Category Archives: Woman Lead

Outfest: LA review: ‘EGGHEAD AND TWINKIE’ is the perfect Gen Z rom-com… and one of the year’s best films.

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EGGHEAD and TWINKIE

EGGHEAD AND TWINKIE is an instant classic. After coming out to her parents, two best friends go on an impromptu road trip to meet a crush. This genre-bending film is one of the most fun selections at Outfest: LA.

Jill Cefalo-Sanders provides quirky animation, giving us adorable hand-drawn anime-inspired visuals for emotions, sounds, and transitions. It’s very Lizzie McGuire, and that’s an absolute compliment. It’s almost its own character in the film. The script kicks close-minded conservatism to the curb, much like a Mini Katana cutting through outdated beliefs with precision and style. Writer-director Sarah Kambe Holland makes Twinkie a total badass. She is funny, brave, awkward, fearless, and (to use a Gen Z word) fire. Holland gives Egghead all the qualities to balance his best friend. He is nerdy, loyal, thoughtful, and unequivocally at Twinkie’s mercy. The script doesn’t shy away from sexual fluidity but directly addresses it in an accessible way. 

Asahi Hirano plays Jess with a comfortability that is chef’s kiss. Acting like an LGBTQ+ sensai for Twinkie, Hirano makes the conversation flow easily. She is a delight, someone who could carry a spinoff film. Louis Tomeo as Egghead is fantastic. He is laugh-out-loud funny in his natural delivery. The sass is perfection. Holland allows him to show his comedy chops through the script and hilarious editing from Anna DeFinis and Kristina League. Sabrina Jie-a-fa plays Twinkie with a perfect balance of audaciousness and hesitancy. We see authentic coming-of-age and coming-out stories in her journey. Together, Tomeo and Jie-a-fa are a spectacular duo. You will fall in love with them. 

The teenage shenanigans ring true. That feeling of invincibility and daring remind me of my crazy ideas and dumb decisions in the late 90s. Egghead and Twinkie take risks, make mistakes, hurt each other, get their hearts broken, and confess their fears. The film is a helpful guide for parents struggling to understand their kids’ feelings. Regardless of their core beliefs, EGGHEAD AND TWINKIE is undeniably relatable. A modern-day romcom-buddy comedy-road movie we all needed to see. It is easily one of the year’s best films. Hey Netflix! This one is right up your alley. Do not sleep in it!

Showings – select to order tickets:
 
  • Director:
    Sarah Kambe Holland
  • Screenwriter:
    Sarah Kambe Holland
  • Producer:
    Danielle Fountaine, Sarah Kambe Holland, Valerie Starks
  • Executive Producer:
    Simon Holland, Torye Kambe, Dan Pastewka, Kathleen Weldon
  • Cast:
    Sabrina Jie-A-Fa, Louis Tomeo, Asahi Hirano, Ayden Lee
  • Cinematographer:
    Olivia Wilson
  • Editor:
    Kristina League, Anna Definis, Sarah Kambe Holland
  • Animator:
    Jill Cefalo-Sanders
  • Production Design:
    Luke Sanders
  • Composer:
    Ben Thornewill
  • Sound Design:
    Bo Li
  • Music:
    Arielle James Harris

Vampires, Werewolves, Frankenstein, Time Travel, and Fever Dreams. Oh, is that all? Nope. What to Watch at Fantasia Festival 2023, coming this week!

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Fantasia Festival 2023 logo

Fantasia 2023 is almost upon us, or as we like to say, “It’s Christmas in July, Motherf*ckers!” But, we usually keep that on the inside. Now that you have a taste of how demented we naturally are, here is a handful of films we are stoked to check out at this year’s fest. It’s the stuff we’ll undoubtedly be buzzing about for the remainder of the year. We have been lucky enough to have seen a few of the titles already making the rounds. You can catch our reviews for the following films:

With Love and a Major Organ

Suitable Flesh

Satan Wants You

Paiffe

Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls

Talk To Me

Molli and Max in the Future

Now, onto the films that we cannot wait to get our eyeballs on for the first time…

 

LOVELY, DARK, AND DEEP

lovely dark and deep poster


LOVELY, DARK AND DEEP is the hotly anticipated directorial debut of Teresa Sutherland, screenwriter of THE WIND and a writer on MIDNIGHT MASS. Laced with stunning visuals, this ominously beautiful, deeply frightening nightmare is anchored by a captivating lead performance from BARBARIAN’s Georgina Campbell. Campbell plays a park ranger in an isolated forest outpost, the site of multiple mysterious disappearances, and she is plagued by visions blending the past and present with something even more sinister. This transfixing film oozes an immersive, fever-dream atmosphere. Also starring Nick Blood, Wai Ching Ho, and Edgar Morais. World Premiere. 

You had us at Georgina Campbell and the woods. Teresa Sutherland understands how to create atmospheric chaos, both physically and emotionally. We’re betting on this one.


APORIA

Sophie’s (Judy Greer, HALLOWEEN) life takes a sudden hard turn when either fate or a terrible chance of circumstance sees her husband Mal (Edi Gathegi, THE HARDER THEY FALL) killed in a drunk-driving accident. Left to parent her grief-torn teenaged daughter (Faithe Herman, SHAZAM!) on her own while trying to keep things together with an emotionally taxing nursing job, her breaking point might be coming up fast and it takes every bit of her remaining strength not to fall apart. One day, her husband’s best friend (Payman Maadi, A SEPARATION), a brilliant former physicist, approaches her with an experimental machine that he’s secretly been working on for years. One that’s capable of bending time in specific ways. A device that could — perhaps — bring a version of Sophie’s old life back to her. She understands that by taking a chance with this, the consequences will be entirely unforeseeable. It’s an impossible choice to make. And a lifeline that’s all but impossible to resist.

As a self-proclaimed Whovian, time-bending is my jam. Add in Judy Greer, whose career is a delicious buffet of eclectic tastes, and you’ve got my eyeballs for however long you want them.

STAY ONLINE

Stay Online poster

STAY ONLINE, the feature-film debut of Ukrainian filmmaker Eva Strelnikova, follows Katya (Liza Zaitseva), a volunteer from Kyiv who is fighting against the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While using a laptop donated to the resistance, she comes into contact with the original owner’s superhero-obsessed son, who is looking for his lost parents. In an effort to make a positive change in this boy’s life and pull herself out of a destructive cycle, Katya risks all that she holds dear to locate his parents.

If your heart isn’t pumping, palms sweating while watching this film, check your pulse. Told through the lens f a laptop screen, this political thriller set during the early days of the war in Ukraine will have you on edge from start to finish.

BLACKOUT

A still from Larry Fessenden's Blackout

In a small upstate New York town, artist Charley Barrett (Alex Hurt) checks out of the motel that’s been his recent home and sets out on a series of personal missions. These include exposing the corruption of ruthless developer Hammond (Marshall Bell), and reconciling with former lover Sharon (Addison Timlin), Hammond’s daughter. Another is connected to his tragic secret: Charley is a werewolf, recently infected with the curse and responsible for a series of gruesome murders. The local residents have scapegoated one of the Latino workers on Hammond’s construction site for the killings, and as a full moon rises, their desire for justice hits a fever pitch while Charley succumbs to his transformation once more.

