Review: Latvian film ‘SQUEAL’ is one twisted tale.

SQUEAL

Told through the lens of a man searching for his father, a small village with a medieval mindset, and a pig, the Latvian film SQUEAL is a wild blend of storytelling elements. One part fairytale and one part romanticized Stockholm Syndrome, trust me, you have never seen anything quite like this. Alongside co-writer Aleksandr Rodionov, writer-director Aik Karapetian brings to life a story of belonging under the strangest circumstances.

In search of his father in rural Eastern Europe, Samual is far from home and does not speak the language. After getting lost on his journey, he gets into a car accident. Sidelined by the local farmer’s daughter, he finds himself chained in a pigsty, forced to work as a farmhand. As jealousy and misogyny cause a rift among family members and the locals, Sam must use everything at his disposal to escape or adapt.

The cast is magnificent. Knowing full well of the bizarre nature of this twisted tale, they amazed me. The script is an ever-evolving, emotional rollercoaster. Your feelings about each character change from scene to scene as the screenplay progresses. The narration from Uldis Verners Brūns is delicious. His voice is like a warm hug. The soundtrack is a sumptuous mix of classical pieces from Handel to Vivaldi. Squeal is undoubtedly a unique story that will have you questioning your morality. With an ending that leads to more questions than answers, you’ll leave thinking about this film long after the credits roll.




Official Selection: FANTASTIC FEST 2021 and many more.

SQUEAL will be released in the US theatrically in New York and Los Angeles and on VOD in the US and CANADA on August 19.

Theaters Include (August 19):
Lumiere Music Hall – Los Angeles
Alamo Manhattan- New York

VOD Platforms Include (August 19):
US: Apple TV/iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, Vudu, Xfinity Cable, and more.
Canada: Apple TV/iTunes, Amazon, Google Play

Director: Aik Karapetian

Scriptwriter: Aik Karapetian,Aleksandr Rodionov

Cast: Kevin Janssens,Laura Siliņa,Aigars Vilims,Normunds Griestiņš,Juris Bartkevičs,Guntis Pilsums


Filmmaker Aik Karapetian’s dark fairy tale SQUEAL  centers on Samuel (Kevin Janssens), who is far from home, searching for his father. Lost in remotest Eastern Europe, on the edges of a mythical forest, a minor road accident leads to a chance meeting with a pig farmer’s daughter Kirke (Laura Siliņa). Sam soon learns that his priorities must change if he wants to survive. Her initial hospitality is a smoke screen to capture him and make him a forced laborer on the farm. Alone, unable to speak the language, and chained up 24/7 with the pigs, he learns to adapt. Fortunately, a seemingly magical piglet gains Sam’s confidence and shows him the way to freedom and true love. 

Filmmaker Aik Karapetian is a graduate of the Latvian Academy of Culture and has a master’s degree in film direction from the Académie Internationale des Arts – ESEC (Paris). His first feature film, PEOPLE OUT THERE gained international acclaim after its premiere at the Karlovy Vary film festival in competition in 2012. After the successful horror feature THE MAN IN THE ORANGE JACKET (Fantastic Fest 2014, BFI London Film Festival), Aik released the thriller FIRSTBORN (Sitges, Fantastic Fest, Paris International Film Festival 2017). 

Aik has also staged two successful opera productions at the Latvian National Opera house, THE BARBER OF SEVILLE, which was awarded as the Best stage production of the season in 2011 and FAUST, which premiered in September 2016. His version of Bizet’s CARMEN premiered at the Opera National de Montpellier (France) in 2018 followed by Gounod’s FAUST at the Trondheim Symfoniorkester & Opera (Norway) in 2019.


ABOUT GOOD DEED ENTERTAINMENT
Good Deed Entertainment (GDE) is an Ohio-based independent studio dedicated to producing, financing, and distributing quality entertainment for under-served audiences. Its distribution slate includes recent releases Summertime, Ma Belle, My Beauty, and Lucky Grandma, in addition to the Academy Award-nominated, Loving Vincent, and Spirit Award-nominated, To Dust.

