WITH LOVE AND A MAJOR ORGAN
Disassociate with me, will you? Anabel is an artist who wears her emotions on her sleeves. She exists in a world that lets technology take away stress or pain by installing an app that manages your life as a checklist. Now you don’t have to feel anything. After Anabel finds a sudden proclamation of love rejected, she removes her heart, giving it to the man. The consequence being she becomes a disassociated drone. What happens when someone steals your heart? SXSW 2023 film from Kim Albright With Love and A Major Organ lets us feel again.
Quippy and biting dialogue plus a slick socially relevant plot (the reliance on technology) make With Love and A Major Organ one of the imaginative selections at SXSW 2023. The hilarious and somehow simultaneously romantic poetry from Anabel is captivating. Lighting plays a delightful role in the film. It is whimsical and gorgeous and underscores Anabel’s fantasies. The score sweeps you off your feet.
Hamza Haq plays George with childlike irrationality, and it is a masterpiece. Verna Sood is George’s mother, Mona. She is an unexpected anchor in this emotional roller coaster. Anna Maguire plays Anabel with both wild abandon and a dry robotic acidity. Julia Lederer‘s script allows her to soar, and she rises to the occasion at every turn.
“You can dedicate your whole life to something and still do it wrong.” This single statement punched me in the gut. The edited representation of unconditional love and their connection to memory is gasp-worthy. A very pointed opening credit sequence comes back to make sense halfway through the film. The visual metaphors in With Love and A Major Organ are exquisite.
With Love and a Major Organ has exceptional storytelling and visual style. It permits us to feel without stigma. It celebrates individuality and allows people to love what they love in peace. It’s a perfect match for SXSW audiences. It’s an absolute charmer.
Film Screenings
Credits
Director: |
Kim Albright |
|---|---|
Executive Producer: |
Lori Lozinski, Carol Whiteman |
Producer: |
Madeleine Davis |
Screenwriter: |
Julia Lederer |
Cinematographer: |
Leonardo Harim |
Editor: |
Tony Zhou |
Production Designer: |
Megan MacAulay |
Sound Designer: |
Matt Drake |
Music: |
Jeremy Wallace Maclean |
Principal Cast: |
Anna Maguire, Hamza Haq, Veena Sood, Donna Benedicto, Lynda Boyd, Arghavan Jenati, Enid-Raye Adams, Kerën Burkett, Ryan Beil, Laara Sadiq |
Additional Credits: |
Story Consultant: Anita Doran, Costume Designer: Nicole Swan, Casting by: Erin Lally, CSA, Annalese Tilling, Co-Producer: Nessa Aref, Production Manager: Shyam Valera, First Assistant Director: Rachel Rose, Art Director: Tiana P. Gordon, Gaffer: Yannie Yu, Sound Mixer: Coby DeGroot, Hair & Makeup: Alison Jeffreys |
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