase, “Old Mill Road.” Two drivers with the best intentions get roped into helping solve the mystery, but no good deed goes unpunished.

Writer Corey Slater captures the classic King build-up. In the 9-minute run, the audience knows these characters and feels an emotional connection. Carsenty gathers a cast that is perfection. The production design team nails the aesthetic, placing the viewer in a timeless era. Putting The Red Sox cap on one of our protagonist’s heads is a clever nod to King, as any fan knows where his allegiance lies. I’m begging for an expansion of this world.

one for the road cropped trailer

Teaser Trailer:

ABOUT DIRECTOR: Berlinale Talents alumni Daniel Carsenty wrote and directed the thriller “After Spring Comes Fall” in 2015. It won the award for Best Feature at the Zsigmond Vilmos Festival. His second film, “The Devil’s Drivers,” a documentary about a Bedouin smuggler, premiered at TIFF in 2021, won the Special Jury Award at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, and was nominated by the Cinema for Peace Foundation for Best Documentary. A graduate of AFI, Daniel came to filmmaking after working as a TV journalist for ARTE and BBC in zones of conflict. 

“As a director, what I love most about horror movies is that they are about getting as close as possible to what makes me afraid. In my opinion, a good horror story carries as much hope as it creates fear. If these two emotions play out against each other, we start to care,” says Carsenty. He reached out to King during his time at AFI, hoping to use horror narrative to tell the same stories about the darkness of humanity that he did in his documentaries. 

ABOUT LA SHORTS:  LA Shorts International Film Festival is an Oscar and BAFTA qualifying festival, and is the longest-running short film festival in Los Angeles. 

WORLD PREMIERE: ONE FOR THE ROAD
Sunday, July 21, 2024, 10:00 P.M., Program 26
Regal LA Live – DTLA

For more short film reviews, click here!

Fantasia 2024: It’s Heeerrreee (almost). Genre’s best of the best is about to begin.

Fantasia 2024 posterFANTASIA 2024

It’s no secret that Fantasia is the festival I gush about the most. If you want to call yourself a genre film fan you have to know about the buzziest films coming out of the fest each year. Once again, Quebec will host a plethora of premieres, a gaggle of talks with the industry’s best, and scare the pants off of you. Would you expect any less? Fantasia 2024 is the 28th edition of this wonderfully wacky cinephile playground.


IN OUR BLOOD Fantasia 2024

IN OUR BLOOD

Nothing is as it seems when filmmaker Emily Wyland (Brittany O’Grady) teams up with cinematographer Danny (E. J. Bonilla) to shoot an intimate documentary about reuniting with Emily’s estranged mother after a decade apart. When her mother suddenly goes missing, possibly succumbing to the addictions that first tore her family apart, Emily and Danny must piece together increasingly sinister clues to find her before it’s too late.

Directed by Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker Pedro Kos (Rebel Hearts, Lead Me Home) in his first narrative feature, IN OUR BLOOD masterfully blends psychological mystery with chilling horror. The film weaves a twisted tale of reconciling with the ghosts of our past and confronting the complicity we share in creating a world that preys on the most vulnerable.


HELL HOLE Fantasia 2024

Hell HoleA road trip through Canadian oil fields conjured up fantasies of secrets deep in the dirt for the Adams family, and inspired them to create HELL HOLE, an indie rock-n-roll monster movie set at a far-away fracking site. Known for their DIY ethos, John and Lulu Adams and Toby Poser, partnering with Shudder, have joined the team behind The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs and FX legend Todd Masters to shoot their latest in Serbia with a local cast and crew. Absurd, mutinous, and transgressively comical, Hell Hole is old-school sci-fi horror, yet in typical family fashion, they subvert the genre with textures of biological and environmental horror in tandem with questions of gender and bodily autonomy. This will be the fourth time Fantasia World Premieres work from the gifted filmmaking family, following launches of THE DEEPER YOU DIGHELLBENDER, and WHERE THE DEVIL ROAMSWorld Premiere.


THE BEAST WITHIN

The Beast Within Fantasia 2024

The haze of childhood is a magic lantern that throws light on the wall through a veil of dark both frightening and exciting, and nowhere is this better articulated than in THE BEAST WITHIN (previously titled WHAT REMAINS OF US). Kit Harington (GAME OF THRONESETERNALS) is a father with a secret that he is desperately trying to keep under control. His mysterious excursions at night leave his ailing daughter (Caoilinn Springall, THE MIDNIGHT SKYSTOPMOTION) plagued with questions. The old, timeless house in the woods that she lives in with her caring mother (Ashleigh Cummings, NOS4A2) and absent father feels more like a haunted castle than a loving home. As she investigates her father’s bizarre and dark behaviour, a monstrous figure emerges from the shadows, terrorizing those who encounter it. Supported by her grandfather (James Cosmo, HIGHLANDERBRAVEHEART), she attempts to unravel the mysteries of the creature, and the revelations that she discovers will rock her family and leave her forever changed.