Larry Fessenden, Ladies and Gentlemen, and All Genre Fans. This horror legend not only appears in every single instant cult classic but writes and directs slick horror through his production company Glass Eye Pix. Fessenden’s Monster Mania takes a new turn in werewolf form this go around. 

WHERE THE DEVIL ROAMS

Darkest prayers will be answered, in sawdust and sacrilege, when Fantasia goes WHERE THE DEVIL ROAMS. This astonishing new feature from cult favourites The Adams Family (Toby Poster, John Adams, Zelda Adams), follows a family of traveling sideshow performers as they traverse Depression-era America on a bloody search for eternal life. As in THE DEEPER YOU DIG and HELLBENDER, both Fantasia World Premieres, the gifted filmmaking family’s latest creation continues their inspired explorations of familial power dynamics through the prism of horror. Haunting, poetic, sometimes funny, frequently freakish, and told with conviction through a deeply personal lens. World Premiere. 

Filmmaking phenoms The Adams Family has been rocking my world for years with their uniquely smart storytelling and jarring imagery. Fellow born and bred New Englanders, I love them and their work on a deeply personal level. If you check Twitter notes, they have publicly accepted me into the family. They can do no wrong in my book.

EMPIRE V

EMPIRE V

A disaffected student (Pavel Tabakov) follows an invitation to join “the elite” and finds himself forcibly transformed into a vampire, joining a supernatural ruling class who exercise an anonymous dictatorship over humans. Celebrated Russian-American director Victor Ginzburg (GENERATION P) demonstrates a striking visual imagination, perfectly complementing a story that reinvents nearly every aspect of vampire lore in clever and fantastical ways. This is the MATRIX of vampire cinema. Years in the making, EMPIRE V is both next-level blockbuster storytelling and megabudget anti-Oligarch satire, electrified with breathtaking visuals from the great Aleksei Rodionov (COME AND SEE). Co-starring Miron Fedorov, AKA rap star Oxxxymiron, whose anti-War benefit concerts led the Russian justice ministry to condemn him as a “foreign agent.” EMPIRE V itself has been banned by Russia’s Ministry of Culture, ensuring that the citizens of its home country may never see the film. World Premiere. 

I don’t care how many vampire films we’ve seen, I’m a Child of the Night, an Anne Rice, Stephen King lover. And yes, even Twilight, baby. Vampires will get me through the door every single time. Empire V looks slick as hell, and I’m all for satire. Especially when it involves Russia and all forms of revolt. This new take clearly has teeth.

BIRTH/REBIRTH

Rose (Marin Ireland, THE DARK AND THE WICKED) is a morgue technician with little patience for the living. Brilliant and obsessively driven, she also has a personal side-project that’s consumed much of her waking energies: The reversing of physical death. Celine (Judy Reyes, SCRUBS) is a hardworking maternity nurse who gives her all to patients shift after shift, the emotional intensity of her work only finding reprieve when she comes home to her effervescent six-year-old daughter, Lila (A.J. Lister). Fates take a horrific turn that smashes the lives of both women into each other, dropping them down a gruesome rabbit hole of desperate choices and ascending moral compromise that will shake you to your core. We’ll reveal no more.

Female-driven horror storytelling with motherhood at the center, Birth/Rebirth may connect with childbearing audiences that don’t usually go for this kind of fare. Risky, visceral, and unafraid to shock, audiences cannot prepare for what they are about to witness. Mary Shelley approves. 

WHITE NOISE

white noise short film still

Ava’s debilitating hyper-sensitivity to sound is becoming unliveable. Her doctor’s prescription of exposure therapy backfires as she descends into a fit of panic in both her class and the subway. When her attempt at suicide fails, she pleads with her doctor to enrol her in an experimental trial involving an anechoic chamber: the world’s quietest room. The doctor has his reservations, but Ava is convinced this is the ticket to her salvation. In this soundless space, her euphoria quickly mutates into madness when she begins to hear the inner workings of her own body.

Drawing on producer Christina Saliba’s experiences, this short film from director Tamara Scherbak made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Suffering from the same affliction, this brilliantly torturous short places the viewer inside the body of someone with constant sensory overload. *Shiver and wince*

Last but not least, the annual goodness that is BORN OF WOMAN 2023 shorts program. Every year I look forward to the brutal, genius, angry, gorgeous, bloody storytelling from a handpicked group of female filmmakers. 130 mins, 8 films, from the United Kingdom, USA, Belgium, France, Germany, and Argentina. 

For all things Fantasia Festival 2023, click here.

 

Reviews will be rolling out as fast as we can watch and type!

 

Trailer Drop: Marcel Walz’s Giallo slasher ‘THAT’S A WRAP’ reveals a bloody final cut.

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Quiver LogoTHAT’S A WRAP

THAT'S A WRAP - PosterAward-winning director Marcel Walz’s upcoming horror/thriller THAT’S A WRAP is scheduled to release on digital platforms on August 25th, 2023 from Quiver Distribution. Cerina Vincent (Cabin Fever), Monique T. Parent (Jurassic City), Sarah French (Space Wars: The Quest for Deepstar), Gigi Gustin (The Retaliators), and Dave Sheridan (The Devil’s Rejects) star in a film written by Joe Knetter and Robert L. Lucas.
The cast of a film arrive to a wrap party, but someone has dressed up as the slasher in the film, and begins to stage their own kill scenes. One by one, the cast disappear until the true nature of the evening is revealed.


WATCH THE TRAILER:

 

ON DIGITAL AUGUST 25

STARRING
Cerina Vincent, Monique T.Parent, Sarah French, Gigi Gustin, Dave Sheridan

DIRECTED BY
Marcel Walz

Joe Knetter, Marcel Walz, and Sarah French produce, with BJ Mezek, Andreas Tremmel, Justus Heinz, Yazid Benfeghoul, Tina Limbeck, Robert L. Lucas, and Kai E. Bogatzki executive producing.


Says director Walz (Blind, Pretty Boy), “I’m so excited to have a colorful Giallo slasher as the first movie from our own production company, Neon Noir. Everyone involved in this project brought so much love and talent to the table and made the whole process from start to finish something special. I know the audience will see the love in the end product. My favorite film of all time is Wes Craven’s Scream. That’s a Wrap is a fun meta-slasher that showcases my love for that series of films combined with my love of Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Story. As a gay director, I’m thrilled to have an opportunity to have LGBTQ characters represented in the film. One even plays a key part in a scene that will no doubt get people talking about how that kill is something they’ve never seen before. It’s so ridiculous. I love it.”

