HERE BEFORE
Haunted by the death of her young daughter, a distraught woman develops an all-consuming obsession with a girl she believes is her reincarnated child.
Writer-Director Stacey Gregg‘s debut feature film is haunting and thoroughly unexpected. Entrenched in grief, Laura feels a kindred connection with the new neighbors’ daughter. When young Megan begins to say things reminiscent of the little girl Laura lost, the grey areas between life and death become more complicated.
Niamh Dornan as Megan is stunning. What a captivating young lady. Her ability to play each beat is beyond her years. Andrea Riseborough‘s performance as Laura is extraordinary. A woman on the edge of grief and sanity, she brings every ounce of her soul to this role. The chemistry between Dornan and Riseborough is electric. There’s an ease and complexity that keeps your pulse quickened.
Trauma and deceit are two dominant themes that run through the script. I could not have been more intrigued. Here Before is overflowing with gaslighting and cleverly written twists and turns. Utilizing memory and maternal manipulation, there is no way you’ll be able to guess how this story ends. Gregg had me second-guessing until the final frame. What an intoxicating gem for Final Girls Berlin 2022 audiences.
While features will only be screened in person, the majority of shorts will be available to watch virtually internationally — with tickets available HERE
https://www.finalgirlsberlin.com/
Hirokazu Kore-eda (
Is it fair to categorize Air Doll as an unusual coming-of-age story? Perhaps, a story of enlightened consciousness would be better suited. Air Doll is yet another perfectly thoughtful addition to Dekanalog‘s collection of films. It begs larger questions of existence and life, exploring the meaning of happiness on a grander scale. The film’s evolution is endlessly surprising. You won’t be able to look away. Air Doll is truly something special.
Brimming with trauma, Slapface is a unique horror. Bullying, neglect, and violence swirl to create a horrifying tale of a child reaching out for love. Writer-Director Jeremiah Kipp forces us to ride a rollercoaster of emotions that just keeps going around and around. If you’ve been searching for something unlike anything you’ve seen before, Slapface should be top of your list.
The majority of the acting is pretty hammy. There are disaffected or stagey line readings. But, two standout performances come from Destini Stewart as Leader and Henri Gillespi as PJ. Also, make sure you stay through the credits. It’s worth your time. 
I was a musical theatre major at a conservatory program in Manhattan twenty years ago. As a performer and director, I understand what it takes to make a musical come to fruition. The amount of work ethic required to succeed is unfathomable for anyone outside the industry. I cannot imagine the added uphill battle of mounting a show where every cast member has a disability. IMPERFECT showed me that it’s not only possible but positively triumphant.
The film breaks away from rehearsals to focus on each individual’s personal life. These moments successfully solidify our emotional investment in the cast. We get to know who these actors are and why they choose the theatre. Everyone is unique. Sometimes we forget that disability comes in all forms. Their spotlights shine with eloquence and honesty. They raise awareness, shatter stereotypes, and remind us to choose kindness.
I could have watched an entire film on the audition process alone. Frankly, I would watch a series of “imperfect” shows. It is a brilliant treatment for years of unique entertainment. Phamaly Theatre Company might have cornered an untapped market for the masses. Televising the process could have these performers reach a massive audience beyond “Chicago.” Pushing that grandiose idea aside, as a stand-alone doc, you’ll fall head over heels in love with this company. Directors Brian Malone and Regan Linton (who plays double duty as “Chicago’s” director) have given audiences everywhere a heartfelt gift in IMPERFECT. We learn much in an hour and fifteen minutes.
Folklore and family meld too well in 
Strangely enough, one of my favorite scenes is the only earnest tension breaker in the film. It’s an oddly placed music video performed by the sisters. Each has a chance to show off their personalities. It’s seemingly something they did as children, and like the rest of the film, it lands somewhere between enchanting and creepy as hell. The set’s dressing, particularly the bedrooms, have a candy-colored aesthetic to them. Laura Ashley-Esque prints against morose faces unsettle your body. The story of the ill-fated seven sisters becomes more intriguing once you realize the ancient origins apply both to the sea and stars. While writer-director Sarah Adina Smith‘s film ultimately leaves us with more questions than answers, it’s a film that is impossible to shake.