FRANKIE FREAKO Fantasia 2024

Frankie FreakoAfter the success of PSYCHO GOREMAN, FX artist and director Steven Kostanski hits back with the zany, over-the-top FRANKIE FREAKO! Starring Conor Sweeney and Adam Brooks of Astron-6 fame, the film follows a nerdy man who just isn’t cool. In an attempt to impress his wife and boss, he’s lured by a 1-900 TV ad to party with a strange little creature called Frankie Freako. All hell breaks loose when Conor calls and Frankie and his two friends wreak interdimensional havoc in Conor’s life. Kostanski fans will flock to his latest imaginative adventure, saturated with throwback cartoonish fun à la GHOULIES, wildly creative puppets, big laughs, and a helluva good time! Septentrion Shadows section. World Premiere.


THE CODE Fantasia 2024

The CodePeter Vack (ASSHOLES) and Dasha Nekrasova (THE SCARY OF SIXTY-FIRST) star as couple on the rocks during the early part of the Covid-19 pandemic in American filmmaker Eugene Kotlyarenko (SPREE)’s latest, THE CODE – a generation-defining, wickedly dark comedy that blends post-New Wave French sensibilities of aesthetic disillusionment with a singularly alien view of contemporary American life. A transgressive and singular experience, nothing is off limits in this surveillance-heavy narrative, which uses multiple formats, points of view, and cameras to create a visionary collage-like experience of modern life. An epic poem for our post-pandemic world. Underground Section. World Premiere.


BLACK EYED SUSAN Fantasia 2024

Black Eyed SusanIt’s been 21 long years since Scooter McCrae (SHATTER DEAD) released a new feature, and he’s lost none of his smart, transgressive bite. Desperate for work, Derek (Damian Maffei, THE STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT) accepts a job at a shady tech start-up, working intimately with Susan (Yvonne Emilie Thälker in a powerful debut role), a bleeding-edge BDSM sex doll meant to receive and appreciate sexual punishment as an integral part of her evolving AI. Shot on Super 16, BLACK EYED SUSAN counterbalances its dark, vulgar core with a surprisingly tender vulnerability, creating a lo-fi science-fiction landscape infused with surprising fragility, as legendary Italian composer Fabio Frizzi (THE BEYOND, ZOMBIE) lends the picture a lush, atmospheric backdrop. Not for the faint of heart, BLACK EYED SUSAN delves into themes and questions that will only become more pertinent with the continued evolution of artificial intelligence. World Premiere.


CHAINSAWS WERE SINGING Fantasia 2024

Chainsaws Were SingingA true DIY passion project from Estonian filmmaker Sander Maran, CHAINSAWS WERE SINGING is a zany, blood-soaked musical about lovers split up by a chainsaw-wielding killer. Over a decade in the making, Saran not only directed but wrote, scored, shot, and edited this colorful murder-fest that’s part gory horror movie and part ridiculous musical. The camerawork is inventive, the editing slapstick, and the tone truly absurdist. Most importantly, though, the songs are incredibly catchy, with Sander clearly deeply indebted to Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL and Frank Oz’s LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS. Underground Section. International Premiere.


THE CHAPEL Fantasia 2024

The Chapel Fantasia 2024The stunning sophomore feature from award-winning director Carlota Pereda (PIGGY), THE CHAPEL marks the fantastic return of atmospheric, character-driven supernatural Spanish horror. Emma (Maia Zaitegi) wants to learn how to communicate with the spirit of a little girl who has spent centuries trapped inside a chapel. She tries to convince Carol (THE ORPHANAGE’s Belen Rueda), a cynical and fake medium, to help her in the hopes that contacting the spirit may help her to remain close to her dying mother after she passes. What Carol doesn’t suspect is that Emma really does have “the gift” and, if she keeps on trying to use it without her guidance, she will be putting her young life at terrifying risk. Winner: Best Actress, Belen Rueda, Cinefantasy 2023. Official Selection: Sitges 2023. North American Premiere.


