‘YOU ARE HERE’ (DWF:LA 2024 short) Universally great

DWF-LA logoYOU ARE HERE

https://danceswithfilms.com/YOU-ARE-HERE/

YOU-ARE-HERE

A short film about our minds going down the proverbial rabbit hole of unfathomable information, Michael Friberg‘s DWF: LA short, YOU ARE HERE, is pure delight.

When insurance underwriter Peter reads a newspaper article about the number of stars in the galaxy, he fixates on the enormity of space and life itself. Peter is every science enthusiast inside of us. Lehi Farlpapalangi is so watchable that he deserves a feature or series all his own. YOU ARE HERE feels like a live-action Pixar short. The film will undoubtedly bring a smile to your face, and if it doesn’t, check your pulse.

Find tickets here!!

 

WEST COAST Premiere | USA, 2024, 8 min.
FUSION SHORTS BLK 2 – TUE JUNE 25 @ 5PM

 

WRITER/DIR: Michael Friberg
PRODS: Vincent Mauro, James Roh
CAST: Lehi Falepapalangi, Bridget Elsabe Galanis, Annie Flowers, Cameron Sawyer

When insurance salesman Peter Kleebold reads an article about the size of the universe, it sends him into an existential tailspin that leads him on a journey to get out of this world.

For more Dances With Films coverage, click here!

‘HOW I ROLL’ (DWF:LA 2024 short) Resilience at its finest

DWF-LA logo

HOW I ROLL
https://danceswithfilms.com/HOW-I-ROLL-2/

How I roll posterOne of the most harrowing stories I’ve seen featured in a short film comes from BriGuel‘s HOW I ROLL. This 13-minute emotional rollercoaster is an eye-opening tale of resilience. Robin Cohen lives with MS, navigating Miami, Manhattan, and a family history of shocking violence, loss, and great love. 

HOW-I-ROLLBriGuel beautifully edits Cohen’s innermost thoughts, one on top of the other in the most organic way, mimicking the chaos of our mind’s intrusive thoughts. With an abundance of home videos and footage of Robin’s daily life and love story, HOW I ROLL introduces the world to a woman who inspires us to love, laugh, and live life to its fullest despite what might feel like insurmountable odds. Eternal positivity and perseverance are the beauty of life.

Get Tickets Here!

How I Roll (Official Trailer) from BriGuel on Vimeo.

DIRS: Brianne Berkson & Miguel Gluckstern, BriGuel
PRODS: Robin Cohen, Brianne Berkson, Miguel Gluckstern, Stefany Dobken

Facing unthinkable hardships – murder, loss, battling MS for 25 years, Robin Cohen impressively defies the odds, finding light despite the darkness.

For more DWF coverage, click here!

‘WHAT A FEELING’ (Frameline 48) An age and stage charmer from filmmaker Kat Rohrer.

Frameline 48Frameline_Logotype_Web

WHAT A FEELING

What a Feeling (2024) - www.imdb.comIt is easy to see why Kat Rohrer‘s Frameline 48 feature WHAT A FEELING played to a sold-out crowd last night. This authentic love story is everything you want it to be.  Workplace shenanigans and complicated family dynamics genuinely ground the film. This naturally progressing script has it all.

what a feeling 3Fa is a wildly unpredictable woman who enjoys creating things with her hands and bouncing from woman to woman. Marie is a doctor whose husband demands a divorce on their 20th wedding anniversary. When the two run into each other, almost quite literally, they discover an unexpected spark between them.

what a feeling 2Caroline Peters delivers laughs and heart in the role of Marie Theres. Proschat Madani gives Fa a firecracker spirit. Both offer depth to roles that could easily remain surface-level clichés. Their chemistry is magic, and Rohrer thoughtfully crafts their characters’ journeys.

what a feeling 1The film leans into conversations of identity, both sexual and national, with Fa being Iranian. It tackles inherent bias and standing up for what’s right, no matter the issue. WHAT A FEELING dives into the nuance of relationships and the mistakes we make that either force us to grow or flee. It’s a lovely film.

https://youtu.be/-MRHS5I1umI

DIRECTOR
Kat Rohrer
YEAR
2024
COUNTRY
Austria
RUNNING TIME
110 mins
LANGUAGE
German, English, & Persian
SECTION
Narrative Features

For more LGBTQIA+ films, click here!

