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Synopsis:
Makani Young has moved from Hawaii to quiet, small-town Nebraska to live with her grandmother and finish high school, but as the countdown to graduation begins, her classmates are stalked by a killer intent on exposing their darkest secrets to the entire town, terrorizing victims while wearing a life-like mask of their own face. With a mysterious past of her own, Makani and her friends must discover the killerâs identity before they become victims themselves. THEREâS SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE is based on Stephanie Perkinsâ New York Times best-selling novel of the same name and written for the screen by Henry Gayden (Shazam!), directed by Patrick Brice (Creep) and produced by James Wanâs Atomic Monster (The Conjuring) and Shawn Levyâs 21 Laps (Stranger Things).
Fun Fact: THERE’S SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE stars two Canadian actors, ThĂ©odore Pellerin and Dale Whibley!
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Netflix release THERE’S SOMEONE INSIDE YOUR HOUSE October 6, 2021.
(Photo/video credit: Netflix)
FANTASIA 2021 is set to kick-off August 5, 2021, with a special screening of James Gunn‘s THE SUICIDE SQUAD kicking everything off on August 4th. This year marks the Festival’s 25th anniversary and closing the Festival will be Takashi Miike‘s THE GREAT YOKAI WAR – GUARDIANS on August 25th, receiving its international premiere.
Some other high-profile titles, retrospectives and conversations that comprise this year’s Festival:
WHAT JOSIAH SAW
In director Vincent Grashawâs Southern Gothic nightmare WHAT JOSIAH SAW, an estranged family grapples with the sins of the past⊠yanking the skeletons right out of their closet, kicking and screaming all the way! The superlative cast includes Robert Patrick, Nick Stahl, Kelli Garner, Tony Hale, Scott Haze and Jake Weber. Itâs this yearâs THE DARK AND THE WICKED. WORLD PREMIERE.
THE DEVIL’S DEAL
In his first picture since the Cannes selection THE GANGSTER, THE COP, THE DEVIL, Lee Won-tae returns with the masterfully directed THE DEVILâS DEAL. What starts as a critical political satire escalates into a white-hot thriller in which corruption, insider trading, and organized crime run the show. Leading a fabulous cast, actor Cho Jin-woong (ME AND ME) delivers one of the best performances of his career, portraying with disarming naturalism the multiple facets of an ambitious and tortured politician, as endearing as he is loathsome, whose life literally depends on his election. With its immersive score, captivating plot, and clever twists, THE DEVIL’S DEAL is a must-see. WORLD PREMIERE.
BULL
A feared gang enforcer (Neil Maskell, KILL LIST), vanished for ten years, returns to hunt the mobsters he once ran with in BULL, the ferocious British revenge thriller from BAFTA-winner Paul Andrew Williams (LONDON TO BRIGHTON). A brutal and subversive work that frequently plays out like a horror film, stunningly executed and grounded by well-scripted characters, with a cast that includes Tamzin Outhwaite (EASTENDERS) and David Hayman (TABOO, SID AND NANCY) in a frightening turn that ranks with the strongest of British mobster portrayals. WORLD PREMIERE.
TOKYO REVENGERS
Takemichi may just have a chance to change the future â if he can survive his own past! A jawbreaking, juvenile delinquent street fight royale combined with a high-stakes time travel thriller and dashes of adolescent angst and romantic comedy, TOKYO REVENGERS is the live-action feature adaptation of Ken Wakuiâs enormously popular award-winning manga of the same name. Director Tsutomu Hanabusa (KAKEGURUI 1 and 2, also at Fantasia this year) succeeds mightily at adapting this complex science-fiction story; amid a barrage of bloody, brutal hoodlum battles, he still finds room for the sweetness of first love. INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE.
GLASSHOUSE
A memory-shredding neurochemical permeates the atmosphere like airborne dementia, but safe within an airtight glasshouse a family preserves their past through rituals of collective memory. Sensual and savage, GLASSHOUSE weaves aspects of dystopian science fiction with notes of folk horror and perverse, brooding, Gothic melodrama to craft a taught existential tale that ultimately explores the importance of storytelling and memory. Itâs a stunning feature debut from South African filmmaker Kelsey Egan, starring Adrienne Pearce, Jessica Alexander, Anja Taljaard, and Hilton Pelser. WORLD PREMIERE.
FOLLOW THE LIGHT
Freshly arrived from Tokyo to a fading village in the Japanese countryside, Akira becomes fascinated with an isolated girl who is obsessed with a crop circle in her grandfather’s fields. This multi-layered, sci-fi coming-of-age story by first-time director Yoichi Narita is a true gem with a dazzling narrative. The majestic, rich cinematography, which highlights the magnificent rural landscapes, and judicious use of music recall Shunji Iwai’s masterpiece ALL ABOUT LILY CHOU-CHOU. FOLLOW THE LIGHT will leave a lasting impression with its soft visual splendour and sensitive storytelling. WORLD PREMIERE.
IDA RED
Midwest filmmaker John Swab (LET ME MAKE YOU A MARTYR) returns to Fantasia with IDA RED, a propulsive, gripping, crime thriller that escalates his career to the big leagues. Cast-as-criminals Josh Hartnett, Frank Grillo, and Melissa Leo (as a modern Ma Barker) have never been better. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.
THE SADNESS
In an alternate version of Taiwan, a rapidly spreading pandemic suddenly mutates into a rabies-like affliction, and the infected find themselves unable to control their id. A nightmare vision steeped in unspeakably upsetting moments of violence, Rob Jabbazâs THE SADNESS plays like a return to the no-holds-barred shock sensibilities of â90s Hong Kong Category III films. Electrified with an existential fear that punches spikes of panic energy straight into your nervous system, and told with incredible style, THE SADNESS is a force to be reckoned with. Fantasia is proud to be bringing this extreme horror rollercoaster to North American shores, hot off its bow at Locarno. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.
THE DEER KING
Following its world premiere at Annecy, and ahead of theatrical release in Japan, comes the highly anticipated THE DEER KING, co-directed by anime veterans Masashi Ando and Masayuki Miyaji. Based on the books by bestselling Japanese fantasy author Nahoko Uehashi, the epic saga of the legendary warrior Broken Antler Van comes to life with the peerless standards of quality we expect from the studios of Production I.G (GHOST IN THE SHELL, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION). Elegant and exacting design and animation seamlessly pair with Uehashiâs sturdy world-building and compelling conflicts to create a transporting animated otherworldly tale. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.
DONâT SAY ITS NAME
When an environmental activist is called back to the world of the living after a suspicious accident takes her life, an ancient spirit is reborn outside a small northern town. With a wealth of Indigenous talent both in front of and behind the camera, DONâT SAY ITS NAME, the eerie feature debut from director/co-writer Rueben Martell, builds its chills with compellingly real characters and strong performances from Madison Walsh (SOMETHING UNDONE), Sera-Lys McArthur (OUTLANDER), Samuel Marty (GODLESS), Carla Fox, and Julian Black-Antelope (HOLD THE DARK). WORLD PREMIERE.
GRAND BLUE DREAMING
Stuck in a surreal, nudist loop somewhere between GROUNDHOG DAY and MEMENTO, two young men end up trapped in a scuba diving club full of muscular party animals and pretty girls with a temper. Based on a popular manga series, GRAND BLUE DREAMING, by Tsutomu Hanabusa (TOKYO REVENGERS), is as weird as it is hilarious. Astonishingly fast-paced and loaded with politically incorrect humour, this wild comedy also finds moments of calmness with beautiful and relaxing underwater shots. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.
THE DEEP HOUSE
Two daredevil Youtubers with a passion for abandoned urban edifices film themselves as they take a deep dive into the bottom of a lake where there lies a mysterious house with a sinister past. Award-winning French genre maestros Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury (INSIDE, KANDISHA) display numerous filmic skills with this intelligent found footage style feature. The immersive darkness, the floating strangeness, THE DEEP HOUSE takes us down and further down, from mere unfamiliar discomfort to absolute and unfathomable terror. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.