ON DIGITAL AUGUST 25



DWF LA review: Thriving with anxiety is a challenge in Sara Friedman’s ‘HEIGHTENED’

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HEIGHTENED

Neurodivergent behavior manifests in a myriad of ways. Sometimes it rears its ugly head in the form of ticks, rituals, and a short temper, but mostly in weird behavior misunderstood by the general population. HEIGHTENED boasts an augmented sound design that perfectly captures what it feels like to be sensory overloaded. As a fellow SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder) sufferer, this film is intentional visceral torture but for a purpose. Although they never explicitly call it that, all the signs, symptoms, and medical gaslighting appear in the script.

Real-life couple Xander Berkeley and Sarah Clarke play Nora’s waspy parents. Their seemingly selfish nature and high expectations explain Nora’s closed-off temperament. They are fantastic additions to the cast. Dave Register is Dusty, the Park ranger who mentors Nora. His genuine sweetness pours off the screen. Register’s performance is grounded in kindness and perfectionism that comes with a backstory.

Writer-director-star Sara Friedman exposes the complexities of neurodivergence, exploring daily life and behavioral origins with heart and humor. Nora’s journey comes in waves of empathy for Dusty’s bullying. His presence calms her. Their relationship takes a natural turn as Friedman and Register have a fun chemistry. They hit the mark with slightly larger-than-life humor leaning into a loveable and quirky side of character-building.

HEIGHTENED is a lovely little film that delicately delves into the minds of those grappling with constant anxiety, capturing the raw emotions without ever daring to overstep boundaries. It sincerely respects our differences and beautifully celebrates the journey of finding a partner who accepts you as you are. Just like the welcoming atmosphere of the stiiizy santa rosa dispensary, where individuals can find solace and understanding, this film embraces the diversity of human experiences. For a similar comforting experience, try THC gummies like Indacloud strawberry funta. These gummies offer a delicious way to unwind, making them a perfect companion for moments of relaxation and reflection. One thing you can also do to relax and de-stress is by pampering yourself and getting a manicure; you can learn more about when to replace your nail polish here.

For all things DWF LA, click here!

DWF LA review: ‘KATIE’S MOM’ is a delicious homage and star vehicle for Dina Meyer.

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KATIE’S MOM

Katie's Mom poster

SYNOPSIS
A heartfelt comedy influenced by THE GRADUATE but told from the perspective of a protagonist inspired by Mrs. Robinson. Set in Pasadena, KATIE’S MOM is about Nancy Rosenfeld (Dina Meyer (STARSHIP TROOPERS, SAW)), a nurturing mom and recent divorcée, whose beloved Jewish/Christmas mashup holiday celebration with her adult children is derailed when she falls for Alex Rojas (Aaron Dominguez (Only Murders in the Building)), her daughter’s charming new boyfriend. Their electrifying affair upends her status quo and sets her on a path to becoming the woman she was meant to be.

Nancy is a divorcee trying to plan the perfect Christmanukah for her kids, Katie and Eli. When Her daughter arrives with her new boyfriend, things get complicated.

Nancy’s grown children, Katie and Eli, are selfish brats, if we are being honest. Julia Tolchin and Colin Bates tap into rude rich kid personas from different but equally effective angles. Aaron Dominguez is effortlessly charming as Alex. You buy into his sincerity. He’s a solid foil for both Tolchin and Meyer.

Speaking of the titular character, Dina Meyer nails the divorced Mom vibe with a combination of sexual frustration, invisible labor, and unconditional love. I would watch an entire series based on her upcoming shenanigans. She is incredibly camera friendly and oh-so-watchable.

Fantasy sequences are fun and sexy. The storytelling is undeniably relatable to any woman who has let her identity slip after marriage and kids. There is a broad audience for this film. KATIE’S MOM is a different kind of coming-of-age story. It is a sexual awakening and a reclamation of power.

For all things DWF LA, click here!
 

DWF LA review: Christopher Beatty’s film ‘BIBI’ is hauntingly beautiful madness.

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Dances With Films LA poster 2023BIBI

Bibi Poster

Writer-director Christopher Beatty gives DANCES WITH FILMS audiences a stunningly atmospheric film with BIBI. Stuck in a cycle of grief, Vivian experiences nightmares of her late daughter Ava. Seeking solace through a strained relationship with her eldest daughter Bibi, the nightmares bleed into her reality. Discerning between the two becomes a battle between good and evil, the past and the present.

Bibi stillStand-out editing from Benjamin Murphy keeps viewers on their toes, while John Paesano‘s score takes you to another world. The costume design by Kimberly G. Grader completes the picture of upper-echelon existence and ethereal madness.

Tammy Blanchard counters the mood with her brash persona. She is a necessary and memorable piece of this puzzle. Performances from Judith Ann DiMinni and Elizabeth Paige, playing Bibi and Vivian, respectively, are phenomenal. Beatty’s script gives both women the chance to show their acting chops. They wade deep into anguish, darkness, and mystery.

Elizabeth Paige in BIBIBIBI is a compelling supernatural thriller that is reminiscent of Jennifer Kent’s The Babdook, possessing a shocking final act you will not see coming. The physical manifestation of grief and trauma swirls into a hypnotic storm of emotional chaos. BIBI should not be missed.

For more information on DWF LA click here!
 

DWF: LA review: ‘GLUE TRAP’ is a slow burn into total darkness.

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GLUE TRAP title card

A slow burn first act establishes a struggling relationship between Dan and KJ. A weekend getaway begins in solitude and boredom, with their only point of conversation being what to do with a mouse trapped in a glue trap but has yet to die. When a stranger arrives, things get tense.

The cabin owner’s sister Eliza shows up for a stay, claiming a miscommunication. She ruffles feathers with her overzealous attitude, intrusive helpfulness, and “low-key” racism. Dan welcomes her, but KJ feels put out. Eliza’s inability to recognize social cues is cringeworthy. She is a wedge between them.

Eliza’s oblivious nonchalance immediately makes the hairs stand up on your neck. Gloria Bangiola‘s performance is everything. Glue Trap’s off-kilter feel comes directly from her performance. This 90s neighbor high on pixie sticks vibe she brings is the only way I can accurately sum up the skin-crawling feeling of sugarcoated cringe. To be clear, that is a compliment. To fully understand, you have to see it. Bravo.

Brittany Bradford and Isaac Jay in Glue TrapIsaac Jay is Dan. He delivers the right amount of good-guy energy topped with the typical carefree male partner. His tonal shift between Eliza and KJ will rub you raw. His patience is vital to Glue Trap’s success.

Brittany Bradford  (Julia) is KJ. Her pensive nature grounds the film in any sense of reality. She seeks clarity in the surrounding nature and her writing to suss out her true feelings for Dan. The camera loves her. Bradford anchors the audience in familiar and often regrettable emotions. It is a noteworthy turn.

Halfway through the film, the plot takes a meta-turn. If you weren’t uncomfortable before, now things get genuinely sticky. Another sharp turn from filmmaker Justin Geldzahler and DWF audiences will twist in their seats as they witness a finale they never saw coming.

 WORLD Premiere | USA, 2023, 89 min.
THU JUNE 29 @ 9:30PM

To find out more about DWF: LA, click here!!

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From filmmakers to scene-stealers, here are some of the notable Women To Watch from Tribeca 2023.