‘WHAT REMAINS’ (2024) Based on a true story and unresolved trauma

WHAT REMAINS

What Remains PosterUpon his upcoming release from a specialized mental hospital in Scandinavia, a man suddenly reveals his connection to a string of murders. His therapist and the police officer on the case go down the rabbit hole, putting all three of them in a precarious relationship.

Stellan Skarsgård plays Officer Soren Rank. He is always a solid actor. This role is another notch on his vast resume. Andrea Riseborough gives Dr. Anna Rudebeck a staunch determination. Yet again, she climbs into the skin of a self-sabotaging and flawed woman who would rather help others than confront her childhood trauma.

What Remains still 1Gustaf Skarsgård is Mads a deep sadness. His gentle nature is at odds with his confessions, although his true motivations feel evident from the beginning. Nevertheless, Skarsgård delivers an emotionally wrought performance.

The script comes from director Ran Huang and Megan Everett-Skarsgard, wife of Stellan and stepmother of Gustaf. WHAT REMAINS is Huang’s feature debut. The characters are so lush that I might suggest expanding this into a miniseries.

What-RemainsHaunting takes in the gloomy natural light of a rainstorm or afternoon in an unlit room, capturing the dark essence of the narrative. The true story behind the film is one of the most unusual in criminal history. In the 1990s, Sture Ragnar Bergwall (later known as Thomas Quicke ) confessed to 20 unsolved murders (convicted of 5). Years later, he rescinded his statements.

It is an intriguing commentary about mental health systems worldwide. The film takes place in Scandinavia, and Mads undergoes rehabilitation treatment. The stark difference between the US industrial prison complex is shocking. The human desire to heal inmates versus for-profit prisons is eye-opening. WHAT REMAINS speaks to the unrelenting consequences of unresolved trauma.

In Theaters & On Demand June 21st
 
** Locarno Film Festival **
** Warsaw International Film Festival **
** Beijing International Film Festival **
** Fantasy FilmFest **

Starring:
Gustaf Skarsgård (“Vikings”),
Andrea Riseborough (To Leslie)
and Stellan Skarsgård (Dune: Part Two)
 
Directed by: Ran Huang
 
Written by: Ran Huang and Megan Everett-Skarsgard 


LOGLINE
In a psychiatric hospital, an alleged serial killer, his therapist, and a police detective seek to solve a brutal cold case before their obsessive quest for the truth consumes them all.

For more films Based On A True Story, click here!

 

Interesting Read – The Craftsmanship of 1:1 Super Clone Watches  gives you the feel and look of the original watch

‘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!

‘THE EVERYTHING POT’ (Tribeca 2024) cooks up a snack versus a meal

tribeca 2024 logoTHE EVERYTHING POT


https://tribecafilm.com/films/everything-pot-2024

THE_EVERYTHING_POT-Clean-16x9In the Tribeca 2024 feature film THE EVERYTHING POT, two couples in vastly different places collide, and it all starts with a wedding gift.

Claire and Charlie are engaged. Charlie insists on inviting his former co-worker Rachel and her husband to the wedding. Newly empty-nesters, their overly enthusiastic RSVP triggers both couples to reevaluate their feelings.

Claire is irrationally jealous but without any specifics. Rachel and Adam are a lovely pair, filled with the familiarity of being with a partner for a long time. The film suggests that Rachel has lost interest as of late, but the mention of marital boredom only comes in the form of eye-rolls and innuendos from neighbor Gail.

There are many gaps that the audience needs to fill in. Charlie’s unresolved feelings towards Rachel go without much detail, and his waffling in making a move leaves Charlie coming off as flaky and inconsistent. It is a common theme as THE EVERYTHING POT plays out.

The most successful aspect comes in the natural dialogue between Rachel, Adam, and Gail. In the scene where they co-opt Adam’s phone over Claire’s childish shenanigans, the plot finally picks up the pace. Lisa Edelstein, Erik Griffin, and Gina Torres‘ talents feel wasted. Despite their delicious chemistry, there is a feeling as if entire scenes were left on the cutting room floor. Not that I’m suggesting making the runtime longer because I’m not.

The cast delivers enthusiasm and charm, but that “it” factor is missing in the script’s flow and pace. THE EVERYTHING POT ultimately falls flat.