MIDNIGHT
A wave of murders hits the city and, lurking in the shadows, a killer has just identified his new prey â a deaf woman. South Korea has become the go-to source for fans of dark, intense, unpredictable thrillers that deliver cutthroat tension, and Kwon Oh-seung’s debut feature MIDNIGHT follows in this tradition. A breathless tale boasting hallucinatory sound design that relishes in testing the nerves of even the most seasoned viewers. CANADIAN PREMIERE.
PERRY BLACKSHEAR
A brother and sister face off against a mysterious force responsible for years of devastating misfortunes in WHEN I CONSUME YOU, a haunting new work from award-winning indie filmmaker Perry Blackshear. Reuniting with Evan Dumouchel, MacLeod Andrews, and Margaret Ying Drake, the core acting trio of his previous films THEY LOOK LIKE PEOPLE and THE SIREN, Blackshear and his team dole out powerful blows of tragedy, devastation, and personal struggle while a demonic figure looms just out of focus, yellow eyes burning in the background. WORLD PREMIERE.
SEPTET: THE STORY OF HONG KONG
A sifu hardens his students with âExerciseâ in Sammo Hungâs evocation of childhood. Ann Hui stages a stirring tribute to Hong Kong educators in âHeadmaster.â Patrick Tam Kar-Ming depicts the emigration of Hong Kongers by way of an impressionistic love story, âTender is the Night.â Master action choreographer and director Yuen Woo-ping addresses generational divides in the 90s with âHomecoming.â Johnnie To details the cityâs capitalistic hustle in âBonanza.â The expanding harbour opens the floodgates of memory in Ringo Lamâs posthumous film âAstray,â and the decade to come is evoked by Tsui Harkâs futuristic, tongue-in-cheek closer âConversation in Depth.â An exceptional omnibus comes to us at a crucial time in Hong Kong history, SEPTET: THE STORY OF HONG KONG reunites seven legendary Hong Kong directors for a heartfelt project composed of personal, resonant stories. QUEBEC PREMIERE.
CATCH THE FAIR ONE
A mixed Indigenous ex-boxer infiltrates the sex trafficking world in search of her missing sister in this ferocious thriller propelled by a commanding performance from WBA Super Lightweight Champion Kali âK.O. Mequinonoagâ Reis. Pulverizing with fury and grief, CATCH THE FAIR ONE is the culmination of a four-year collaboration with director Josef Kubota Wladyka (MANOS SUCIAS), who co-wrote with his star. As much a hard-hitting revenge thriller as it is a personal interpretation of true crimes, the film addresses North Americaâs horrific crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women with urgency. Co-produced by Darren Aronofsky and 2021 Oscar-winner Mollye Asher (NOMADLAND) and winner of the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival. INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE.
ON THE 3RD DAY
The latest from Argentinean director Daniel de la Vega (WHITE COFFIN) and production house Del Toro Films (South Americaâs answer to Hammer Studios), ON THE 3RD DAY follows an anguished mother (Mariana Anghileri) trying to find her missing son, and the missing memory of what happened on the night of a terrible car accident. INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE.
THE NIGHT HOUSE
From director David Bruckner (THE RITUAL, THE SIGNAL) comes THE NIGHT HOUSE. Reeling from the unexpected death of her husband, Beth (Rebecca Hall) is left alone in the lakeside home he built for her. She tries as best she can to keep it together â but then nightmares come. Disturbing visions of a presence in the house calling to her, beckoning her with a ghostly allure. Against the advice of her friends, she begins digging into her husbandâs belongings, yearning for answers. What she finds are secrets both strange and disturbing â a mystery sheâs determined to unravel. THE NIGHT HOUSE stars Rebecca Hall (GODZILLA VS. KONG), Sarah Goldberg (Barry, Elementary), Vondie Curtis Hall (DIE HARD 2, EVEâS BAYOU), Evan Jonigkeit (Togetherish, Sweetbitter), and Stacy Martin (VOX LUX, NYMPHOMANIAC). CANADIAN PREMIERE.
MIDNIGHT IN A PERFECT WORLD
Near-future Manila is now a âperfectâ world; the powerful forces keep it so, thoroughly hidden from view yet pressing down subconsciously and oppressively on the citizens. With rumoured blackouts happening around the city past midnight, the only refuge becomes government-sanctioned âsafe houses” scattered around Manila. While many believe them to be a hoax, the truth of what they cover up may be something far worse. Taking its title from a DJ Shadow cut, and unfolding with an air of Philip K. Dickian strangeness, Dodo Dayaoâs (VIOLATOR) long-awaited sophomore effort MIDNIGHT IN A PERFECT WORLD is, like his previous film, a uniquely savvy and nightmarish trip befitting the worldâs ongoing dystopian situation, and one that cements Dayaoâs unique voice in independent Filipino cinema. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.
THE CAMERA LUCIDA section adds this final title to its competition, along with the following selection of short and medium-length films: AQUATIC BIRD (China â Dir. Zhang Nan); BORN PISCES (Japan â Dir. Yoko Yamanaka); DEATH VALLEY (United States â Dir. Grace Sloan); DOUBLE HELIX (China â Dir. Qiu Sheng); NOSES ON THE RUN (South Korea – Dir. Kim Boram) and TAIPEI SUICIDE STORY (Taiwan â Dir. KEFF).
BABY, DONâT CRY!
Step aside John Hughes and relinquish your crown because coming-of-age, teen romance will never quite be the same after BABY, DONâT CRY! Directed by Jesse Dvorak and written, designed, and starring Zita Bai, this astoundingly unique and harrowingly sincere film follows Baby, a Chinese immigrant in suburban Seattle, as she makes sense of her troubled home life and outsider existence through her indie DIY films and animalistic visions of the world. When she meets Fox (Vas Provatakis), a Skid Row punk with questionable decision-making skills, a whirlwind of intensity, ferocity, and sexuality engulfs the pair. Teetering between Babyâs fantastical visions and Foxâs raw punk rock ethos the two dive into this powder keg romance headfirst with no-holds-barred. WORLD PREMIERE.
FRANK & ZED
Are you ready for an orgy of blood? FRANK & ZED, one of the yearâs goriest films, promises just that. In this bloodthirsty, bone-crunching, and strangely heartwarming movie, an odd-couple monster-duo Frank and Zed, a Frankenstein-type monster and his brain-eating companion, attempt to survive a medieval curse that has befallen a small village. And did we mention theyâre all puppets? A true DIY passion project, conceived and made over 6 years, director Jesse Blanchard seizes an opportunity born from limitation to create an irresistible crowd-pleaser that embodies the resilience of thriving underground cinema. QUEBEC PREMIERE.
GIVING BIRTH TO A BUTTERFLY
Welcome to GIVING BIRTH TO A BUTTERFLY, the strange, melodic, and haunting feature debut of Theodore Schaefer. After having her identity stolen, Diana (Annie Parisse) goes on a surreal road trip with her sonâs pregnant girlfriend, Marlene (Gus Birney), to find the perpetrators. Shot on pastel-toned 16mm, the filmâs dreamy quality lulls you into its unusual atmosphere. As the lines between waking and dreaming life fade, the movie blends its ironic sense of humour with a unique blend of American surrealism that explores kitsch and performance to unearth a deep sense of alienation and loneliness. WORLD PREMIERE.
DR. CALIGARI
In 1989, Stephen Sayadian, aka Rinse Dream, released one of the most iconic and fantastical works in American exploitation cinema. For the first time since its release, thanks to a new restoration, it will finally find its audience and retroactively be appreciated as the Underground masterpiece that it is. Bizarre, stunning, goofy, and unsettling, DR. CALIGARI embraces the avant-garde in its exquisite and hilarious exploitation of America’s repressed libido. As the film’s title might suggest, the feature is a loose remake of the German expressionist classic, centered on Mrs. Van Houten, a woman who seems to be losing touch with reality, and her treatment under Dr. Caligari, who diagnoses her with a “disease of the libido.”
DR. CALIGARI
In honour of the restoration of his seminal underground classic DR. CALIGARI, Stephen Sayadian will sit down and discuss his career; past, present, and future. The multi-talented artist got his start as the creative director for Larry Flynt Publications, designed some of the most iconic film posters of the 1980s (including DRESSED TO KILL, THE FUNHOUSE and THE FOG), and directed some of the most eye-popping and transgressive films of the era. Working under the pseudonym Rinse Dream, Sayadianâs films, including CAFĂ FLESH and NIGHTDREAMS II & III) blurred the line between smut and art. Working in both hard and softcore porn, his surreal films were consistently marked by a dark sense of humour, incredible production design, and hallucinatory imagery. For the first time at Fantasia, Sayadian will regale our audiences with the stories and legends from his incredible career and tease what might come next.