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The 2023 edition of The Tribeca Film Festival upped the anty for female filmmakers this year. Femmecentric storytelling gave us innumerable outstanding performances from women of all ages. As usual, I begin my annual roundup with the caveat that this list pertains solely to the films I saw. Here is my 2023 list of Women to Watch from Tribeca.

*an earlier version of this article first appeared on AWFJ.org*

THE LISTENER
Tessa Thompson plays Beth, a crisis line operator who works the overnight shift. Watching Thompson process callers in real-time is akin to live theatre. Scenarios range from a call from a formerly incarcerated man, a husband who just told his wife he no longer loves her, an overburdened mother, a runaway in danger, and more. Her final call, which is also the lengthiest, challenges her sense of emotional security but ultimately invites us into Beth’s life in earnest. Thanks to screenwriter Alessandro Camon, THE LISTENER is fully ripe for the stage. Tessa Thompson is in every single frame. The gentleness in her voice is soothing. Her patience is breathtaking. Underneath her job slips a weary face. The emotional investment is palpable. This performance is a master class in measured behavior. Thompson had me in the palm of her hand. Full Review here.

YOU’LL NEVER FIND ME
Jordan Cowan haunts us with a performance that keeps you guessing. Theories swirl when she knocks on the door in a trailer park during a freak storm. Her fear is palpable. By the end of the film, Cowan has you by the throat. It is a role that has you consistently on edge and inevitably wildly cheering.

THE MIRACLE CLUB
Laura Linney plays Chrissy, a woman who returns to Ireland for the first time in forty years following the death of her estranged mother. Carrying quiet despair, Linney puts bitterness aside to heal her past. Her poise elevates the film. Kathy Bates plays cousin Eileen with a weary spirit, spunk, and unforgiving spite. Her journey is slowgoing but worth the wait. The legendary Dame Maggie Smith plays a formerly close family friend, Lily. The connection between the two women is filled with guilt and anger but quickly softens in search of forgiveness. As expected, Smith treats each beat with care and discovery. She is always a joy to watch. Agnes O’Casey plays Dolly, the faithful mother of a mute son. Her heartfelt desperation pours off the screen. She could easily lead a feature on her own. The film comes to theaters July 14th from Sony Pictures Classics.

SUITABLE FLESH
Barbara Crampton, whom I retain the right to declare a Time Lord, plays Dr. Danielle Upton. Had this film been made 20 years ago, she would be Beth. Crampton is as good as it gets. She is sharp, 100% committed, and slyly comic. Her casting is no accident, and writer Dennis Paoli (Re-Animator) again does her justice. Heather Graham goes all out, essentially playing three roles in one. She is feisty and unbridled. Easily keeping up with Crampton’s iconic status, Graham nails the style. Full Review here.

SOMEWHERE QUIET
Cousin Madeline comes to overbearing life through the performance of Marin Ireland. Her aggressive affection and territorial nature toward Scott are off-putting and flawless. You cannot look away from her. Jennifer Kim plays Meg with frayed nerves and pent-up trauma on every inch of her skin. She lives inside the mind of someone who survived unspeakable horror. But, her feisty spirit and take-no-shit attitude barrel this unrelentingly intense story onward. Kim owns every second of screen time. Every bit of this script feels like a slowly tightening vice on the nerves as the lines of reality blur easily. In her feature directorial debut, filmmaker Olivia West Lloyd has a stranglehold on viewers. SOMEWHERE QUIET is a skillfully crafted and heinous tale of terror that will have you on the edge of your seat. Full review here.

JE’VIDA
The titular role comes to life through the eyes of Agafia Niemenmaa. This personification of innocence is captivating against the stark quiet of Finnish snow and ice. She is a star. Sanna-Kaisa Palo gives present-day Lida a palpable lived-in trauma and definitive rage. Dismissive at the beginning, her healing journey comes with the shedding of shame and reclamation of identity through the next generation. Full review here.

I.S.S.
Writer-director Gabriela Cowperthwaite gives Tribeca audiences one of the best of the fest. This compelling thriller plays out in claustrophobic chambers, pitting three American against three Russians while war breaks out on Earth’s surface. It is a skillfully crafted visual feast never disappoints. A look at humanity, ethics, and fear, I.S.S. is out of this world. Ariana DeBose stars as the newest crew member onboard. Her composed nature and willingness to take a beat lure you into the narrative from the beginning. She is well on her way to EGOT status with roles like this.

WAITRESS, THE MUSICAL- LIVE ON BROADWAY!
Sara Bareilles stars as Jenna in the stage-adapted version of the late Adrienne Shelly‘s indie of the same name. Bareilles embodies a woman in an abusive relationship, confused and wary of her newly pregnant body. One moving song after another, the audience gets caught up in the emotional complexities of change and choosing oneself.

THE FUTURE
Dar Zuzovsky plays potential surrogate Maor with a sunshiny disposition that is completely jarring. Something is off, but you cannot quite put your finger on it. Samar Qupty is Yafa. She is whipsmart with an acerbic wit and defensive edge. Her softening mirrors Nurit in real-time. It is a memorable turn. Reymonde Amsellem plays Nurit with a measured tone. She is undeniably brilliant. The dynamic between Nurit and Yafa is fascinating. They are combative, challenging, and yet connect in ways you do not expect. Their relationship is essential to understanding Nurit’s journey. Full Review here.

ONE NIGHT WITH ADELA
Laura Galán wowed audiences last year in PIGGY. One Night with Adela is a performance from the other end of the acting spectrum. With a shocking and revenge-fueled turn, Galán captivates in a one-take format. Drugs, alcohol, music, and sex radiate off the screen in a role cementing her as one of Spain’s rising stars.

ERIC LARUE
Judy Greer gives us a complex woman coping with the horrendous aftermath caused by her son. Michael Shannon adapts the stage play written before the Columbine tragedy. Made a pariah, Greer experiences emotional torture, regret, and confusion, in her attempts to make amends with the community that blames her. Greer is a shapeshifter, inhabiting the skin of any role like a pro. She often goes under the radar because of the projects she chooses. Her performance deserves the widest audience.

COLD COPY
Filmmaker Roxine Helberg gives us a story of ambitious women in journalism that may be predictable, but only because we have seen this plot tirelessly played out with an all-male cast. Here we find Bel Powley as a journalism grad student looking for her nig break under the guidance of powerhouse Diane Heger, played by Tracee Ellis Ross. Powley’s scrappy nature turns mirky when sabotage becomes the means to an end. Her eagerness eventually exploited by the sadistic and undeniably genius efforts of Ross. Cold Copy is a film railing against the patriarchy while saluting the idea of creating your own monster.

For all things Tribeca 2023, check out our reviews, alongside our colleagues at Unseen Films and AWFJ.org!
 

Tribeca 2023 review: David Duchovny’s ‘BUCKY F*CKING DENT’ is loaded with laughs and heart. Dare I say, it’s a home run.