Spotlight Narrative

Feature | United States | 90 MINUTES | English

Director

Sherise Dorf

Producer

Callie Bloem, Sherise Dorf, Lisa Edelstein, Christopher J. Ewing, Sean Patrick Kelly, Emily Sheehan, James Wolk

Screenwriter

Sherise Dorf

Cinematographer

Steven Breckon

Editor

Christopher J. Ewing

Composer

Jina Hyojin An, Shirley Song

Executive Producer

Edward Burns, Aaron Lubin

Co-Producer

Julianne Gabert

Cast

Lisa Edelstein, James Wolk, Gina Torres, Erik Griffin, Delaney Rowe, Deja Monique Cruz

For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!

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

tribeca 2024 logoBEACON

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

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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.

THE_HONGFU_HOTEL-Clean-16x9-03

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!

‘ARZÉ’ (Tribeca 2024) is a slice of genius.

tribeca 2024 logo

Arzé

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

ARZE-Clean-16x9-02Director Mira Shaib brings a story of perseverance to Tribeca 2024 audiences with ARZÉ. A single mother living with her sister and teenage son makes pies to support the family. Delivering them on foot loses them potential clients. Arzé secretly pawns a piece of her sister’s jewelry to put a down payment on a scooter, but when it’s stolen, she and Kinan embark on a wild goose chase through the streets of Beruit in a race against time.

Mother and son hit the ground running, quite literally, in a manic search for the stolen scooter. Arzé tries every trick in the book. Her negotiations for information include swapping whichever religious icon will get her to the next clue, though her delightful pies become the slyest currency.

Betty Taoutel gives agoraphobic Layla a delusional sense of hope that her estranged husband will return. She is a wonderfully character-driven foil for Kinan and Arzé. Her mental health and emotional trauma hide her deep love for her nephew and sister. It’s a lovely turn.

Bilal Al Hamwi plays Kinan with ferocious energy. His head is in the clouds. A push and pull between childhood and adulthood, Kinan longs to escape Beruit but feels tethered to his girlfriend and the mother he thinks holds him back.

ARZE-Clean-16x9-03As the titular Arzé, Diamond Abou Abboud shines with a palpable determination. Her relentless pursuit to make things right will capture your heart. She is abundantly charming. Abou Abboud delivers a shockingly powerhouse performance that sneaks up on you.

The cinematography is beautiful in the ever-changing natural light of Beirut. The script is a thoughtful mix of sadness, desperation, and hope. The score is almost comically upbeat but perfectly suits the surprising highs and lows in all the shenanigans.

Screenwriters Louay Khraish and Faissal Sam Shaib offer moments of levity amidst the seriousness of Arzé’s plight. It is also an interesting commentary on blame, the dangers of stereotyping, and tribalism. They give our leading lady a level of observant intelligence that reigns supreme.

ARZÉ is a delightful and entirely unexpected film in Tribeca 2024’s lineup, but undeniably one of the best.

Viewpoints

Feature | Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia | 90 MINUTES | Arabic | English subtitles

Director

Mira Shaib

Producer

Louay Khraish, Faissal Sam Shaib, Ali Elarabi

Screenwriter

Louay Khraish, Faissal Sam Shaib

Cinematographer

Heyjin Jun

Editor

Hisham Saqr

Composer

Hany Adel

Cast

Diamand Abou Abboud, Betty Taoutel, Bilal Al Hamwi

For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!

‘JUMPMAN’ (Tribeca 2024 short) Artistic justice for an icon

tribeca 2024 logoJUMPMAN

https://tribecafilm.com/films/jumpman-2024JUMPMAN-Clean-16x9-01


Tom Dey’s Tribeca 2024 documentary short film JUMPMAN details the extraordinary life and body of work of photographer Co Rentmeester, the man responsible for Nike’s iconic Air Jordan logo.

His fearless action and natural eye as a young man led to experiences beyond belief. His ability to capture dynamic close-ups and create breathtaking photographs is a gift. From Vietnam to The Olympics, his images are dazzling.

Nike has some explaining to do, and Rentmeester deserves justice. His experience is infuriating, mirroring many artists and copyright infringement cases across the globe.

His life is so intriguing that JUMPMAN could become an entire series. There is so much meat on the bone here. It is utterly transfixing.

Short | United States | 22 MINUTES | English | English subtitles

Director
Tom Dey
Producer
Tom Dey & Coliena Rentmeester
Screenwriter
Tom Dey
Cinematographer
Meena Singh
Editor
Federico Conforti
Composer
Fabrizio Mancinelli
Co-Producer
Marlien Rentmeester & Els Rentmeester
Cast
Co Rentmeester

For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!