A virtual gallery of some of Sayadianâs best work will also be presented during the festival for amateur and veteran fans of his art. Presented in collaboration with BBAM! Gallery.
DEAR HACKER
Aliceâs webcamâs red light flashes. A hacker, a ghost, a god? She decides to expose the identity of the invader. DEAR HACKER, Alice Lenayâs debut documentary, is a patchwork of video calls that come together as a metaphysical reflection. Alice gleefully jumps down the rabbit hole and navigates the infinite universe of the web â our mindsâ web â and our interconnectedness at a time when weâve never been so distant. With her witty observations and sagacious imagination, Lenay writes a visual letter in the form of this film telling a story of perception, reality, and society. The loading circle spirals out, but Alice keeps going. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.
ALIEN ON STAGE
A high-spirited group of British bus drivers set their minds to launching a homemade stage play adaptation of Ridley Scottâs ALIEN in Lucy Harvey and Danielle Kummerâs debut documentary ALIEN ON STAGE. With a Christopher Guest-esque charisma that particularly recalls his community theatre classic WAITING FOR GUFFMAN, the film follows the ups and downs of the delightfully DIY production, with its second-hand costumes and cardboard sets, and the charming crew determined to make it succeed. QUEBEC PREMIERE.
POLY STYRENE: I AM A CLICHĂ
A fiercely moving tribute to one of the most recognizable and unconventional figures in punk history, POLY STYRENE: I AM A CLICHĂ celebrates the life and legacy of Poly Styrene, famous frontwoman of X-Ray Spex and poster child for the UKâs Riot Grrrl and Afropunk movements. Featuring previously unseen archival footage and a succession of eloquent diary entries narrated by Oscar-nominated actress Ruth Negga and co-directed by the iconâs own daughter, Celeste Bell, and seasoned documentarian Paul Sng. QUEBEC PREMIERE.
LOST BOYS
Following the successful release of his breakthrough documentary REINDEERSPOTTING: ESCAPE FROM SANTALAND (2010), Finnish filmmaker Joonas Neuvonen, along with his friend Antti and the filmâs star, Jani, traveled to Southeast Asia or a celebratory trip⊠Which ended tragically when Jani was found dead and Antti went missing. Co-directed by their longtime collaborator Sadri Centinkaya, LOST BOYS chronicles Neuvonenâs return to Bangkok and Phnom Penh, into an even deeper hellscape of drugs, prostitution, and wandering souls, as he seeks out the truth behind his friendsâ demise while picking up the pieces of his own imperfect life. QUEBEC PREMIERE.
THE 12 DAY TALE OF THE MONSTER THAT DIED IN 8
For its 25th anniversary, Fantasia is proud to honour writer, director and video artist Shunji Iwai with a Career Achievement Award and play host to a special masterclass led by the esteemed filmmaker. His latest film, THE 12 DAY TALE OF THE MONSTER THAT DIED IN 8, previously announced as part of the Camera Lucida slate â designed as a relief film for the Japanese film industry during the COVID-19 pandemic â perfectly captures the all-too-online moment in which we find ourselves. This is only the latest example of Iwaiâs preternatural talent for capturing and sublimating the unspoken feelings that accompany pivotal moments in life, such as the end of elementary school, the beginning of university, the uncertainty of married life, or turn-of-the-millennium teen angst. He expertly communicates what it means to live in increasingly interconnected times, integrating the language of message boards, dating apps, and handwritten love letters into his work. A chronicler of changing hearts and changing times, Iwaiâs filmography stands as one of the most unique and influential in all of Japanese cinema
Also screening as part of this tribute: FIREWORKS, SHOULD WE SEE IT FROM THE SIDE OR THE BOTTOM? (1995), APRIL STORY (1997), ALL ABOUT LILY CHOU-CHOU (2001).
A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR STOP-MOTION TITAN PHIL TIPPETT
From the original STAR WARS trilogy to the millennial TWILIGHT SAGA, on top of ROBOCOP, JURASSIC PARK and STARSHIP TROOPERS, Phil Tippettâs inventive, innovative, iconic stop-motion creations have become universally familiar elements of our collective imagination. Fantasia is proud to honour the director and visual effects master with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021 for his original vision and his contributions to the advancement of the craft.
This proud moment coincides with the long-awaited completion of Tippettâs personal masterworkâ thirty years in the making, MAD GOD sees its North American Premiere at Fantasia this summer. Equal parts harrowing and hilarious, itâs a perpetual motion machine of biomechanical malevolence, a Dantean descent into the depths of Tippettâs imagination that cements him as an artist of the highest order.
Accompanying MAD GOD is the world premiere of the documentary short WORSE THAN THE DEMON, an intimate and insightful profile by the subjectâs daughter, Maya Tippett. Fantasia will present Tippett with his Lifetime Achievement Award by way of a virtual ceremony, followed by a masterclass exploring the deeper roots of his art.
ADDITIONAL THIRD WAVE TITLES
COMING HOME IN THE DARK
New Zealand â Dir. James Ashcroft
This extraordinary neo-noir is a blisteringly tense road movie into hell that plays like a home-invasion thriller set largely in a moving car. Based on the 1995 short story by award-winning New Zealand author Owen Marshall, described by David Hill as âone of the most harrowing narratives in our literature.â Official Selection: Sundance 2021, Calgary Underground Film Festival 2021. QUEBEC PREMIERE.
THE FEAST
UK â Dir. Lee Haven Jones
Shot entirely in the Welsh language and crafted with intelligence and cruelty, THE FEAST plays like a modern fairy tale for greed-fueled end-times. Itâs a striking feature debut from BAFTA-winning director Lee Haven Jones (35 DAYS, DOCTOR WHO) dripping with atmosphere, this grotesque shocker is a standout in cinemaâs current folk horror revival. Official Selection: SXSW 2021. CANADIAN PREMIERE.
FIGHTER
South Korea â Dir. JĂ©ro Yun
Life is a constant struggle for Jina, a North Korean refugee, but she finds her path in boxing. Director JĂ©ro Yun judiciously uses close-up shots highlighting the glances and silences that say much more than words, thanks to near-surgical editing, displaying a transcendent presence by actress Lim Seong-mi. Official Selection: Berlinale 2021, Busan International Film Festival 2021. CANADIAN PREMIERE
HAND ROLLED CIGARETTE
Hong Kong, Dir. Chan Kin-Long
Triad intrigue involving turtles, smuggled drugs, and instant noodles in the underbelly of neon HK in this refreshing film noir action that recently won the White Mulberry Award for best debut feature at the Udine Far East Film Festival. CANADIAN PREMIERE
JOSEE
South Korea â Dir. Kim Jeong-kwan
After an incident that leaves her electric wheelchair disabled, Josée is rescued by Young-seok, who she then brings in to discover her unique imaginary world. A beautiful, moving, charming, and visually polished film by Kim Jeong-kwan faithfully adapted from the popular novel Josee, the Tiger and the Fish. Official Selection: Busan International Film Festival 2021.
ONE SECOND CHAMPION
Hong Kong â Dir. Chiu Sin-Hang
With the power to see one second into the future, loser Chow becomes a winner in the ring. Itâs ROCKY with a high concept and loaded with more humor and high-pressure funâ Hong Kong style, from one of the directors of Fantasia 2017âs VAMPIRE CLEANUP DEPARTMENT. Official Selection: Udine Far East Film Festival 2021. CANADIAN PREMIERE.
OPĂRATION LUCHADOR
QuĂ©bec â dir. Alain VĂ©zina
Mexican wrestler LâAnge DorĂ© is back, and he’s confronting the dark designs of the Third Reich. Film teacher and documentarian Alain VĂ©zina (LES SOEURS DE NAGASAKI, 2018) embraces the mockumentary genre wholeheartedly with his latest joyous delirium. NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE.