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tribeca festival logo 2023BUCKY F*CKING DENT

David Duchovny adapts his novel of the same name for the big screen at Tribeca’s 2023. If you grew up a Red Sox fan like I did, the name Buck Dent is akin to “He Who Shall Not Be Named” in Harry Potter. Being a Sox fan, I was constantly aware of the curse. You can spot the mix of joy and anguish on my face throughout the years in a series of photos of little Lizzie propped up against The Green Monster. Duchovny perfectly captures the masochistic nature of born and bread fans in his heartwarming and hilarious film BUCKY F*CKING DENT.

Ted is a failed writer who slings peanuts at Yankee Stadium -of all places. When he finds out his estranged father, Marty, has terminal lung cancer, the two go on an unexpected journey of reconnection through an elaborate hoax by Ted. Through the aid of Marty’s barbershop buddies and his assigned “Death Nurse,” Mariana, father and son discover they are more alike than they realized.

Logan Marshal-Green in Tribeca's Bucky Fucking DentA bit of truth and fiction, the film combines Super 8 recreations of scenes from a novel Marty never intended for anyone to see and the masterminded shenanigans from Ted and Co. The dialogue is pure acerbic deliciousness. The chemistry between Duchovny and Logan Marshall-Green is divine. The back-and-forth between the two feels effortless. I can’t remember the last time I laughed so hard at the inevitability of death.

BUCKY F*CKING DENT is a joyous celebration of forgiveness, fearlessness, and living. Dare I say it is a crowd-pleasing home run of a film? Nay. It’s a Grand Slam.

For all things Tribeca 2023, click here!

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Tribeca 2023 film review: The hilarious short ‘PROOF OF CONCEPT’ lives up to its perfect name.

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tribeca festival logo 2023

PROOF OF CONCEPT

Proof of concept cast still from tribeca 2023

Written and directed by Max Cohn and Ellie Sachs, the short film PROOF OF CONCEPT is a filmmaker and cinephiles meta-inside joke.

Richard Kind plays Robert Cohen, a man with an aspiring filmmaker daughter. An ager Chloe, played hilariously by Ellie Sachs, tries to get dad and her Uncle Eddie on board for funding a short film, or “proof of concept.” Will Janowitz brings a dry, deadpan delivery to Uncle Eddie that reminds me of Brendan Hunt as Coach Beard from Ted Lasso. That whip-smart, wheels always turning, happy-go-lucky attitude goes a long way against Kind’s darling confusion. Add in Sachs’ wild enthusiasm, and that’s comedy gold.

Richard Kind in Proof of ConceptFilmed in my and Kind’s neighborhood of the Upper West Side, the film takes place as Chloe describes it, making the scenario even funnier. Do I want to see the feature-length version of this? Yup. Is this perhaps the most convincing actual proof of concept ever created? I think it might.

 

DWF: LA is coming! Take a peak at a few of the eclectic selections at this year’s festival.

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Dances With Films LA 2023 poster

Some of the best new discoveries of the year come out of Dances With Films. (Their brilliant lineup of shorts is to die for.) It’s a festival you should never sleep on. Here is a preview of a few titles you can catch from June 22nd to July 2nd.

DANCES WITH FILMS (DWF: LA & DWF: NYC), now in its 25th year, champions the unflinching spirit at the very core of the independent film scene. While the vast majority of film fests rely heavily on celebrity, we have relied on the innovation, talent, creativity, and sweat equity that revolutionized the entertainment industry. And that reliance continues to prove successful with alumni moving on to write, direct and produce celebrity-studded vehicles, star in blockbuster movies and television series, produce multi-million dollar films, and create hit TV shows. Oh…. and we even have several OSCAR® nominees… In a world of homogenized, formulaic film festivals, DWF: LA continues to defy the rules.

THE MAD WRITER– LA Premiere Documentary

The Mad Writer

SYNOPSIS: This music documentary by Zach Kashkett takes us on both the mental and physical health journey of hip-hop beat writer L’Orange as he faces a medical condition that could affect his career in music. The Mad Writer premiered at Slamdance Film Festival in Park City in January, and this is their Los Angeles Premiere.  Zach’s most notable projects include: Shawn Mendes: In Wonder (documentary), Always Jane (TV Series), Sins of The Mother (TV Mini Series).

(70 minutes) 

Monday, June 26, 2023—7 pm-Mann Chinese Theater- Hollywood/Highland
FAREWELLING– World Premiere Narrative

The Farewelling

SYNOPSIS: In the midst of the pandemic and aftermath of her best friend’s overdose, Jenna finds herself in crisis as she reunites with those still around her. Questions of her own ethics and morals surface as she grapples with the “why” of everything, eventually discovering what it takes to truly break us. This is the World Premiere for the film at Dances with Film 26th Annual Film Festival. Writer/DIrector: Rodes Phire 

Lead Actress: Cristen Coppen (Shameless)

(93 minutes) Farewelling Trailer

Saturday, June 24, 2023—9:30 pm- Mann Chinese Theater-Hollywood/Highland
THE BLACK GUELPH– US Premiere (Ireland) Feature

Still from THE BLACK GUELPH

SYNOPSIS: Irish actor turned director John Connors brings the US his latest film. This film was inspired by Dante’s Inferno and the seventh terrace of Lust. The symbolism of unresolved sexualized trauma permeates down through the generations and flows deep within the psyche. The film based on the Irish Traveller’s Group community, creates a cathartic social question in the way that it addresses toxic masculinity in the context of unresolved childhood trauma. The film ultimately throws a lens at the human spirit and the capacity to overcome adversity, when it seems utterly hopeless. (125 minutes) 

 
Friday, June 30, 2023—9:30 pm- Mann Chinese Theater- Hollywood/Highland
ABLED- THE BLAKE LEEPER STORY– LA Premiere Documentary

Still from ABLED- THE BLAKE LEEPER STORY

SYNOPSIS: This Documentary by Director Einar Thorsteinsson documents paralympian Blake Leeper’s story using candid interviews, incisive reporting, and rigorous scientific testing, to reveal the deliberate biases faced by disabled athletes who want to compete against the able-bodied, and the dubious science and deceptive publicity used to bar them from cross competitions. The film just had its World Premiere at Seattle International Film Festival in May and this is their Los Angeles premiere through Dances with Films. 

(87 minutes)

Saturday, July 1, 2023—12:30 pm-Mann Chinese Theater- Hollywood/Highland
MERMAID’S LAMENT–  World Premiere

A still from Mermaid's Lament

The film follows two women: Oee (Dayva Summer Escobar) a traumatized woman who has lost her voice and may or may not be a mermaid. Her therapist, Dr. Nell Jamison (Justina Mattos) battles with anxiety herself, and attempts to help Oee overcome her delusions and connect with reality.

91 min.


SUN JUNE 25 @ 9:30PM

CLICK HERE!!!

 

Tribeca 2023 Unseen Films review: ‘DOWNTOWN OWL’ finds real-life couple Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater in their directorial debut.