BORN OF WOMAN 2024 Fantasia 2024

https://fantasiafestival.com/en/program/born-of-woman-2024

Fantasia 2024 - Born of Woman 2024 - fantasiafestival.comMy favorite shorts collection of the year, this wildly eclectic and insanely talented group of female filmmakers aims to please, shock, and gag audiences. You never know what you’ll get with each passing year and I get giddy in anticipation. Fantasia 2024’s Born Of Woman lineup includes the following films:

IZZY

Nahema Ricci stars in this sharply staged build piece expressionistically conveying a person’s realization that they’d rather not fit in, if it means continuingly giving in.

 


the_bleacher_poster_THE BLEACHER

An outright bonkers stop-motion freakazoid about a woman, a laundromat, and a missing sock. From the makers of SEXY FURBY.

 


wildflower posterWILDFLOWER

A reclusive woman gives everything she can to a blood-sucking flower that she’s devoted every waking minute towards caring for.


Mosquito Lady poster Fantasia 2024

MOSQUITO LADY (see our previous coverage)

A sharp intersection between Filipino folklore and the ever-devolving issue of bodily autonomy in the U.S.

 


Dead Tooth posterDEAD TOOTH

A stylishly inventive and considerably bloody take on the one-terrible-day film.


LES YEUX D’OLGA

A senior vampire who moves herself into an elder care facility so as to feed solely on those already at the edge of death.


I'm Not A Robot posterI’M NOT A ROBOT

We’ve all had the annoyance when forced to solve wonky online captchas to convince a website that we’re real-deal human. What if we were to repeatedly fail it?


BERTA

Following the extraordinary DANA, Spanish filmmaker Lucía Forner Segarra returns to Fantasia with BERTA, a tensely compelling new work that continues her explorations of accountability and empowerment following gendered violence.

(You can find past Born of Woman coverage here) Fantasia 2024


You can find more info on Fantasia 2024’s lineup and tickets by tapping HERE


Fantasia 2024 Dates:
Thursday, July 18 – Sunday, August 4th

For previous years’ FANTASIA coverage, click here!

‘BLACK EYED SUSAN’ first-look trailer drops prior to its Fantasia 2024 World Premiere

FantasiaLogo

TRAILER PREMIERE

BLACK EYED SUSAN


Black_Eyed_Susan_POSTERLegendary underground filmmaker Scooter McCrae (SHATTER DEAD, SIXTEEN TONGUES) returns after a 21-year absence from feature filmmaking with the bold, vulgar, and deeply thought-provoking BLACK EYED SUSAN. Simultaneously brutally challenging and deeply vulnerable, the latest from the New York-based provocateur appropriates bleeding-edge science fiction concepts to address the seemingly-endless lengths that men will go to satisfy their darkest impulses without questioning the consequences of their actions.
 
In the film, down-on-his-luck Derek (Damien Maffei, THE STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT) is hired by a shady tech industrialist to “test” Susan (Yvonne Emilie Thälker, in a striking feature debut), a lifelike robot built for the purpose of receiving and “enjoying” sexual abuse. Initially hesitant to take part, Derek accepts, but quickly finds himself drawn to Susan’s developing personality and inquisitive nature. As the robot’s expanding humanity chips away at him and he learns more about his own secret desires, he questions if what he’s been tasked to do – even to a robot – should ever be condoned.
 
Black Eyed SusanHere is the first-look trailer for Scooter McCrae’s dark sci-fi drama BLACK EYED SUSAN, which World Premieres at Fantasia on Friday, August 2nd.
 

A Vinegar Syndrome Production in association with Not the Funeral Home and Moose + Squirrel, the feature was filmed on Super 16mm film and features a luscious musical score from legendary Italian composer Fabio Frizzi (THE BEYOND, ZOMBIE). 
 
The film’s cast includes Damian Maffei (THE STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT, 2023’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Game), model Yvonne Emilie Thälker, Marc Romeo, and ex-WWE Superstar Scott Fowler.


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For all things Fantasia 2024 stay tuned to Reel News Daily and be sure to check out our bestie, Steve Kopian, at Unseen Films

Fantasia 2024 poster

Follow along with our festival coverage as it rolls out by searching Fantasia 2024

‘FAMILY THERAPY’ (Tribeca 2024) A twisted tale of trauma

tribeca 2024 logoFAMILY THERAPY

https://tribecafilm.com/films/family-therapy-2024

FAMILY_THERAPY-Clean-16x9Sonja Prosenc‘s Tribeca 2024 film FAMILY THERAPY features a nouveau riche household that operates in rigid formality, slowly cracking upon the arrival of a new member.

The film opens with Aleksander, Olivia, and daughter Agata picking Julien up at the airport. He is patriarch Aleks’s twenty-five-year-old son from a previous relationship. Following an awkward evening, they awaken to loud knocking in the middle of the night, setting off a chain of events that will make or break these four people.