SEOBOK
South Korea â Dir. Lee Yong-joo
A former secret service agent (GongYoo, TRAIN TO BUSAN) struggling with a brain tumor must return to duty for a mission of the utmost importance: protecting Seobok (Park Bo-gum, COIN LOCKER GIRL), the first human clone who has unnatural powers. Few mainstream films integrate ethical reflection with breathtaking, high-octane entertainment to this incredible extent. CANADIAN PREMIERE.
SWEETIE, YOU WONâT BELIEVE IT
Kazakhstan â Dir. Yernar Nurgaliyev
Seasoned Kazakh comedy director Yernar Nurgaliyev plunges into horror-comedy for the first time, serving us a fresh, dynamic mix of genres while spicing it with Kazakh flair in this award-winning film. Imagine TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE meets THE HANGOVER. CANADIAN PREMIERE.
UNDER THE OPEN SKY
Japan â Dir. Miwa Nishikawa
A former driver for the yakuza has just spent 13 years behind bars. Determined to reintegrate into society, he discovers a hostile and changing Japan that he struggles to recognize. Miwa Nishikawa’s (THE LONG EXCUSE) gripping UNDER THE OPEN SKY features Koji Yakusho (TOKYO SONATA) in one of his most moving roles. Official Selection: TIFF 2020. QUEBEC PREMIERE.
WILD MEN
Denmark â Dir. Thomas Daneskov
Armed only with a bow and an ensemble of animal skins, Martin (Rasmus Bjerg, ALL FOR ONE) sets off into the forest in a misguided attempt to overcome his midlife crisis. A chance meeting with a fugitive named Musa (Zaki Youssef, SONS OF DENMARK) leads to a twisted trip through the fjords with police, drug runners, and Martinâs family not far behind. Those who have any doubt that the funniest movies being made today come from Denmark need not look any further. Official Selection: Tribeca 2021. CANADIAN PREMIERE.
FANTASIA RETRO PRESENTS A PACK OF RESTORATION PREMIERES
In addition to the aforementioned restoration of Stephen Sayadianâs DR. CALIGARI (1989), Fantasia is proud to announce the following classics, resurrected in stunning new transfers.
UZUMAKI
Japan, 2000 â Dir. Higuchinsky
Higuchinskyâs elusive adaptation of Junji Itoâs cult classic UZUMAKI (SPIRAL) returns to Fantasia after 20 years, screening in a brand new 4K restoration. Decadently stylized and as beguiling as ever â practically dripping with blue-grey grime and oozing slime â the film stands out for its cosmic horror stylings and the ways it comes closest to the haunted tape at the centre of RINGU. The film itself now appears to us as cursed â full of shifty details and disturbing artefacts â as it unfolds with an almost experimental slice-of-life logic. One of the more peculiar films in the J-horror canon. World Premiere of Toei’s new 4K restoration.
TOMBS OF THE BLIND DEAD (La noche del terror ciego)
Spain, 1972 â Dir. Amando de Ossorio
One of the most gloriously mythical, highly original zombie films ever made bursts from the grave, fully uncut in a striking new restoration from Synapse Films scanned from the original camera negative. The film re-envisions medieval Catholic military order the Templar Knights as satanic monks living under an occult curse, forced to walk the earth as eyeless undead in need of human flesh. In an imaginative twist, given their blindness, they are able to track the living by listening for their heartbeats.
World Premiere of Synapse Filmsâ new restoration.
MILL OF THE STONE WOMEN (Il mulino delle donne di pietra)
Italy, 1960 â Dir. Giorgio Ferroni
The first Italian horror produced in colour, Ferroniâs landmark Italian Gothic boasts an impressive saturated signature, a style which was later picked up by Mario Bava when he made BLOOD AND BLACK LACE (1964). As a result, much like the later features by Bava, the film stands out stylistically for its bold painterly qualities, in this case layered in gorgeous, dark, fairy tale artifice. Picking up the baton from Gothic romance-tinged mad science films, such as HOUSE OF WAX (1953), MILL OF THE STONE WOMEN takes the staple âwoman-into-waxâ trope into unconventional territory with strange experiments, weird vampirism, and the dead coming back to life. World Premiere of Arrow Videoâs new restoration.
THE UNKNOWN MAN OF SHANDIGOR (LâInconnu de Shandigor)
Switzerland, 1967 â Dir. Jean-Louis Roy
This long-lost mid-1960s Cold War super-spy thriller is a marvelous and surreal hall of mirrorsâ part DR. STRANGELOVE, part ALPHAVILLEâ with sly nods to British TV shows like THE AVENGERS and DOCTOR WHO. All mod sunglasses and bizarre architecture (including Antoni Gaudiâs famed La Pedrera/Casa Mila), the long-unavailable SHANDIGOR has been beautifully restored by the Cinematheque Suisse. Starring Marie-France Boyer, Daniel Emilfork, Howard Vernon, and Serge Gainsbourg! North American Premiere of a new 4K restoration by the Cinematheque Suisse. Presented by Deaf Crocodile Films.
FUNKY FOREST: THE FIRST CONTACT
Japan, 2005 Dirs. Katsuhito Ishii, Hajime Ishimine, Shunichiro Miki
If you look at them just right, the most mundane elements of daily life can seem utterly bizarre. That’s the lunatic logic behind 2005âs fan-favourite cult classic FUNKY FOREST; a sprawling omnibus of the obvious and the oddball, the casual and the completely insane. Collaborating with hotshot advertisement directors Hajime Ishimine and Shinichiro Miki, director Katsuhito Ishii set them loose to confuse you, amuse you, repulse you, excite you, and just plain freak you out. World Premiere of Error 4444âs new HD restoration.
THE WARPED FOREST
Japan, 2011 â Dir. Shunichiro Miki
Weâre not out of the woods yet! Witness the wonders of time-warping and dream-tinkering! Giggle at bellybutton sex and pornographic fruit snacks! Squirm when the local baker sneaks out for an illicit encounter with a furry little nipple-sucker and so much more. Shunichiro Miki flies solo on THE WARPED FOREST, an essential, long unavailable, work in the millennial new wave of radical, hallucinogenic Japanese comedies that blend deadpan humour, delirious dream logic, creeping paranoia and empathic, easygoing optimism into the strangest of cinematic brews. North American Premiere of Error 4444âs new HD restoration.
JURIES AND COMPETITIONS
Fantasia is pleased to announce the 2021 Cheval Noir competition titles:
ALL THE MOONS â Spain / France, Dir. Igor Legarreta
THE DEVILâS DEAL â South Korea, Dir. Lee Won-tae
HELLBENDER â USA, Dirs. Toby Poser, John Adams, Zelda Adams
GHOSTING GLORIA â Uruguay, Dirs. Marcela Matta, Mauro Sarser
THE GREAT YOKAI WAR – GUARDIANS â Japan, Dir. Takashi Miike
HOTEL POSEIDON â Belgium, Dir. Stef Lernous
INDEMNITY â South Africa, Dir. Travis Taute
LOVE, LIFE AND GOLDFISH â Japan, Dir. Yukinori Makabe
MARTYRS LANE â UK, Dir. Ruth Platt
REMAIN IN TWILIGHT â Japan, Dir. Daigo Matsui
THE RIGHTEOUS â Canada, Dir. Mark O’Brien
TOKYO REVENGERS â Japan, Dir. Tsutomu Hanabusa
VOICE OF SILENCE â South Korea, Dir. Hong Eui-jeong
WONDERFUL PARADISE â Japan, Dir. Masashi Yamamoto
The following industry professionals make up the Fantasia 2021 juries:
CHEVAL NOIR COMPETITION
Agnieszka SmoczyĆska (Jury President) â Poland â Director, Screenwriter
Kambole Campbell â UK â Writer, Critic
Paula Devonshire â Canada â Producer
MĂłnica GarcĂa MassaguĂ© – Spain â Author, Professor, General Manager of the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival
Simon Rumley â UK â Director, Author
NEW FLESH COMPETITION FOR BEST FIRST FEATURE
Kim Newman (Jury President) â UK â Author, Critic, Broadcaster
Jill Gevargizian â USA â Director, Screenwriter, Producer
Gigi Saul Guerrero â Mexico â Director, Screenwriter
Brian O’Malley â Ireland â Director, Screenwriter
Myriam Sassine â Lebanon – Producer, Co-Founder of the Maskoon Fantastic Film Festival
INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION
HĂ©lĂšne Cattet and Bruno Forzani (Co-Jury Presidents) â Belgium â Directors, Screenwriters
Prano Bailey-Bond â UK â Director, Screenwriter
Yfke van Berckelaer â Netherlands â Director, Screenwriter
Faye Jackson â Scotland â Director, Screenwriter
AQCC CAMERA LUCIDA COMPETITION
Jean-Marie Lanlo â Canada â Critic, Publisher
Martin Gignac â Canada â Critic
Claire Valade â Canada â Critic
AXIS ANIMATION COMPETITION
Hefang Wei (Jury President) â France â Director, Artistic Director, Co-founder of WeilaĂŻ Productions
Ashkan Rahgozar â Iran â Director, Writer, Founder and CEO of Hoorakhsh Studios
Kalp Sanghvi â India â Director, Writer, Co-founder of Ghost Animation Collective
PANELS AND SPECIAL EVENTS, ACCESSIBLE WORLDWIDE
While Fantasia 2021âs films are geo-blocked to Canadian audiences, all of the festivalâs panels and special events are free and accessible worldwide, allowing these unique experiences to be enjoyed by fans on every corner of the Earth.