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DOWNTOWN OWL

I went to the world premiere of Downtown Owl. It takes place in Owl, North Carolina about a high school teacher, played by Lily Rabe, who recently moved there. She doesn’t know anyone and soon another teacher, played by Vanessa Hudgens, invites her to come to the local bar. They wind up spending many nights there. There she meets an introverted ex-football star who she soon has a crush on. She also befriends an older man at the diner, played by Ed Harris.

This film is a mix of comedy and tragedy, as well as a high school coming-of-age movie. I thought it had a nice mix. I think I will always love movies set in high school, and this one was no exception. I loved its quirkiness. I would have given this movie an almost perfect rating had it not been for the ending. It’s odd to me when characters in movies look at the camera and talk to the audience, especially when it hadn’t been done prior in the movie. The ending in general though was just bizarre.

Downtown Owl is directed by real-life couple Lily Rabe and Hamish Linklater and it’s their directorial debut.  It’s based on the book by Chuck Klosterman which I had never read, but am kind of curious to read at some point now to see how it compares and to see if more is explained about some of the characters.

Despite not loving the ending, I recommend this film, especially if you like quirky movies. It’s kind of just a fun enjoyable film!

DIRECTOR
Lily Rabe, Hamish Linklater
PRODUCER
Bettina Barrow, Lily Rabe, Hamish Linklater, Rebecca Green
SCREENWRITER
Written by Hamish Linklater, based on the book by Chuck Klosterman
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Barton Cortright
EDITOR
Nena Erb
MUSIC BY
T Bone Burnett
CAST

Lily Rabe, Ed Harris, Vanessa Hudgens, August Blanco Rosenstein, Jack Dylan Grazer, Arianna Jaffier with Finn Wittrock and Henry Golding

You can find all of Steve’s Tribeca coverage ( and so much more) on his regular page

Unseen Films! Go there. Go Now!

Tribeca 2023 review: ‘CATCHING DUST’ is an artsy, melancholic neo-noir

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CATCHING DUST


Sunset in the desert. A modern mobile home splashed with paint, the bold hues almost glowing in the half-light. A man with a rifle. A shrill scream. Stuart Gatt’s Catching Dust announces itself by beginning with these enthralling moments. A film centering on a painter, it is interested in the motivations of its character, but also in placing them as figures within beautiful tableaus. The cinematography is gorgeous – there are shots in this film that could be framed and hung on your living room wall.


Erin Moriarty (The Boys) stars as Geena, an artistic outcast marooned in the Texas desert with a domineering lover, Clyde (Jai Courtney) Their run-down mobile home is the only shelter for miles. Suddenly one day, a shiny new mobile home is parked across the road. It signals the arrival of two strangers from New York, and this change throws Geena and Clyde’s stagnant lives into total turmoil.


Moriarty brings a believable and balanced complexity to Geena – like many couples, we believe she is capable of alternatively loving and hating her partner within the space of a few seconds. I also loved the way the film showcases Geena’s double desperation – a desire to escape her circumstances, and a desire to express herself artistically. Courtney has to navigate a tougher road as Clyde – he appears nearly mute at times, with most of his communication coming in over-the-top grunts and glares. But he also is prone to moments of deep sincerity.


Catching Dust is an art-film packaged as a noir thriller. It’s rare that a film starts with a gunshot, but spends a significant amount of time focused on the principles of abstract art. It is a beautiful, if not totally fulfilling, watch.

Sun June 11 – 6:15 PM
PASSED
Closed Captions available

 

Wed June 14 – 6:30 PM
PASSED
Closed Captions available

 

Thu June 15 – 9:00 PM
BUY
Closed Captions available
DIRECTOR
Stuart Gatt
PRODUCER
Mark David, Jon Katz, Edward R. Pressman, Stuart Gatt
SCREENWRITER
Stuart Gatt
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Aurélien Marra
EDITOR
Nicolas Gaster
COMPOSER
Danny Mulhern
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
James David, Samantha David, Francesco Goedhuis, Lydia Baylis, Dara Sepehri, James Berylson, Giannis Kairis, Ioanna Procopiou, Sebastián Álvarez, Nitin Saigal, Vedika Bhaskar, George Mangos, Christos Mangos,
CO-PRODUCER
Angelica Huéte
COSTUME DESIGNER
Lily Faith Knight
CAST
Erin Moriarty, Jai Courtney, Dina Shihabi, Ryan Corr

Blood In The Snow (2021) compelling thriller, ‘PEPPERGRASS’ comes to digital tomorrow. (6/16/23)

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PEPPERGRASS

During a pandemic, a pregnant restaurateur tries to rob a priceless truffle from a reclusive veteran.

Peppergrass is a slow-burn thriller that ultimately turns into a survival film. It builds a similar tension that Alone did. Not the horror I was expecting from the 2021 edition of Blood in The Snow, but it is, nonetheless, intriguing as hell. You must have patience during the first third is heavy character-building. While our two protagonists botch their unusual robbery, the camera continues its handheld intimacy. Forced into the dark woods, Eula attempts to make it to the car in one piece. This goal proves a more complicated task, as the landscape is unkind to a pregnant person.

Chantelle Han gives it her all as Eula. As the plot roles out, in a predominantly real-time fashion, the audience watches her physically and emotionally tap out at points. But it is when she barrels through the cold, darkness, and imminent threat that makes her a total badass. Han is the driving force of Peppergrass.

The score, at times, is this curious mix of ominous whimsy and borderline grating organ tones. It begs your attention. Peppergrass is nothing like I expected. It places you inside the action because there is literally nowhere else to go. The danger and isolation are palpable. It’s a solid film.

Coming to digital June 16 (US/Canada)

Tribeca 2023 review: ‘THE FUTURE’ is a sharp commentary on womanhood and our reliance on technology.

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THE FUTURE

At 42, Dr. Bloch (Reymonde Amsellem), a profiler, wants a child. A future. Her only way is to find a surrogate mother. At the same time, her groundbreaking algorithm designed to identify individuals planning to carry out terror attacks fails and a young Palestinian woman (Samar Qupty) assassinates the Israeli minister of Space and Tourism. In order to ‘fix the bugs’ in her algorithm, Nurit faces the assassin in person. The sessions between these two brilliant women raise questions about their past, while the sessions between Bloch and the potential surrogate (Dar Zuzovsky) challenge Bloch’s decision about her future.

An in-your-face opening sequence begins an unexpected plot in Noam Kaplan‘s Tribeca 2023 film THE FUTURE. A stinging and smart near-future Minority Report-like plot, the title has a double meaning. At 42, Nurit is a world-renowned profiler amid personal and professional deadlines. Charged with picking the brain of a resistance assassin named Yafa, she is also approaching the final days to choose a surrogate. Is motherhood part of her future?

Dar Zuzovsky plays potential surrogate Maor with a sunshiny disposition that is completely jarring. Something is off, but you can’t quite put your finger on it. Samar Qupty is Yafa. She is whipsmart with an acerbic wit and defensive edge. Her softening mirrors Nurit in real-time. It is a memorable turn. Reymonde Amsellem plays Nurit with a measured tone. She is undeniably brilliant. The dynamic between Nurit and Yafa is fascinating. They are combative, challenging, and yet connect in ways you don’t expect. Their relationship is essential to understanding Nurit’s journey.