A journey of tradition and self-discovery, Long Line of Ladies is a Sundance 2022 short film that allows us to peek behind the curtain of a once lost ceremony in the Karuk tribe.
Nocturna: Side B – Where the Elephants Go to Die
Nocturna: Side A – The Great Old Man’s Night and Nocturna: Side B – Where the Elephants Go to Die will be released January 18 on iTunes/Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Xbox, Vudu, Vimeo, DirecTv, local cable & satellite providers, and on DVD.
Having switched from in-person to completely virtual, audiences of Sundance 2022 will have the opportunity to see a plethora of entertainment that will terrify, tantalize, and remind you of why we love storytelling so much. From horror to drama, television series to shorts, documentaries to VR experiences, we’ll be watching as much as our eyes can consume from January 20-30th. Things are finding distribution left and right, with is always great news. That means even if you miss something during the festival, it will most likely be coming to a theater or streaming platform very soon.
Cha Cha Real Smooth / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Cooper Raiff, Producers: Dakota Johnson, Ro Donnelly, Erik Feig, Jessica Switch, Cooper Raiff) — A directionless college graduate embarks on a relationship with a young mom and her teenage daughter while learning the boundaries of his new bar mitzvah party-starting gig. Cast: Dakota Johnson, Cooper Raiff, Vanessa Burghardt, Evan Assante, Brad Garrett, Leslie Mann. World Premiere.
Dual / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Riley Stearns, Producers: Nate Bolotin, Aram Tertzakian, Lee Kim, Riley Stearns, Nick Spicer, Maxime Cottray) — After receiving a terminal diagnosis, Sarah commissions a clone of herself to ease the loss for her friends and family. When she makes a miraculous recovery, her attempt to have her clone decommissioned fails, and leads to a court-mandated duel to the death. Cast: Karen Gillan, Aaron Paul, Beulah Koale. World Premiere.
I Didn’t See You There / U.S.A. (Director: Reid Davenport, Producer: Keith Wilson) — Spurred by the spectacle of a circus tent that goes up outside his Oakland apartment, a disabled filmmaker launches into an unflinching meditation on freakdom, (in)visibility, and the pursuit of individual agency. World Premiere.
Brian And Charles / U.K. (Director: Jim Archer, Screenwriters: David Earl, Chris Hayward, Producer: Rupert Majendie) — A story of friendship, love, and letting go. And a 7ft tall robot that eats cabbages. A comedy shot in documentary format. Cast: David Earl, Chris Hayward, Louise Brealey, Jamie Michie, Lowri Izzard, Mari Izzard. World Premiere.
Calendar Girls / Sweden (Directors, Screenwriters, and Producers: Maria Loohufvud, Love Martinsen) — A coming-of-golden-age look at Florida’s most dedicated dance team for women over 60, shaking up the outdated image of “the little old lady,” and calling for everyone to dance their hearts out, while they still can. World Premiere.
Something In The Dirt / U.S.A. (Directors: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, Screenwriter: Justin Benson, Producers: David Lawson, Aaron Moorhead, Justin Benson) — When neighbors John and Levi witness supernatural events in their Los Angeles apartment building, they realize documenting the paranormal could inject some fame and fortune into their wasted lives. An ever-deeper, darker rabbit hole, their friendship frays as they uncover the dangers of the phenomena, the city, and each other. Cast: Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead. World Premiere. Fiction.
Hatching / Finland (Director: Hanna Bergholm, Screenwriter: Ilja Rautsi, Producers: Mika Ritalahti, Nico Ritalahtit) — While desperately trying to please her demanding mother, a young gymnast discovers a strange egg. She tucks it away and keeps it warm, but when it hatches, what emerges shocks everyone. Cast: Jani Volanen, Siiri Solalinna, Sophia Heikkilä, Saija Lentonen, Reino Nordin, Oiva Ollila. World Premiere. Fiction.
Maika / Vietnam (Director and Screenwriter: Ham Tran, Producers: Jenni Trang Le, Duy Ho, Anderson Le, Bao Nguyen) — After a meteor falls to earth, 8-year-old Hung meets an alien girl from the planet Maika, searching for her lost friend. As Hung helps her otherworldly friend search, the alien inadvertently helps Hung make new friends and heal a broken heart. But danger lurks everywhere… Cast: Phu Truong, Diep Anh Tru, Tin Tin, Ngoc Tuong, Kim Nha. World Premiere. Fiction.