In addition to the aforementioned artist talks by Shunji Iwai, Stephen Sayadian, and Phil Tippett, Fantasia is pleased to announce the following special events.
Presented in association with WarnerMedia
HAUNTING THE NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS: THE RISE OF INDIGENOUS HORROR
Saturday, August 7 â 4PM EDT
Presentation by Dr. Kali Simmons
In the article âThe Rise of Indigenous Horror,â Haudenosaunee writer Alicia Elliott notes that, ââŠmany non-Indigenous horror writers depict situations that Indigenous people have already weathered.â The recent exposure of genocidal violence against Indigenous children within the âresidential schoolâ programs which operated in Canada and the United States stresses the truth of this observation even more.
In this lecture, expanded from work presented at the Miskatonic Institute for Horror Studies, film scholar Dr. Kali Simmons will analyze the ways that horror has been deployed in the service of settler-colonialism as well as the ways Indigenous writers, actors, and filmmakers speak back to these troubling stories.
SOUTH AFRICA SCREAMS: VOICES FROM THE NEW WAVE OF S.A. GENRE CINEMA
Sunday, August 8 â 2PM EDT
With panelists Nosipho Dumisa (NUMBER 37), Kelsey Egan (GLASSHOUSE), Bradley Joshua (Producer, Gambit Films, BLOOD & WATER), Ryan Kruger (FRIED BARRY), Michael Matthews (FIVE FINGERS FOR MARSEILLES), and Travis Taute (INDEMNITY); Moderated by Todd Brown (XYZ Films)
In recent years, South Africa has lit up the international cinema world with inspired and sophisticated genre film reworkings that frequently win awards and leave audiences breathless. Fantasia has proudly showcasedâ and in some cases, launchedâ many of these works. This year, Fantasia will be World Premiering not one but two South African works, Travis Tauteâs INDEMNITY and Kelsey Eganâs GLASSHOUSE. To celebrate, the festival will be presenting a special roundtable discussion between some of the leading talents in S.A.âs new wave. Donât miss this special opportunity to hear insights and production stories from some of the countryâs most exciting artists, brought together for whatâs sure to be an unforgettable time.
KONVERSATION: TAKAYUKI HIRAO MEETS PASCAL-ALEX VINCENT
Monday, August 9 â 5PM EDT
Interpreter: Zen Nakamura
With SATOSHI KON, THE ILLUSIONIST, French documentarian Pascal-Alex Vincent demonstrates the profound effect that the late master, in whose honour Fantasiaâs animation award is named, had on anime and indeed cinema worldwide. Japanese animator Takayuki Hirao, director of POMPO: THE CINĂPHILE, can attest to it firsthand, having spent his formative years working under Kon on MILLENNIUM ACTRESS and PARANOIA AGENT. Konâs legacy is the starting point of a discussion between the two directors. In English and Japanese with verbal translation.
Untold Horror presentsâŠ
MONSTERS MUST LIVE!
Friday, August 13 â 5PM EDT
With panelists Brian Yuzna, William Malone and Richard Raaphorst; Moderated by Dave Alexander
Filmmakers Brian Yuzna (RE-ANIMATOR series, SOCIETY), William Malone (HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, MASTERS OF HORROR) and Richard Raaphorst (FRANKENSTEINâS ARMY) discuss their unmade monster movies and the ongoing, often maddening, occasionally hilarious quest to bring some of the coolest creature features to life. Hosted by Untold Horror author and former Rue Morgue editor-in-chief Dave Alexander, Monsters Must Live! proves that when it comes to the film biz, some of the most incredible creations don’t actually exist onscreen.
GRADY HENDRIX LIVE: WELCOME TO THE FINAL GIRL SUPPORT GROUP
Sunday, August 15 â 5PM EDT
Bestselling author Grady Hendrix (Paperbacks from Hell, My Best Friend’s Exorcism) welcomes you to a very special support group, so have a seat, coffee’s in the back, and remember there’s no cross-talk. Then prepare yourself for a guided tour of the history of murder books, because ever since the invention of the printing press we’ve been using it to tell stories about killing each other, from bizarro 19th century Jack the Ripper fan fiction, through Psycho, the industry-changing success of Silence of the Lambs, all leading up to today. Along the way you’ll encounter astrological assassins, the female authors who wrote serial killer books first, and primal hamster trauma as together we try to figure out what it means that so much of publishing is about selling murder for fun.
Presented in association with WarnerMedia
A DIFFERENT MONSTER: BLACK WOMEN AND THE MONSTROUS
Saturday, August 21 â 4PM EDT
Presentation by Carolyn Mauricette
From Sarah Baartman to Grace Jones, Black women are often thought of as exotic creatures and grossly misunderstood, or, like Frankensteinâs monster, they have been put in a category where they are feared and disliked, with observers quick to vilify or dismiss. Yet, in horror, characters who are supernatural beings or âmonstersâ are actually an embodiment of Black womenâs strength and perseverance. Weâll look at some of the most interesting charactersâ whether vampires, witches, or supernatural beingsâ and see how even in their otherness, and within problematic representation, they have power and agency and represent the vulnerability and strength Black women have possessed through the ages.
THE TRANSGRESSIVE URGE: HORROR AND THE TABOO IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Sunday, August 22 â 5PM EDT
With panelists Stephen R. Bissette (Cartoonist, Author, Critic), David Kerekes (Headpress Books), David J. Schow (Writer), John Skipp (Writer, Director), Christina Ward (Feral House), Billy Martin (Writer) and Douglas E. Winter (Writer / Critic); Moderated by Heather Buckley
One of the functions of horror film and fiction has been the unflinching exploration of the forbidden, the underground, and the taboo. In the 1980s and 1990s horror experienced a surge of wild energy, and a backlash against it. While certain restrictions have loosened, and more permissive venues for content have emerged in the years since, practitioners of the genre now face other pressures and penalties, potentially higher than before. In a society with ready online access to just about every kind of content, including eyewitness cameras capturing the most terrible of crimes, how has the cultural sense of the taboo, and the role of horror in breaking them, changed? Join us for a discussion about the evolution of this explicit mode of expression as art, exploitation, and rebellion.
TURBO KID: FROM FILM TO VIDEO GAME / TURBO KID : DU FILM AU JEU VIDĂO
Tuesday, August 24 â 2PM EDT
With panelists RKSS (François Simard, Anouk Whissel, Yoann-Karl Whissel), Anne-Marie Gélinas and Benoit Beaulieu (EMA Films), a member of composing duo Le Matos, and key figures from Outerminds (Rémi Lavoie, Odile Prouveur, Guiz DePessemier) and Vibe Avenue; Moderated by Marc Lamothe and Justin Langlois
Born out of FrontiĂšres, Fantasiaâs international co-production market, and launched at Sundance, the worldwide cult sensation that is TURBO KID immediately put RKSS, its gifted trio of QuĂ©bĂ©cois filmmakers (François Simard, Anouk Whissel, Yoann-Karl Whissel), on radars across the universe. A video game was the logical follow-up! Like the film, it promises to be an homage to the post-apocalyptic works of the â80s with cartoonish gore and a heartfelt story while channelling beloved vintage video games. Celebrated Montreal video game studio Outerminds are working closely with RKSS and EMA Films, producers of the original film, to devise a game that will honour the essence of the breakout hit, with synth-wave band Le Matos returning to compose a brand-new soundtrack while VIBE Avenue provides sound design.