Time is a recurring theme; the days counting down to the moon landing, minutes in traffic, and days until surrogacy implantation. Mixed into the ominous score is a repeated sound of a heartbeat. The numerous double meanings in this film are clever. They are unmissable. Effi Cohen Verte’s editing is a wonder. This femme-centric film focuses entirely on women. You never see Nurit’s husband. You only hear his voice. The final scene hits you like a ton of bricks. It is, simply put, genius.

 

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY Noam Kaplan
STARRING Dar Zuzovsky, Samar Qupty, Reymonde Amsellem
PRODUCED BY Yoav Roeh, Arit Zamir
CINEMATOGRAPHY BY Shark de Mayo
EDITED BY Effi Cohen Vertes
MUSIC BY David Klemes

In Person

Sat June 10 – 8:45 PM
RUSH

 

Sun June 11 – 6:30 PM
BUY

 

Sat June 17 – 8:15 PM
BUY

Tribeca 2023 Netflix documentary review: ‘TAKE CARE OF MAYA’ is one family’s fight for justice against a Munchausen syndrome by proxy allegation.

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TAKE CARE OF MAYA

In 2016 in Venice, Florida, Beata and Jack Kowalski began the fight of their lives. Diagnosed with a rare condition in 2015, Maya Kowalski was in constant pain, barely able to walk, and deteriorating by the day. After intense treatment in Mexico, Nata improved for a year. During a 2016 relapse, following a 10-minute interview with a child abuse doctor who never introduced herself as such, Beata and Jack are told to leave Maya’s side. The allegation is Medical Child Abuse or Munchausen syndrome by proxy.

The film consists of photographs, reenactments, an unprecedented amount of audio and video from Beata’s phone, and video testimony from Maya, Jack, and Kyle as they move through tragedy. You’re constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop. To discover that Beata was somehow responsible for her daughter’s pain. That never comes. The system ignored the parents it broke their family. Seeing texts between complicit medical personnel will destroy your faith in humanity. As a mother, this film crushed my heart.

Enter reporter Daphne Chen in 2019 and an expose on the case. The final third of the film takes on a different narrative. Chen’s article spurs the discovery of more and more families who called 911 only to have Dr. Sally Smith and Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital take their children away. Beata’s diligent documentation makes a lawsuit possible. The moral corruption of the courts is reprehensible. The bravery and willpower of the Kowalskis are a torch of justice for so many families across the country. Their voices must be heard and Tribeca 2023 audiences will be the first to listen.

Take Care of Maya will premiere on Netflix June 19th

In Person

Sat June 10 – 8:30 PM
RUSH

 

Sun June 11 – 6:00 PM
BUY

 

Tue June 13 – 3:15 PM
BUY

DIRECTOR
Henry Roosevelt
PRODUCER
Caitlin Keating
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Patrick Ginnetty
EDITOR
Pax Wassermann, Jawad Metni, Henry Roosevelt, Anna Auster
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Dan Cogan, Liz Garbus, Jon Bardin, Kate Barry, Henry Roosevelt, Rylan Soref; Co-Producers: Ben Roosevelt, Colton Soref
SUPERVISING PRODUCER
Zoe Potkin
CO-PRODUCERS
Colton Soref, Ben Roosevelt
ORIGINAL MUSIC
James Daly, Dan Krysa

Tribeca 2023 review: ‘JE’VIDA’ a meditation on identity and grief.

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JE’VIDA

With a face hardened by years of hurt, chain-smoking Lida carries the weight of a life defined by the shame and marginalization directed at her as a Sámi woman in contemporary Finland. Though strangers, she sets out alongside niece Sanna to clear out their long-held family home in preparation for its sale. Lida’s instinct to burn anything and everything connected to her past is quickly overcome by memories of a warm childhood spent fishing with a loving grandfather; of railing against the boarding school that tried to beat the Sámi identity out of her; and of being a young woman whose only option was a marriage that could take her far away from her Native roots. Lida finds herself facing a powerful reckoning with her past and a quiet reclaiming of her true self: Je’vida.

Stunning black-and-white cinematography beautifully captures a weary woman haunted by echoes of childhood. Lida reluctantly returns to her reclusive childhood home. Following the death of her estranged sister, her task to clear out the house for the new owner becomes complicated by the presence of her free-spirited and curious adult niece.

Director and co-writer (with Niillas Holmberg) Katja Gauriloff gives audiences a structure filled with flashbacks consisting of a youthful but trauma-laden home life, an abusive Christian school, and the death of those she held most dear. A third of the way through, we time jump to a young adult version of Lida where her innocence has spoiled. She becomes calculated and dispassionate, a defense mechanism for survival. Mixed with mesmerizing underwater shots and an elderly Lida quite literally burning her past, the film is visually breathtaking.

Young Je’Vida comes to life through the eyes of Agafia Niemenmaa. This personification of innocence is captivating against the stark quiet of Finnish snow and ice. She is a star. Sanna-Kaisa Palo gives present-day Lida a palpable lived-in trauma and definitive rage. Dismissive at the beginning, her healing journey comes with the shedding of shame and reclamation of identity through the next generation.

Another glorious achievement, JE’VIDA is the first ever to be filmed in the Skolt Sámi dialect, only spoken by roughly 300 people. Some of the most glorious moments come in coping mechanisms in the form of imagined conversations with Grandpa. He doles out wise words to soothe a wounded child. The idea of home comes full circle in the end. An emotional stunner, JE’VIDA is a meditation on shame and grief.

JE’VIDA

In Person

Fri June 09 – 5:45 PM
BUY

 

Sat June 10 – 6:30 PM
BUY

 

Sun June 18 – 3:00 PM
BUY
 

Tribeca At Home

All At Home Films >>
Tribeca At Home Pass
Stream June 19 – July 2
BUY
Single Ticket
Stream June 19 – July 2
BUY
This title can only be viewed in the US

Tribeca 2023 review: A gold medal in gaslighting for filmmaker Olivia West Lloyd’s debut ‘SOMEWHERE QUIET’

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SOMEWHERE QUIET

Meg (Jennifer Kim) is trying to readjust to normal life after recently being involved in a heinous abduction. To recenter herself, she takes a trip to the woods by the coast in Cape Cod with her husband Scott (Kentucker Audley) to stay at his wealthy family’s countryside compound. An excursion like this offers the kind of peace that Meg deserves to regain her sense of normalcy — but those plans get swiftly disrupted when Scott’s upper-class cousin Madeline (Marin Ireland) arrives unannounced. Madeline’s insertion into their activities causes Meg’s recent traumatic memories to resurface through eerie hallucinations and nightmares. While Scott tries to attend to the emotionally fraught Meg, she begins to clash with Madeline’s aristocratic personality. The conflict brings out passive-aggressive behavior that makes Meg question her sanity while also coming to terms with the truth behind her kidnapping.