‘A FAMILY GUIDE TO HUNTING’ (Tribeca 2024 short) Killer family therapy

tribeca 2024 logo

A FAMILY GUIDE TO HUNTING

WORLD PREMIERE


https://tribecafilm.com/films/family-guide-to-hunting-2024

A FAMILY GUIDE TO HUNTING

Zao Wang’s Tribeca 2014 short starts off with a bang (and I do mean that as a double entendre). After a meet-the-parents weekend goes wildly awry, Mom, Dad, and daughter Eva finally hash out their differences amidst the remains of their daughter’s relationship.

Margaret Cho plays a disapproving matriarch with a ferociousness we’ve come to expect from her. Keong Sim plays Dad with effortless charm, while Kahyun Kim delivers the perfect balance of rebellion.

Bravo to the SFX team. Laugh-out-loud funny and totally bonkers, A FAMILY GUIDE TO HUNTING deals with emotional trauma in the wackiest way. This is family therapy on crack. Highly recommend.

A FAMILY GUIDE TO HUNTING 2

Credits
Director: Zao Wang

Producer: Joyce Liu-Countryman, Louise Barretto, Zao Wang

Screenwriter: Zao Wang, Tom Toro, Carmiel Banasky

Cinematographer: Brian Nguyen

Editor: Shannon C. Griffin; Justin Krohn, ACE

Composer: Denise Santos

Executive Producer: Margaret Cho, Lin He, Qiang Wang, Eddie Chin

Associate Producer: Greg Brecher

Cast: Margaret Cho, Kahyun Kim, Keong Sim, Craig Newman

A FAMILY GUIDE TO HUNTING 3

For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!

‘CATHARSIS’ (Tribeca 2024 short) Explosive and unique

tribeca 2024 logoCATHARSIS

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

CATHARSIS POSTER

Brian Logvinsky brings his electric short film CATHARSIS to Tribeca 2024. Alex is a dancer and the face of his company, whose inner turmoil gets him mandated therapy sessions with an unorthodox doctor.

Max Basch‘s hypnotic visual and sound editing personify Alex’s rage. The score is infectious, and, oh, the choreography! Marc Gellar, Jemima Kirke, Deborah Harry, and lead Harrison Ball interact like fireworks.

CATHARSISThe overall aesthetic reminds me of Darren Lynn Bousman’s Repo! The Genetic Opera, thanks to costumes by Zac Posen and Catherine Gubernick‘s production design.

CATHARSIS tackles mental health, unresolved trauma, and grief. It is a wild, genre-obliterating film ripe for expansion. Bold and explosive, it is a magnificent stand-out. It is like riding someone else’s high.

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A directorial debut by Brian Logvinsky, a dancer savant with serious anger issues is about to sabotage his life when a strange psychotherapist brings him to face the shadows of his subconscious mind in CATHARSIS, a 17-minute avant-garde, neo-noir film. Weaving surrealism, performance art and horror, this psychological story is a lifelong passion project for Logvinsky, drawing from his own Soviet-American heritage. 

Alex (Harrison Ball) is a dancer, a once in a generation talent, who is spiraling out of control after the recent and tragic passing of his mother in CATHARSIS. He now lives with his aunt Anya (Deborah Harry), who was born in the Soviet Union and maintains several superstitions from her upbringing. She believes her family is cursed, and it is Alex’s inner demons that are causing the impulsive outbursts of anger and destruction that threaten to destroy his promising future.

At Anya’s urging, Alex attends a late night appointment with the mysterious psychotherapist Dr Leechny (Marc Geller). Using his own brand of pseudo–scientific hypnosis, Dr. Leechny and his enigmatic assistants, Chakra & Harmony (Jemima Kirke), guide Alex into hypnosis.

Within the void of hypnosis, Alex faces his worst fears and darkest truths. However, strengthened by a vision of his dead mother he is finally able to face the beast within himself. Leaving his appointment the following morning, Alex experiences catharsis while dancing through the streets of NYC as the sun finally rises.

For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!

‘MISSING FROM FIRE TRAIL ROAD’ (Tribeca 2024) Shouting from the rooftops for their loved ones

tribeca 2024 logoMISSING FROM FIRE TRAIL ROAD 

World Premiere: Spotlight Documentary Section

Sabrina Van Tassel‘s TRIBECA 2024 documentary MISSING FROM FIRE TRAIL ROAD speaks for those without a voice. Indigenous women are in crisis. Why aren’t we talking about the statistics of missing native women? The number is vastly higher than any other group in the United States.