Grab your gnome stick and join us for a bilingual (French and English language) panel discussion with the core creators of both the film and its adaptation to explore TURBO KIDâs journey into gameplay.
For more on Fantasia 2021 including tickets, click here.
In celebration of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, subscription video service IFC Films Unlimited have announced a slate of women-led programming in March!
FEMALE DIRECTORS
*Titles listed by date
A Call to Spy (2020) – Drama
Director: Lydia Dean Pilcher
Starring: Sarah Megan Thomas, Stana Katic, Radhika Apte, Linus Roache
Synopsis: At the dawn of WWII, a desperate Churchill orders his new spy agency to train women for covert ops. Together, they help to undermine the Nazi regime and turn the tide of the war.
Relic (2020) – Horror
Director: Natalie Erika James
Starring: Emily Mortimer, Robyn Nevin, Bella Heathcote
Synopsis: A daughter, mother and grandmother are haunted by a manifestation of dementia that consumes their family’s home.
Knives and Skin (2019) – Drama
Director: Jennifer Reeder
Starring: Marika Engelhardt, Grace Smith, Ireon Roach, Kayla Carter, Tim Hopper, Kate Arrington, Audrey Francis, James Vincent Meredith, Ty Olwin, Raven Whitley, Jalen Gilbert, Emma Ladji, Robert T. Cunningham, Tony Fitzpatrick, Marilyn Dodds Frank
Synopsis: What happened to Carolyn Harper? Part suburban nightmare, part neon-soaked teenage fever dream, this tantalizing mystery traces the wave of fear and distrust that spreads across a small Midwestern town in the wake of a high school girl’s mysterious disappearance. As the loneliness and darkness lurking beneath the veneer of everyday life gradually comes to light, a collective awakening seems to overcome the town’s teenage girlsâgathering in force until it can no longer be contained. Unfolding in a hallucinatory haze of lushly surreal images, Knives and Skin is a one-of-a-kind coming-of-age noir that haunts like a half-remembered dream.
Sword of Trust (2019) – Comedy
Director: Lynn Shelton
Starring: Marc Maron, Jon Bass, Michaela Watkins, Jillian Bell
Synopsis: Mel (Marc Maron) is a cantankerous pawnshop owner in Alabama who spends most of his time swindling customers while trying and failing to get his man-child employee Nathaniel (Jon Bass) to do any work. When Cynthia (Jillian Bell) and her wife Mary (Michaela Watkins) try to hawk a Civil War-era sword inherited from Cynthia’s recently deceased grandfather, he tries to get the better of them. The sword, however, comes with a convoluted report from Cynthia’s grandfather claiming the relic to be proof the South actually won the war. It isn’t long before the coveted “prover item” draws the attention of overzealous conspiracy theorists and the two duos have to join forces in order to sell the sword to the highest bidder. The journey that ensues takes the ragtag bunch on a tour through the deep South and the minds of the local fanatics who inhabit it. Created from the raw talent of its cast and infused with a lot of heart and laughs, Sword of Trust takes a stab at uncovering emotional truths through moments of hilarity and hits right on the mark.
Out of Blue (2019) – Drama
Director: Carol Morley
Starring: Patricia Clarkson, Toby Jones, Jacki Weaver, James Caan, Mamie Gummer, Aaron Tveit, Yolonda Ross, Jonathan Majors, Devyn Tyler
Synopsis: The hunt for a killer draws a detective into an even larger mystery: the nature of the universe itself. Mike Hoolihan (Patricia Clarkson) is an unconventional New Orleans cop investigating the murder of renowned astrophysicist Jennifer Rockwell (Mamie Gummer), a black hole expert found shot to death in her observatory. As Mike tumbles down the rabbit hole of the disturbing, labyrinthine case, she finds herself grappling with increasingly existential questions of quantum mechanics, parallel universes, and exploding starsâcosmic secrets that may hold the key to unraveling the crime, while throwing into doubt her very understanding of reality. Awash in a dreamlike, neo-noir atmosphere, this one-of-a-kind thriller is both a tantalizing whodunnit and a rich, metaphysical mind-bender.
Furlough (2018) – Drama
Director: Laurie Collyer
Starring: Tessa Thompson, Whoopi Goldberg, Melissa Leo, La La Anthony, Drena De Niro, Azhy Robertson, Jerry Dean
Synopsis: When an inmate is granted one weekend out of prison to see her dying mother, a rookie correction officer struggles to keep her under control.
The Female Brain (2018) – Comedy
Director: Whitney Cummings
Starring: Whitney Cummings, Sofia Vergara, Cecily Strong, Toby Kebbell, James Marsden, Lucy Punch, Beanie Feldstein
Synopsis: A comedy about modern day relationships that takes us from the heart into the inner workings of brain chemistry to understand love among couples at different stages of their relationships.
Evolution (2016) – Thriller
Director: Lucile HadĆŸihaliloviÄ
Starring: Max Brebant, Roxane Duran, Julie-Marie Parmentier
Synopsis: In this sci-fi thriller, a remote island is inhabited by young boys who are subjected to strange medical treatments. Soon one boy makes a disturbing discovery beneath the waves.
#Horror (2015) – Horror
Director: Tara Subkoff
Starring: Sadie Seelert, Haley Murphy, Bridget McGarry
Synopsis: Inspired by actual events, a group of 12 year old girls face a night of horror when the compulsive addiction of an online social media game turns a moment of a cyber bullying to a night of insanity.
Bare (2015) – Drama, Thriller
Director: Natalia Leite
Starring: Dianna Agron, Paz de la Huerta,
Synopsis: A young girl living in a small desert town in Nevada becomes romantically involved with a female drifter who leads her into a life of drugs, stripping, and psychedelic spiritual experiences.
Slow Learners (2015) – Comedy
Director: Sheena Joyce, Don Argott
Starring: Adam Pally, Sarah Burns, Reid Scott, Catherine Reitman
Synopsis: High school teachers Jeff and Anne are work BFFs all too familiar with the woes of romance. Desperate to turn their luck around they take on new personas and embark, withgusto, on an adventurous summer of uncharacteristic encounters.
Free the Nipple (2014) – Comedy
Director: Lina Esco
Starring: Casey LaBow, Zach Grenier, Monique Coleman, Lola Kirke, Lia Esco
Synopsis: An army of passionate women launch a revolution to “Free the Nipple” and decriminalize the female body. Based on a true story, this mass movement of topless women, armed with First Amendment lawyers, graffiti installations and national publicity stunts, invade New York City to protest the backwards censorship laws in the USA.
Kelly & Cal (2014) – Comedy
Director: Jen McGowan
Starring: Juliette Lewis, Cybill Shepherd, Jonny Weston
Synopsis: A former rock chick turned suburban housewife (Juliette Lewis) rediscovers her wild side when she befriends the teenaged boy next door. Also stars Cybill Shepherd.
Beyond the Edge (2014) – Thriller, Documentary
Director: Leanne Pooley
Starring: Chad Moffitt
Synopsis: A 3D feature film about Sir Edmund Hillary’s monumental and historical ascent of Mt. Everest in 1953 – an event that stunned the world and defined a nation.
Dancing in Jaffa (2014) – Documentary
Director: Hilla Medalia
Starring: Pierre Dulaine
Synopsis: Over a ten-week period, renowned ballroom dancer Pierre Dulaine teaches Jewish and Palestinian Israeli children to dance and compete together. The film explores the complex stories of three children, all of whom are forced to confront issues of identity, segregation, and racial prejudice as they dance with their enemy.
Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me (2014) – Documentary
Director: Chiemi Karasawa
Starring: Elaine Stritch, Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey , Nathan Lane
Synopsis: What does it mean to be a performing artist – first, last and always? Broadway legend Elaine Stritch can answer that. At 87, Stritch is still here, dominating the stage in her one woman cabaret act, torturing Alec Baldwin on 30ROCK, giving us her take on aging, her struggle with alcohol and diabetes, and the fear of leaving the follow spot behind. In stolen moments from her corner room at the Carlyle, and on breaks from her tour and work, candid reflections about her life are punctuated with rare archival footage, words from friends (Hal Prince, George C. Wolfe, Nathan Lane, Cherry Jones and John Turturro) and photographs from her personal collection. By turns bold, hilarious and achingly poignant, the journey connects Stritch’s present to her past, and an inspiring portrait of a one-of-a-kind survivor emerges.
The Selfish Giant (2013) – Drama
Director: Clio Barnard
Starring: Sean Gilder, Steve Evets
Synopsis: THE SELFISH GIANT is a contemporary fable about two teenage boys who get caught up in the world of copper theft.
Dark Touch (2013) – Horror
Director: Marina de Van
Starring: Marie Missy Keating, Marcella Plunkett, Padraic Delaney, Aidan Gillen, Charlotte Flyvholm
Synopsis: One night, the furniture and objects in an isolated house runs riot against the family within, leaving only an eleven-year-old girl alive.
Una Noche (2013) (Spanish) – Drama
Director: Lucy Mulloy
Starring: Dariel Arrechaga, Anailin de la Rua de la Torre, Javier Nuñez Florian
Synopsis: Havana: Accused and desperate, Raul is forced to the edge. 90 miles of treacherous ocean stand between him and his dream: Miami.
Breaking the Girls (2013) – Thriller
Director: Jamie Babbit
Starring: Madeline Zima, Agnes Bruckner, Shawn Ashmore
Synopsis: Two college girls become more than friends when they make a pact to kill off each other’s nemesis.
The Loneliest Planet (2012) – Thriller
Director: Julia Loktev
Starring: Gael Garcia Bernal, Hani Furstenberg, Bidzina Gujabidze
Synopsis: A local guide takes a young couple through a twisted backpacking trip across the Georgian wilderness.
The Decoy Bride (2012) – Comedy
Director: Sheree Folkson
Starring: David Tenant, Kelly McDonald, Alice Eve
Synopsis: When the media descend on the remote Scottish island where a Hollywood actress is getting married, a local girl is hired as a decoy bride to put the paparazzi off the scent.
Buck (2011) – Documentary
Director: Cindy Meehl
Starring: Buck Brannaman
Synopsis: In a story about the power of non-violence, master horse trainer Buck Brannaman uses principles of respect and trust to tame horses and inspire their human counterparts.
Tiny Furniture (2010) – Comedy
Director: Lena Dunham
Starring: Lena Dunham, Laurie Simmons, Grace Dunham, David Call, Alex Karpovsky
Synopsis: 22-year-old Aura returns home after college to her artist motherâs loft with the following: a useless film theory degree, 357 hits on her YouTube page, and no shoulders to cry on. Starring Dunham and her real-life family, Tiny Furniture is tragicomedy about what does and does not happen when you graduate with no skills, no love life, and a lot of free time.
LADIES OF HORROR
*Titles listed by date
Kindred (2020) – Thriller
Director: Joe Marcantonio
Starring: Fiona Shaw, Edward Holcroft, Jack Lowden, Tamara Lawrance, Chloe Pirrie, Anton Lesser, Kiran Sonia Sawar, Michael Nardone
Synopsis: A chilling tale of one young woman slowly losing her grip on reality…or is she being brainwashed and psychologically tortured by her deceased boyfriend’s family?
The Other Lamb (2020) – Horror, Drama
Director: Malgorzata Szumowska
Starring: Raffey Cassidy, Michiel Huisman, Denise Gough.
Synopsis: A girl born into an all-female cult led by a man in their compound begins to question his teachings and her own reality.
Relic (2020) – Horror
Director: Natalie Erika James
Starring: Emily Mortimer, Robyn Nevin, Bella Heathcote
Synopsis: A daughter, mother and grandmother are haunted by a manifestation of dementia that consumes their family’s home.
Knives and Skin (2019) – Drama
Director: Jennifer Reeder
Starring: Marika Engelhardt, Grace Smith, Ireon Roach, Kayla Carter, Tim Hopper, Kate Arrington, Audrey Francis, James Vincent Meredith, Ty Olwin, Raven Whitley, Jalen Gilbert, Emma Ladji, Robert T. Cunningham, Tony Fitzpatrick, Marilyn Dodds Frank
Synopsis: What happened to Carolyn Harper? Part suburban nightmare, part neon-soaked teenage fever dream, this tantalizing mystery traces the wave of fear and distrust that spreads across a small Midwestern town in the wake of a high school girl’s mysterious disappearance. As the loneliness and darkness lurking beneath the veneer of everyday life gradually comes to light, a collective awakening seems to overcome the town’s teenage girlsâgathering in force until it can no longer be contained. Unfolding in a hallucinatory haze of lushly surreal images, Knives and Skin is a one-of-a-kind coming-of-age noir that haunts like a half-remembered dream.
Beyond the Gates (of Hell) (2016) – Thriller
Director: Jackson Stewart
Starring: Barbara Crampton, Brea Grant, Ryan Kunert
Synopsis: Dice turn deadly when two brothers fight to survive a nightmarish role-playing game run by a sinister host (Barbara Crampton) in this throwback thriller.
Anesthesia (2016) – Drama
Director: Tim Blake Nelson
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Corey Stoll, Glenn Close, Michael K. Williams, Tim Blake Nelson, Mickey Sumner, Sam Waterston
Synopsis: Multiple lives intersect in the aftermath of the violent mugging of a Columbia University philosophy professor.
The Abandoned (2016) – Horror
Director: Eytan Rockaway
Starring: Jason Patric, Louisa Krause, Mark Margolis
Synopsis: A struggling single mother works as a security guard for a corporation, where she becomes trapped in the dark catacombs of the structure and her sanity is terrorized.
The Den (2014) – Horror, Thriller
Director: Zachary Donohue
Starring: Melanie Papalia, David Schlachtenhaufen, Matt Riedy, Adam Shapiro
Synopsis: A young woman studying the habits of webcam chat users from the apparent safety of her apartment witnesses a brutal murder online and is quickly immersed in a nightmare in which she and her loved ones are targeted for the same grisly fate as the first victim.
Dark Touch (2013) – Horror
Director: Marina de Van
Starring: Marie Missy Keating, Marcella Plunkett, Padraic Delaney, Aidan Gillen, Charlotte Flyvholm
Synopsis: One night, the furniture and objects in an isolated house runs riot against the family within, leaving only an eleven-year-old girl alive.
Breaking the Girls (2013) – Thriller
Director: Jamie Babbit
Starring: Madeline Zima, Agnes Bruckner, Shawn Ashmore
Synopsis: Two college girls become more than friends when they make a pact to kill off each other’s nemesis.
Contracted (2013) – Horror, Thriller
Director: Eric England
Starring: Najarra Townsend, Caroline Williams
Synopsis: A young girl has a one-night stand with a random stranger and contracts, what she thinks is, a sexually-transmitted disease – but is actually something much worse.
The Pact (2012) – Horror
Director: Nicholas McCarthy
Starring: Caity Lotz, Casper Van Dien, Haley Hudson, Sam Ball
Synopsis: When their mother dies, sisters Annie and Nicole begin to face their disturbing childhood. Nicole visits her motherâs house to deal with the estate and vanishes.
Dead Hooker in a Trunk (2011) – Horror
Director: Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska
Starring: Rikki Gagne, Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska, CJ Wallis, John Tench
Synopsis: A Canadian grindhouse film about a group of friends, including twin sisters (who are also the directors), who somehow end up with a dead hooker in their trunk. As they try to figure out how it happened, they become chased by cops, a sleazy hotel manager, chainsaw wielding triads, a brutal serial killer, and a mysterious cowboy pimp.
The Housemaid (2011) (Korean) – Thriller
Director: Im Sang-soo
Starring: Do-yeon Jeon, Jung-jae Lee, Woo Seo, Yuh-Jung Youn
Synopsis: A remake of Kim Ki-young’s Housemaid from the 1960s. A strange housemaid joins a peaceful family only to destroy them.