Cousin Madeline comes to overbearing life through the performance of Marin Ireland. Her aggressive affection and territorial nature toward Scott are off-putting and flawless. You cannot look away from her. Kentucker Audley is Meg’s husband, Scott. What seems like well-intended advice comes off as pretentious and dismissive at times. His white male gaze is spectacularly upsetting and just as sinister as Ireland’s.

Jennifer Kim plays Meg with frayed nerves and pent-up trauma on every inch of her skin. She lives inside the mind of someone who survived unspeakable horror. But, her feisty spirit and take-no-shit attitude barrel this unrelentingly intense story onward. Kim owns every second of screen time.

The hyper-augmented sound editing is brilliant. Alongside the booming cello-heavy score, the two aspects send chills down your spine. The flashes of deep seeded trauma are startling. You suddenly find yourself questioning your sanity. Every bit of this script feels like a slowly tightening vice on the nerves as the lines of reality blur easily.

In her feature directorial debut, filmmaker Olivia West Lloyd has a stranglehold on viewers. SOMEWHERE QUIET is a skillfully crafted and heinous tale of terror that will have you on the edge of your seat.

In Person

Thu June 08 – 9:30 PM
PASSED

 

Fri June 09 – 6:15 PM
BUY

 

Wed June 14 – 5:30 PM
BUY
Closed Captions available

Tribeca 2023 review: ‘CHASING CHASING AMY’ is an eye-opening story of self-discovery wrapped inside an ode to fandom.

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CHASING CHASING AMY

12-year-old Sav Rodgers watched the film Chasing Amy, and his life was forever changed. Developing a kinship — and maybe a slight obsession — with it as he grew into his queerness, he decides to fund and direct a documentary that examines its role in LGBTQ+ film culture. He makes significant progress, even garnering the support and collaboration of its director, Kevin Smith. However, as the production of the documentary continues, Rodgers realizes that the legacy of the film and his relationship with it might be changing. So where does that leave him?

Sav Rodgers brings Tribeca audiences a personal story of self-discovery, being othered, and catharsis. Kevin Smith‘s 1997 film CHASING AMY is a snapshot in time. While younger generations might perceive it as problematic, for those who saw the movie during its theatrical run, it represented a sexual awakening, a different point of view, and an “oh shit” moment. A complicated love letter to a controversial LGBTQIA+ film CHASING CHASING AMY is one of the best docs at this year’s fest.

The moment Sav Rodgers meets Kevin, it’s fireworks. Kevin gives Sav access to everything the rest of us have always wanted to know. Smith confesses that Holden is him. The film plays through his lens, and much of the story comes from real people in his life. Some conversations are word for word. Just ask a close friend of Kevin and GO FISH screenwriter Guinevere Turner, who put much of herself into Amy when collaborating on the script.

The film includes interviews with critics from all generations. Each has a different perspective on the characters and the dialogue. This aspect is fascinating, filled equally with smirks and head nodding for a Gen Xer such as myself. Jason Lee talks about his hesitancy in some of Banky’s dialogue. Everyone involved understands that the film would in no way fly today.

Joey Lauren Adams, who gives us the iconic performance as Alyssa, explains her power in the role through archival interviews and a sense from the film. Kevin was, perhaps, ahead of their time in featuring a strong bisexual woman. But, the biggest irony may be Joey’s truth about CHASING AMY. This pivotal interview changes everything for everyone. Both Kevin and Joey get into their complicated past with Harvey Weinstein. Their experiences are vastly different. I am so grateful for their honesty. It means so much to so many survivors. *Waves hands in the air*

Intertwined with everything else in this glorious doc, Sav lets us into their relationship with his girlfriend, Riley. Delving into deeply personal issues, he may or may not realize how universal they are until now. One part fanboy film, another part film history, all self-discovery story, and a love letter to Riley, CHASING CHASING AMY is tailor-made for Smith fans and indie fans, the queer community, and allies.

For all things Tribeca, click here!

Review: Breakout “baguette western” ‘WISTERIA’ making its World Premiere at Brooklyn Film Festival this weekend!

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WISTERIA

Synopsis

In this “Baguette Western“ set in Evansville, WY, Jacob, a lonely farmer, sees his life brutally changed after committing the irreparable: the murder of a Native. In a hostile environment where law and order are set by the cold-hearted Marshall Henry, Jacob struggles to redeem himself. Then arrives Wisteria, a Blackfoot wounded woman. A chance for him to finally find peace again.

Wisteria is a revisited drama/romance western. The first ever shot entirely in France.

Shot entirely in the countryside of France, WISTERIA‘s beautiful opening sequences by DP Raphaël Bourdin, combined with Dan Fogelberg‘s theme song, immediately draw you into Samuel J. Attias‘ feature debut. 

The film has a grand overarching nostalgia with its often playful flute and horn-heavy score. There’s poetry to the small moments. It reminds me of classic Disney films from the 50s and 70s in the best ways possible. Jacob’s empathy grows as his grief subsides, and his humanity becomes their saving grace. Pushing past societal norms and grasping at true happiness is as relatable a storyline as they come. Place that in a narrative that honors Native people, and you’ve got something a little extra special.

Jasen Wade is gentle and loving as Jacob. His strong physical presence and thoughtful nature create an intriguing narrative straight away. Jacob’s redemption story begins early on, and experiencing his journey is so satisfying. Violetta Deblieck gives Wisteria a lovely disposition. Her ability to emote without dialogue perfectly matches Wade’s openness. They prove to be a quietly fierce onscreen duo.

I have to mention the sharply choreographed final ten minutes. In under an hour, WISTERIA is a gorgeous and organic love story. It wears its heart on its sleeve with a wholesome nature you can it help but embrace. Samuel J. Attias has a clear vision and an undeniably charming style. It is easy to predict big things on the horizon. 

WISTERIA SCREENING INFORMATION
Saturday, June 10 at 6:00PM
World Premiere
Windmill Studios

Cast: Jasen Wade, Michael Flynn, Violeta Deblieck

Crew: Producer: Laurence Le Rolland. Director/Writter: Samuel Jacob Attias; Direction of Photography: Raphaël Bourdin; Poster Artist: Steven Chorney; Sound mixer: Lucas Rollin; Color Grader: Antoine Ravache; Set Photographer: Ilan Azoulay

 indoor venue: 06:00 pm | Saturday June 10 | Windmill Studios
 watch online: Full Festival Online Pass or Narrative Feature Pass

DIRECTOR’S NOTE:
Wisteria is a love letter to the Western genre, and my chance to make the first Western film shot entirely in France. Growing up, I was captivated by the movie magic and classic storytelling found in Westerns, and I wanted to capture that same magic on screen.

Through the characters of Jacob and Wisteria, I wanted to explore the universality of love and the power it has to transcend cultural boundaries. Their story serves as a celebration of love in all its forms. I also wanted to pay tribute to the Golden Age of cinema, and to the power of visual storytelling. By using silence and striking camera movements. I aimed to create a film that speaks to audiences without leaning on extensive dialogue. Wisteria is a film made with passion and I hope it inspires audiences to revel in the power of love and the magic of old-school cinema.