The film focuses on the story of Mary Ellen Johnson Davis, missing since 2020, as her family tries to piece together all the information they can, while also showing up for those in their community with similar circumstances. There are far too many unexplained disappearances and deaths for one community not to call it an epidemic.

MISSING_FROM_FIRE_TRAIL_ROAD 2The reservation has its own justice system, under which not a single white man has been prosecuted in connection to a disappearance. Families must rely on the Feds to intervene. They never do. It is endless, lawless mayhem.

Story after story, family after family, one thread connects them all. That is abuse from white outsiders. You can’t tell this story without delving into the trauma of native children stolen from their families and physically and emotionally tormented in boarding schools. MISSING FROM FIRE TRAIL ROAD delivers the horrific truth through the words of survivors.

MISSING_FROM_FIRE_TRAIL_ROAD 1A quote from a manual given to households when children the government was ripping from their homes reads, “The goal is not to make scientists, or doctors or lawyers out of these citizens. The goal is to make domestic housewives and farmers and laborers.” Keeping the population suppressed remains the goal. It’s cyclical genocide. It is the continuation of colonization, plain and simple.

The question remains. How many of these documentaries need to be made to get the message across? Tribeca 2024 audiences can share the native plight and, perhaps, move the dial toward justice. Do something.

Remaining Screenings of MISSING FROM FIRE TRAIL ROAD:

Saturday, June 15 – 11:00 AM:  AMC 19th St. East 6


Mary Ellen Johnson Davis has been missing since the eve of Thanksgiving 2020 from the Tulalip Reservation. She is only one of hundreds of Native American women who continue to go missing in the U.S. As director Sabrina Van Tassel (“The State of Texas vs Melissa”) investigates Mary Ellen’s case, dozens of Native women speak up about the violence suffered and observed by them. 

 

Executive Produced and featuring Deborah Parker, activist and indigenous leader, Deb Haaland, US Secretary of the Interior, to many of Mary Ellen’s friends and family, the film threads a haunting but important report about these underlooked cases and the urgency for attention and action in these investigations. 

MISSING FROM FIRE TRAIL ROAD 

For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!

‘THIS REALLY HAPPENED’ (Tribeca 2024) The delirious dating dilemma is REALLY that good

tribeca 2024 logo

THIS REALLY HAPPENED

This Really Happened

NOW PROGRAM 
WORLD PREMIERE

This hilariously relatable and immersive short captures the nightmare that dating has become with an added element of surprise. In the Tribeca 2024 short film, THIS REALLY HAPPENED, Kate and Zoe break the 4th wall in one giant fantasy retelling of their unfortunately shared experience.

Abubakr Ali is effortlessly charming as Boy. His authentic interest and quirky, but completely believable, delivery of the dialogue make him a star. His chemistry with AbiAssi and Prosterman is magnetic.

Speaking of our leading ladies, Kallen Prosterman‘s portrayal of Kate fits every characteristic of an actor in NYC. I should know. I too attended a “fancy theatre school.” Olivia AbiAssi plays her brilliant foil in Zoe. Her self-deprecating stand-up routine perfectly captures her personality. It only makes sense that they write the script and play themselves. It is entirely lived-in viewing.

THIS REALLY HAPPENED has all the potential for a spectacular series. It begs for your attention. Director Emily Cohn deserves notice for helming their hilarity. This team of women earns your eyes and time in a slew of great Tribeca 2024 shorts programming. I’m looking at you Tribeca Creators Market. You’ve got potential gold in this one.

27 MINUTES | English | 2024 | NOT RATED

Cast & Credits:
Director: Emily Cohn
Project Creator: Olivia AbiAssi & Kallen Prosterman
Producer: Olivia AbiAssi, Kallen Prosterman, Emily Cohn & Allison Joy Gale
Screenwriter: Olivia AbiAssi & Kallen Prosterman
Cinematographer: Alexander Roque Petersen
Editor: Kate Pedatella

Based on a true story, Kate and Zoe, two young creatives in the throes of new love, have discovered they’ve been dating the same person: “BOY.” Determined to produce some kind of brilliant revenge project, they recount their experiences in filmed interviews and fantastical flashbacks full of (literal) red flags. But will this process turn out to be more cathartic or soul-crushing?

Remaining Screenings of THIS REALLY HAPPENED:

‘VULCANIZADORA’ (Tribeca 2024) Another magnificent WTF from an iconic indie duo.