Their home is modern, essentially a glass box with cement walls. The production design team’s selection of art inside the house speaks volumes. They are strategically placed on vast walls, begging for your eyes. The music by SILENCE is based on Henry Purcell‘s King Arthur Opera. This decision creates an entire mood from the first frame. The camera work is delicious.

FAMILY_THERAPY-Clean-16x9-0Mila Bezjak gives Agata a suspicious sass. Her personality gets a boost from her severe hairstyle. Blunt bangs and thick coiffure make her resemble an overgrown doll. Her attention-seeking behavior has everything to do with her parents’ infantilism.

Aliocha Schneider is Julien. Down-to-earth, kind-hearted, edgy, and fearless. Schneider connects with each family member in a layered way. It’s a compelling turn.

Olivia is mean, anal retentive, gallerist. Actress Katarina Stegnar gives off a genuine wicked stepmother vibe, a cover for genuinely feeling powerless. Her arch is visceral.

FAMILY_THERAPY-Clean-16x9-03Aleksander never shuts up. He flaunts his eccentricity most ignorantly, fancying himself a writer despite only writing a single piece twenty years prior. Marko Mandic is loathsome in the best way.

Writer-director Sonja Prosenc does a spectacular job of holding back information, leaving us small breadcrumbs of this odd family dynamic. The symbolism of fracture and subsequent healing comes in multiple genius forms. Bites of fantasy further the nuance of unresolved trauma and the search for joy. FAMILY THERAPY is brilliant stuff.

International Narrative Competition
Feature | Slovenia, Italy, Norway, Croatia, Serbia | 122 MINUTES | English, French, Slovene | English subtitles

Director

Sonja Prosenc

Producer

Rok Sečen

Screenwriter

Sonja Prosenc

Cinematographer

Mitja Ličen

Editor

Ivana Fumić

Composer

Primož Hladnik & Boris Benko

Co-Producer

Marta Zaccaron, Fabiana Balsamo, Tamara Babun, Matija Drnikovć, Jarle Bjørknes, Dimče Stojanovski

Cast

Mila Bezjak, Aliocha Schneider, Marko Mandić, Katarina Stegnar, Judita Franković Brdar, Jure Henigman



For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here! Read More →

‘DON’T YOU LET ME GO’ (Tribeca 2024) Stunning work from filmmakers Ana Guevara and Leticia Jorge captures the whimsy and grace of a grieving mind.

tribeca 2024 logo

DON’T YOU LET ME GO

https://tribecafilm.com/films/don-t-you-let-me-go-2024

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Filmmakers Ana Guevara and Leticia Jorge bring their new film DON’T YOU LET ME GO to Tribeca 2024 audiences. At the funeral of her best friend Ele, Adela experiences the bizarre buzzing about of grief-stricken visitors, some recalling funny stories, others weeping. Feeling entirely overwhelmed, Adela seeks solace in her car only to find a mysterious bus pulls beside her, destination Solis. Dropped off at a seaside home and finding Ele asleep in bed, Adela curls up beside her until morning. Back in time, Ele and Adela relive a weekend filled with beer, drugs, music, gossip, and mayhem.

DON'T_YOU_LET_ME_GO-CleanVictoria Jorge gives Elena a tangibility that keeps us engaged. Ana Guevara and Leticia Jorge write a fun and authentic character, putting us at ease. Chiara Hourcade delivers a self-aware performance that allows the audience to ride this emotional rollercoaster alongside Adela. Hourcade and Jorge capture our hearts with genuine familiarity in their chemistry.

The film opens with a slick visual bait and switch. Such a choice sets you up for the magical realism that takes hold in this exploration of grief and the purity of female friendship. Playing out in chapters like the ones in Elena and Adela’s detective novels, a narrator gives the audience insight into Adela and Elena’s past, sometimes possessing an otherworldly power over Adela as she speaks. Small absurdist details remind us that none of this is real, but what joy it would bring if it were. DON’T YOU LET ME GO is a delicious journey through the looking-glass story that conjures a yearning jealousy for those we’ve lost.

International Narrative Competition

Feature | Uruguay | 74 MINUTES | Spanish | English subtitles

Director

Ana Guevara, Leticia Jorge

Producer

Agustina Chiarino

Screenwriter

Ana Guevara, Leticia Jorge

Cinematographer

Yarará Rodríguez

Composer

Luciano Supervielle

Editor

Lucía Casal, Stephanie Tabárez

Sound Design

Catriel Vildosola

Art Director

Cecilia Guerriero

Line Producer

Hernán Olivera Quesada

Production Manager

Agostina Malnatti

Assistant Director

Andrea Pollio

Cast

Chiara Hourcade, Victoria Jorge, Eva Dans

For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!