Website: http://www.gooddeedentertainment.com/


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Review: ‘COSMIC DAWN’ is a whirlwind of conspiracy and otherworldly imaginings.

COSMIC DAWN

After witnessing an alien abduction as a child (and subsequently being told she’s crazy for most of her life) Aurora, now a young woman, joins the UFO cult The Cosmic Dawn after discovering a book written by the group’s leader, Elyse. Aurora’s time at the cult’s remote island compound is marked by miraculous revelations, consciousness expanding flowers, and a burgeoning friendship with Tom, the resident cook. When a fellow cult member starts to display increasingly bizarre behavior, Aurora begins to question Elyse’s sanity (and her own) and starts looking for a way out.


Boasting spectacular visuals alongside a riveting script from writer-director Jefferson MoneoCosmic Dawn is one of those films I’ve been hearing about for quite some time. With throwback sci-fi elements, get ready for a wild ride into the world of cults and the cosmos.  

Joshua Burge is always so present in a scene. Cosmic Dawn is another indie gem he can add to his resume, alongside Relaxer and Buzzard. There’s just something cool about his demeanor that captivates me. Emmanuelle Chriqui, as Natalie, is sweet and passionate about her experiences and the group. A true believer, she breathes life into this role.

As Cosmic Dawn guru Elyse, Antonia Zegers perfectly melds leadership and manipulation qualities that keep the viewer on their toes. Her (mostly) zen nature is quite unsettling. Camille Rowe as Aurora is vulnerable yet strong, open but wary. Her anxiety comes through the screen and directly affects the audience.

The editing forces you to pay attention as we jump from past to present, wading through ever-present trauma. The score elicits an eerie and almost visceral reaction. The soundtrack is hippy-dippy, space-aged perfection. The trippy moments in the script will have you second-guessing everything you think you know. As a believer, Cosmic Dawn lands somewhere between colorfully quirky and incredibly intense. It’s going to vibe with genre fans.


Jefferson Moneo’s
COSMIC DAWN
Debuts Theatrically + On Demand February 11th

Review: ’15 Things You Didn’t Know About Bigfoot’ brings big laughs and great filmmaking.

15 Things You Didn’t Know About Bigfoot

In 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Bigfoot, Brian and his producer/cameraman Zach want to get into the serious news business. Brian loathes his job and he’s jaded as hell. When he gets assigned a story about Bigfoot, things get weirder than anyone expected. Vice meets Netflix’s American Vandal, 15 Things You Didn’t Know About Bigfoot is a larger-than-life, tongue-in-cheek satire about clickbait journalism. Listen, like millions of others, I love me some BuzzFeed, but I know why I’m ultimately there. It’s for the pop culture lists, cheap dupe clothing links, and videos of dudes trying “lady-centric” stuff. I am in no way there for actual news. In 15 Things, Brian feels trapped in covering the fluff pieces we love/hate click on daily. Begrudgingly, he and Zach follow a local Bigfoot expert, a lead that will put them in the path of a much larger and deadlier story.

The mockumentary style is unbelievably hilarious. Every single cast member is a damn laugh riot. I don’t know how much of this film is improvised and how much is scripted, either way, you will be entertained from start to finish. Handheld camera work and snarky voiceovers push 15 Things to some next-level hilarity, but also a legit gorgeous looking movie. The editing and cinematography are ridiculously stunning. If you put it on mute, you’d never know the difference between this and Vice. It’s scary good. Is this the first of a franchise for these guys? I would not be mad at that. 15 You Didn’t Know About Bigfoot is now available In Theaters + on VOD. 

Directed by Zach Lamplugh

Written by Brian Emond & Zach Lamplugh

Produced by Tim Reis, Zach Lamplugh, Brian Emond

Starring Brian Emond, Jeffrey Stephenson, Zach Lamplugh, Derick Marchel, Dexter Fugerson, Jenna Kannell, Tevin Williams, Chris Mayers, Virginia Kirby, Nick Gibbons

2021 · Paranormal Comedy · 84 MIN