The Dark Heart / Sweden (Director: Gustav Möller, Screenwriter: Oskar Söderlund, Producers: Anna Carlsten, Caroline Landerberg) — Sweden: in a mythological landscape, search parties roam through forests of spruce, secret conversations are whispered in open fields, and verbal duels fought on narrow country roads. A story of family feuds, inheritances, and forbidden love. Cast: Aliette Opheim, Clara Christiansson Drake, Gustav Lindh, Peter Andersson. World Premiere. Fiction. 
Warsha / France/Lebanon (Director and Screenwriter: Dania Bdeir, Producer: Coralie Dias) — A Syrian migrant working as a crane operator in Beirut volunteers to cover a shift on one of the most dangerous cranes, where he is able to find his freedom. Cast: Khansa. World Premiere.
Huella / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Gabriela Ortega, Producers: Helena Sardinha, Rafael Thomaseto) — When the death of her grandmother unleashes a generational curse, a disenchanted flamenco dancer resigned to a desk job is forced to experience the five stages of grief through a visit from her female ancestors. Cast: Shakira Barrera, Denise Blasor, Carla Valentine. 
Tale as old as time: Boy is lonely, boy meets girl, girl is bad for him. At first, that’s hot. Later, it’s not. Michael Douglass and Glenn Close taught us these dance moves in 1987’s Fatal Attraction. Prieto’s Shattered takes this formula, adds a helping of 1990’s Misery (James Cann plays an injured writer, and Kathy Bates is the nurse who happens to be an obsessed fan. Great movie – don’t watch if you’re squeamish about ankle torture) and gives it all a glossy high-tech setting.
Things get hot and heavy fast and then go wrong even faster. As in, deliriously bonkers fast. This movie is not interested in slow-burning anything – it turns the gas all the way up. Sky, of course, is not who she claims to be, and Chris finds himself in grave danger. Some films would tease this uncertainty out over many scenes, but Shattered stamps down on the gas pedal. This film burns through the plot faster than it can produce it. There’s probably another version of this film where Chris uses his own security app to slowly turn the tables on Sky – a nuanced vision of cat and mouse for the App generation. I would have also loved exploring more of the film’s snowy Montana setting.
Coming in at a tight 92 minutes, the pacing and pleasures of Shattered are more than enough to make up for any glitches in its application. You’ll double-check your password security after watching this one.
A wow of a film, 
Rico Reid
The script possesses inklings of
Without spoiling anything, 
A mysterious death abroad, $215 million missing, and a deep dive into the murky world of cryptocurrency– what else could you wish for? 
Amidst the intriguing narrative of Gerry Cotten’s rise and the close-knit community that propelled his success, an unexpected element comes into play – the world of crypto trading bots. This group of journalists, crypto enthusiasts, and Gerry’s former friends delve deep into the allure of cryptocurrency. As the story unfolds, the once vibrant and communal atmosphere of Quadriga CX faces challenges when the crypto markets experience a downturn, leading many investors to seek safer and more reliable platforms, such as the 
Most people probably don’t even know about Irish surfacing culture, but perhaps that is exactly the point. In “Keep in Secret”, founding members of the Irish surfing community share a treasured history of bringing the ocean sport born and developed on the sunny shores of Hawai’i to the chilly white-tipped waters of the Irish coastline. A fascinating exploration into what was once just a curiosity sparked from 1960’s travel magazines, Irish surf culture grew into a close-knit community a continent and an ocean away. To fully enjoy sports like this, one must be fully-equipped with items such as 
Anchored by charming first-person narratives from a crew you’ll wish you could keep up with, “Keep it Secret” is a total gem. Their tales of surf safaris around the Irish coastline are scrappy and steeped in the complex history of the 20th century. They crafted their first boards by hand and surfed the icy waters without wetsuits bolstered by a sense of exploration, camaraderie, and good Irish whiskey. 
You Mean Everything to Me
Morgan Saylor,
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