‘BEACON’ (Tribeca 2024) A shining example of terror

tribeca 2024 logoBEACON

https://tribecafilm.com/films/beacon-2024

BEACON-Clean-16x9-01

Director Roxy Shih brings mystery and tension to Tribeca 2024 audiences with her film BEACON. Emily’s solo sailing voyage ends when she shipwrecks in rough seas. Her rescuer is the lighthouse keeper on a remote island. They are wary of one another, trading sailor superstitions while they wait for the weather to comply. 

Demián Bichir plays our suspicious keeper l, Ismael, with grace and calm but always quietly keeping Emily at arm’s length. His apprehension is palpable. Bichir delivers a complex portrayal of a man haunted by his isolation. He is magnificent. Julia Goldani Telles gives Emily a slick darkness. Holding her own on-screen opposite Bichir, Telles brings a mesmerizing feistiness that pushes the envelope. 

Daphne Quin Wu‘s cinematography is inviting. The intimacy, the lighting, and the beautiful framing draw you in. Two strangers in a small space automatically lead to distrust and claustrophobia. Screenwriter Julio Rojas challenges us at every turn as Emily and Ismael continuously manipulate one another. Clever fantasy sequences and questionable behavior from both parties have you guessing from moment to moment. BEACON is a heart-pounding psychological thriller of the highest caliber. You’ll be questioning everything the second the screen goes black.

BEACON-Clean-16x9-03

World Premiere
Midnight

Feature | United States | 96 MINUTES | English

 
Director

Roxy Shih

Producer

Neil Elman, Taralee Gerhard, Andrew C. Erin

Screenwriter

Julio Rojas

Cinematographer

Daphne Quin Wu

Editor

Don Money

Composer

Nuno Malo

Executive Producer

Fernando Szew, Tony Vassiliadis, Hannah Pillemer, Ani Kevork, Angie Day, Tomás Yankelevich, Peter Bevan, Mariana Sanjurjo, Alex Zito, Demián Bichir

Co-Executive Producer

David Brown Massey, Michael Meilander

Cast

Demián Bichir, Julia Goldani Telles

For More Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!

‘THE HONGFU HOTEL’ (Tribeca 2024 short) Hauntingly spectacular

tribeca 2024 logoTHE HONGFU HOTEL

https://tribecafilm.com/films/hongfu-hotel-2024

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Undoubtedly one of the most visually spectacular short films at Tribeca 2024, Tian Xu’s THE HONGFU HOTEL finds a father and son on the eve of the demolition of their family hotel in New York City. Feng arrives to check in on his father, Chan, the proprietor of their generations-old Chinatown hotel. Sold and marked for destruction to make way for a new road, Chan’s mission to see the spirits of the hotel’s old inhabitants reincarnated has seemingly failed. He plans to return to China and wishes to sign over the hotel and the profits to Feng. 

Feng battles demons past and present as he agrees to bid farewell to the upper floors one last time. What he finds has little impact on him but transfixes the audience with the lush production design. The set is intricate from ceiling to floor. Without spoiling the magic of THE HONGFU HOTEL, the film delves into Chinese mythology and religion in a mesmerizing way, challenging the viewer to open their minds to intergenerational trauma and the things we cannot see. 

Tian Xu and the entire HONGFU HOTEL crew have something indisputably special on their hands. I would be incredibly interested in an expanded universe here. The possibilities are endless. THE HONGFU HOTEL is spellbinding.

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World Premiere

The HongFu Hotel

Shorts

Short | United States | 19 MINUTES | English | English subtitles

Director

Tian Xu

Producer

“Amy” Kouxiao Zhang

Screenwriter

Tian Xu, Michael Ben-Iftah Nutovits, Bing Xu, Jacob Vaus

Cinematographer

“Steven” Sixiong Xie

Editor

Tian Xu, Yumeng “Judith” Zhu

Production Designer

“Mojo” Miao Wen

Executive Producer

Bing Xu

Associate Producer

Michael Ben-Iftah Nutovits

Co-Producer

Xiaojia Zhu

Cast

Kevin Dang, Zhu-Sheng Yin, Annalee Richards, Christine Liao, Jason Sun

The Hongfu hotel (2024) poster - www.imdb.com



Genre: Horror, Family, New York

Synopsis: A son reunites with his father on the eve of their family hotel’s demolition and is asked to bid farewell to the lingering spirits of the hotel’s past guests.

The film combines Chinese mythology and religion with modern-day New York City. Telling an immigrant story through the lens of horror.

For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!