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VULCANIZADORA

DWECK PRODUCTIONS & FACTORY 25 PRESENT A SOB NOISSE FILM

VULCANIZADORAUS Narrative Competition

Two friends spend time contemplating life on a camping trip in the woods. Their plans severely backfire. 

There are iconic filmmaker/actor duos out there. Scorsese and DiCaprio. Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos. If you don’t know about the absolute IDGAF weirdness of Joel Potrykus and Joshua Burge, welcome to genre heaven. Tribeca 2024 audiences have the privilege of absorbing their latest collaboration in VULCANIZADORA

Potrykus is Derrick, the overly enthusiast best friend of Burge’s hyper-aggressive Marty. Watching them play is like witnessing a couple of middle schoolers fuck around without supervision. The trust between these two that the shenanigans that Joel creates will translate is mindboggling. Their chemistry makes you ponder the fine line between written dialogue and close friends screwing with each other. (Read our reviews of BUZZARD and RELAXER.)

Derrick never shuts up, while Marty seemingly begrudges the spirit of the trip altogether. The script morphs from buddy comedy to thriller. Not until 48 minutes into the film do the true intentions of the plot reveal themselves. Their secret pact is desperately dark, taking Marty on a downward spiral. 

Potrykus’ screenplays are unpredictable, and Vulcanizadora is no exception. He utilizes eclectic music and long takes to reel you into his world. He and Burge deliver magnificent performances. The moral grey area in the film is spectacular, leading to equal parts smirk and cringe. The sneaky impact of a discussion about heaven and hell comes full circle with a stunning visual akin to purgatory. It is undeniably brilliant. Tribeca audiences are damn lucky to experience it first.

Cast: Joel Potrykus, Joshua Burge, Bill Vincent, Solo Potrykus
Writer/Director: Joel Potrykus
Associate Producer: Daniel Berger
Producer: Ashley Potrykus, Hannah Dweck, Theodore Schaefer, Matt Grady
Co-Producer: Kevin Clancy
Director of Photography: Adam J. Minnick
Production Design: Michael Saunders
Sound: Sasa Slogar

Remaining Screenings of VULCANIZADORA:

 
For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!

‘THE DEVIL’S BATH’ (Tribeca 2024) Horrifying History

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THE DEVIL’S BATH

A FILM BY VERONIKA FRANZ & SEVERIN FIALA
(GOODNIGHT MOMMY, THE LODGE)

STARRING ANJA PLASCHG (Soap&Skin)

*Winner, Berlin Film Festival Silver Bear 2024*

the devil's bath still 2Goodnight Mommy filmmakers Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz‘s latest film, The Devil’s Bath, opens with a positively gruesome scene. Based on historical research, it is a story that begins with infanticide, tackles mental health and religion, and is a haunting narrative you won’t see coming. Tribeca 2024 audiences are not ready. Anja Plaschg delivers a flawless performance. Her descent into despair is heartbreaking, but it is the eventual madness that devastates the audience. The Devil’s Bath is a deliberately paced, push and pull between tradition and ignorance, cultural expectations, and desperation. It is a deep dive into female depression and the historic gaslighting through our cries for help. Boasting a cyclical finale that will appall you, Shudder has another deeply dark notch in its belt. 

*COMING TO SHUDDER ON FRIDAY, JUNE 28TH FOLLOWING
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE ON JUNE 8TH AT TRIBECA FESTIVAL 2024*
2024 / Austria, Germany / In German with English Subtitles / 121 mins


Remaining Tribeca Screenings of The Devil’s Bath:
Public Screening 3: Thursday, June 13th at 9:15pm – AMC 19th St. East 6
The DEVIL_S_BATHSYNOPSIS – In 1750 Austria, a deeply religious woman named Agnes has just married her beloved, but her mind and heart soon grow heavy as her life becomes a long list of chores and expectations. Day after day, she is increasingly trapped in a murky and lonely path leading to evil thoughts, until the possibility of committing a shocking act of violence seems like the only way out of her inner prison. Giving a voice to the invisible and unheard women of the rural past; THE DEVIL’S BATH is based on historical court records about a shocking, hitherto unexplored chapter of European history.

Filmmakers Veronika Franz and Severin FialaVERONICA FRANZ (Writer & Director) studied German and philosophy and worked as a journalist. She has also worked as an artistic collab-orator with Ulrich Seidl since 1997 and co-wrote the screenplays for all of his films including DOG DAYS (2001), IMPORT EXPORT (2007), the PARADISE trilogy (2012/13) and WICKED GAMES – RIMINI SPARTA (2023). In 2003 she also founded the Ulrich Seidl Filmproduktion GmbH with him.

SEVERIN FIALA (Writer & Director) studied at the Vienna Film Academy. He worked at the Red Cross and celebrated his first success with the award-winning short film ELEPHANT SKIN (2009, co-directed with Ulrike Putzer).

The first collaboration between Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala was the international award-winning documentary KERN (premiere: Locarno Film Festival 2012). This was followed by their first joint feature film GOODNIGHT MOMMY (2014), which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, won several awards and was shown at the Oscars as Austria’s entry for Best International Feature Film. A US remake of the film was released internationally by Amazon in 2022 under the same name, starring Naomi Watts. THE LODGE, the directing duo’s first English-language feature film, has a prominent cast including US stars Riley Keough and Jaeden Martell. It celebrated its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019. The premiere of their period feature film THE DEVIL’S BATH followed in 2024 – an Ulrich Seidl Filmproduktion, in coproduction with Heimatfilm and Coop99 Filmproduktion.

For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!

‘The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write about a Serial Killer’ (Tribeca 2024) Killer comedy in every sense

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The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write about a Serial Killer

The SHALLOW TALE

World Premiere – Spotlight Narrative Section

A hapless writer gets pulled into a scheme involving his wife, his impending divorce, and a serial killer yearning to be the subject of his next book. Tolga Karaçelik‘s first English-language film, The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write about a Serial Killer, makes its debut for Tribeca 2024 audiences.

After Suzie asks Keane for a divorce, Kollmick poses as a marriage counselor to throw her off the scent of their agreement. Suzie becomes suspicious with the discovery of each book Kollmick suggests Keane study. Convinced she is the target of Keane’s strange new behavior, the three become entangled in a complicated plot for individual satisfaction.

Britt Lower plays Suzie, Keane’s fed-up wife. Suzie has a type A personality and a pristine appearance. Her fashionably buttoned-up look, whether donning silk pajamas or a salmon-colored suit, is perfection. Her morose delivery is flawless.

John Magaro nails the role of Keane. He swings from overly nonchalant to manic as the film progresses. A celebration of childish floundering, this performance is hysterical.
The SHALLOW TALE 2Steve Buscemi is a legend. In pretending to be Keane and Suzie’s marriage counselor, he brings his murder advice into the sessions, equally confusing and intriguing his faux clients. Buscemi’s calm and confident nature is captivating.

The cast’s chemistry is spectacular. Buscemi and Magaro have a fun banter, but the most surprising firecracker moments happen between him and Lower. The way they both lean into Suzie’s macabre aura is a hoot. Karaçelik’s dialogue is witty. The cinematography from Natalie Kingston is beautiful, utilizing noir lighting.

THE SHALLOW TALE is weird, but the good kind of weird. It’s simultaneously so strange and dark you find yourself smirking and scratching your head, needing to know where it goes next. The film boasts a knee-slapping climax akin to a high-stakes ping-pong match. THE SHALLOW TALE is a dark oddball comedy that celebrates leaning into our authentic selves and the essence of communication, no matter the fallout.

The Shallow Tale of a Writer Who Decided to Write About a Serial Killer


Written and Directed by: Tolga Karaçelik

Produced by: Scott Aharoni, Sinan Eczacibasi, Alihan Yalçındağ, Wren Arthur, Steve Buscemi, Alex Peace Power, Mustafa Kaymak, and Tolga Karaçelik

Executive Producer: John Magaro, Britt Lower, Aykut Sanver, Kanat Dogramaci, Eppie Ozen, Daniel John Goldberg, Julien Levesque, Ahmet Kenan Bilgic, Can Gursoy, Tara Khorti, Irmak Pakdemir, Peter Veverka, Ali Yurerer, Aret Tasciyan

Starring: Steve Buscemi, John Magaro, and Britt Lower

A struggling writer in the midst of a divorce befriends a retired serial killer who incidentally becomes his marriage counselor by day, and killing counselor for his next book by night.

RT: 102 Minutes

 

Public Screenings for The Shallow Tale:

Saturday, June 8th at 5:00 PM at SVA Theater – 1 Silas

Sunday, June 9th at 2:15 PM at Village East Cinema – 02

Wednesday, June 12th at 8:00 PM at Village East Cinema – 07

For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!

‘BLACK TABLE’ (Tribeca 2024) A vital lesson in excellence

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BLACK TABLE

Spotlight Documentary

Feature | United States | 93 MINUTES | English

BLACK_TABLE-Tribeca 2024Yale’s Class of 97′ boasted the largest admission of black students in the university’s history. Filmmakers John Antonio James and Bill Mack bring Tribeca 2024 BLACK TABLE, a documentary that delves into the complexities of learning, thriving, and simply existing within a predominantly white Ivy environment and beyond.

The documentary interviews an array of graduates from the 90s. Each comes from a different background, but in almost every admission story, parental involvement plays a vital role in communicating with guidance counselors.

As the spouse of a Yale School of Management ’13 grad and president of The SOM Partners Club during our time in New Haven, hearing The Whiffenpoofs sing is a nostalgic sensory memory. To no one’s surprise, we are both white. The reality for the featured alum evokes vastly different experiences, particularly their introduction to the environment. One thing they all had in common is that each individual had their validity and accomplishments relentlessly challenged.

Commons is the university’s overwhelmingly beautiful dining hall. Everyone who sees it likens it to something straight out of Harry Potter. Our alums describe making room for other black students, thus creating a safe space for their community, sometimes pushing tables together to grow the joy and share their daily knowledge and experiences. It is described as black excellence training for their time on Yale’s campus.
BLACK_TABLE-Clean-02 Tribeca 2024There is no escaping the discussion of Affirmation Action, and filmmakers fully understand it. We delve into the racist talking points that thrive today in diminishing accomplishments and a sense of belonging. An explosive incident at Naples forced Yale and its student body to confront the reality of being black on campus. Rodney King changed the name of the game from a student action standpoint. Then O.J. Simpson’s trial reignited cultural tension.

A fascinating conversation surrounds reasons not to sit at the black table. Alums discuss that perhaps the table hindered their growth, their fear of branching out, and the ensuing judgment from their black peers. It is a complicated conversation that continues with their children.

The photos from the alums are storytelling gold. When friends get together in 2022, they break down their college experiences, childhoods, and ancestral wisdom. One statement from the film succinctly tackles the overall message: “Even if it were affirmative action that got you here, affirmative action is not keeping you here.” BLACK TABLE is a history lesson and a celebrated tour through years of black excellence.

Black Table


Remaining Screenings of Black Table:

For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!

‘Come Closer’ (Tribeca 2024) The complexities of grief shine through stunning performances

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COME CLOSER

come closer still tribeca 2024

In Tom Nesher‘s Tribeca 2024 film COME CLOSER, following the accidental death of her brother, Eden discovers his secret girlfriend. They begin a complicated relationship that pushes them both into challenging territory.

Darya Rosenn‘s innocence shines as Maya. She is entirely mesmerizing. Lia Elalouf instills deep loss and authenticity in Eden. Her fiery spirit feels dangerous in the best way. Elalouf projects the epitome of unresolved trauma.

We should have expected an already damaged character to use sex as a coping mechanism. Eden’s self-sabotaging behavior covers deep-seated trauma from both her parent’s ugly divorce and the loss of her brother. Her volatility keeps the audience engaged, but Elalouf and Rosen’s chemistry takes your breath away.

While the story is relatively predictable, it doesn’t lessen the impact of the performances and stunning lighting choices. How we deal with grief is such a personal journey. COME CLOSER examines the idea of its unique messiness.




Written & Directed by Tom Nesher

Produced by Haim Mecklberg, Estee Yacov-Mecklberg, Domenico Procacci, Laura Paolucci, Anthony Bregman, Moshe and Leon Edery, Oren and Omer Rogovin, Omri and Karni Bezalel, Tomer Mecklberg

Executive Produced by Ivan Fiorini, Marica Stocchi, Yigal Mograbi, Schaul Scherzer

Starring Lia Elalouf, Darya Rosenn, Netta Garti, Jacob Zada Daniel, Shlomi Shaban, Ido Tako, Ofek Pesach, and Yael Shoshana Cohen


When Eden’s beloved brother suddenly dies, she takes desperate measures to fill the void. Once she discovers he had a secret girlfriend, these measures assume a passionate and dangerous twist.

RT: 107 Minutes

Language: Hebrew | Subtitles: English COME CLOSER

For more Tribeca 2024 coverage, click here!