Exorcismus (2011) – Horror
Director: Luis de la Madrid
Starring: Sophie Vavasseur, Stephen Billington, Douglas Bradley, Jo Anne Stockham
Synopsis: Medical tests have ruled out any illness of 15 year old daughter Suzy but she gets worse every day. Father Ellis resorts to hypnosis to help Suzy but to find out what happens during the sessions, Suzy sets up a video camera.
FEMALE CINEMATOGRAPHERS
*Titles listed by date
Furlough (2018) – Drama
Director: Laurie Collyer
Cinematographer: Berenice Eveno
Starring: Tessa Thompson, Whoopi Goldberg, Melissa Leo, La La Anthony, Drena De Niro, Azhy Robertson, Jerry Dean
Synopsis: When an inmate is granted one weekend out of prison to see her dying mother, a rookie correction officer struggles to keep her under control.
Marguerite and Julien (2016) – Romance
Director: Valérie Donzelli
Cinematographer: CĂ©line Bozon
Starring: Anaïs Demoustier, Jérémie Elkaïm, Frédéric Pierrot
Synopsis: An aristocratic brother and sister embrace passion and hope as they flee from society. A story of desire, love and death beyond all morality.
Anesthesia (2016) – Drama
Director: Tim Blake Nelson
Cinematographer: Christina Voros
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Corey Stoll, Glenn Close, Michael K. Williams, Tim Blake Nelson, Mickey Sumner, Sam Waterston
Synopsis: Multiple lives intersect in the aftermath of the violent mugging of a Columbia University philosophy professor.
The Pact 2 (2014) – Thriller
Director: Dallas Hallam, Patrick Horvath
Cinematographer: Carmen Cabana
Starring: Camilla Luddington, Scott Michael Foster
Synopsis: Sequel to Pact. When a series of brutal murders lead authorities to believe the Judas killer is back, Annie, (Caity Lotz The Machine), returns home for the final showdown.
Errors of the Human Body (2013) – Sci-fi
Director: Eron Sheean
Cinematographer: Anna Howard
Starring: Rik Mayall, Karoline Herfurth
Synopsis: When a potentially lethal virus is created within his new lab, Dr Geoff Burton is shocked to discover he is not only the unwitting cause, but also its first victim.
The Flat (2012) (Hebrew, German, English) – Documentary
Director: Arnon Goldfinger
Cinematographer: Talia Gal’On
Starring: Arnon Goldfinger
Synopsis: At age 98, director Arnon Goldfingerâs grandmother passed away, leaving him the task of clearing out the Tel Aviv flat that she and her husband shared since immigrating to Palestine from Nazi Germany in the 1930s. In this emotionally riveting documentary, Goldfinger follows the hints they left behind in a lifetimeâs collection of documents.
The Decoy Bride (2012) – Comedy
Director: Sheree Folkson
Cinematographer: Nanu Segal
Starring: David Tenant, Kelly McDonald, Alice Eve
Synopsis: When the media descend on the remote Scottish island where a Hollywood actress is getting married, a local girl is hired as a decoy bride to put the paparazzi off the scent.
House of Pleasures (2011) – Drama
Director: Bertrand Bonello
Cinematographer: Josée Deshaies
Starring: AdÚle Haenel, Alice Barnole, Céline Sallette, Hafsia Herzi, Iliana Zabeth, Jasmine Trinca, Noémie Lvovsky
Synopsis: At the dawn of the XXth century, in a brothel in Paris, a man disfigures a prostitute for life. She is marked with a scar that draws a tragic smile on her face.
XX/YXÂ (2003)Â –Â Comedy, Drama
Director: Austin Chick
Cinematographer: Uta Briesewitz
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Kathleen Robertson, Maya Stange, Petra Wright, David Thornton
Synopsis: Hot Sundance world premiere stars Mark Ruffalo; written, directed by Austin Chick. Friends begin a dangerous 3-way relationship that spirals out of control; dire consequences haunt them years later.
(Photo credit: IFC Films)
We’re so delighted to be covering the 2021 SXSW Festival and today the full programming slate for their Film Festival component has been announced! As announced prior, their Opening Night selection will be DEMI LOVATO: DANCING WITH THE DEVIL. The Documentary Series examines the star’s life leading up to her overdose and its aftermath.
The Festival takes place March 16-21, 2021.
This yearâs Headliners: Opening and Closing Night Films and a Centerpiece Film with associated Special Events on our Live Channel.
Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil
Director: Michael D. Ratner, Producer: Marc Ambrose
Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil is a powerful YouTube Originals documentary event, exploring every aspect that led to Lovatoâs nearly fatal overdose in 2018, and her awakenings in the aftermath. (World Premiere) (Opening Night Film)
Alone Together
Directors: Bradley Bell, Pablo Jones-Soler, Producers: Ross Levine, Emmie Lichtenberg, Brian Ferenchik
Charli XCX, a popstar in quarantine, embarks on a whirlwind creative and romantic journey while making an album in 40 days that unites a community around the world. (World Premiere) (Closing Night Film)
Tom Petty, Somewhere You Feel Free
Director: Mary Wharton, Producer: Peter Afterman
Drawn from a newly discovered archive of 16mm film showing Tom Petty at work on his 1994 record Wildflowers, considered by many including Rolling Stone to be his greatest album ever, Somewhere You Feel Free is an intimate view of a musical icon. (World Premiere) (Centerpiece Film)
Eight world premieres, eight unique ways to celebrate the art of storytelling.
Here Before (United Kingdom)
Director/Screenwriter: Stacey Gregg, Producer: Sophie Vickers
After new neighbours move in next door, a bereaved mother begins to question her reality in this unsettling psychological thriller. Cast List: Andrea Riseborough, Martin McCann, Jonjo OâNeill, Eileen OâHiggins (World Premiere)
Iâm Fine (Thanks For Asking)
Directors: Kelley Kali, Angelique Molina, Screenwriters: Kelley Kali, Angelique Molina, Roma Kong, Producers: Roma Kong, Angelique Molina, Kelley Kali, Capella Fahoome
When a recently widowed mother becomes houseless, she convinces her 8-year-old daughter that they are only camping for fun while working to get them off the streets. Cast List: Kelley Kali, Wesley Moss, Deon Cole, Brooklynn Marie, Steven Ira Scipio, Andrew Galvan, Lamar Usher, Brian Brooks II, Jacolyn Holmes, Xing-Mai Deng (World Premiere)
Islands (Canada)
Director/Screenwriter: Martin Edralin, Producer: Martin Edralin, Priscilla Galvez
Joshua, a shy Filipino immigrant on the cusp of 50, has lived in the comfort of his parentsâ home his entire life. With his parents now in old age, he pleads with God for a companion, terrified of being alone after they pass. Cast List: Rogelio Balagtas, Sheila Lotuaco, Esteban Comilang, Vangie Alcasid, Pablo Quiogue, Isys Szuky, Maximus Szuky (World Premiere)
Our Father
Director/Screenwriter: Bradley Grant Smith, Producers: Alex Thompson, Ian Keiser, Steven Callas
In a last ditch attempt to foster a meaningful bond, estranged sisters Beta and Zelda go in search of their mysterious Uncle Jerry. Cast List: Baize Buzan, Allison Torem, Austin Pendleton, Corey Hendrix, Tim Hopper, Ann Whitney, Keith Kupferer, Guy Massey, Lance Baker, DâWayne Taylor (World Premiere)
Potato Dreams of America
Director/Screenwriter: Wes Hurley, Producers: Mischa Jakupcak, Wes Hurley
A true story about a gay boy growing up in the collapsing USSR, his courageous mail-order bride mother, and their adventurous escape to Seattle in the 90s. Cast List: Marya Sea Kaminski, Dan Lauria, Tyler Bocock, Lea DeLaria, Sera Barbieri, Hersh Powers, Jonathan Bennett, Sophia Mitri Schloss, Cynthia Lauren Tewes, James Grixoni (World Premiere)
The End Of Us
Directors/Screenwriters: Henry Loevner, Steven Kanter, Producers: Claudia Restrepo, Henry Loevner, Steven Kanter, Lovell Holder
After a savage breakup, two exes must continue living together when California issues its stay-at-home order for COVID-19. Now theyâll try to move on without moving out. Cast List: Ben Coleman, Ali Vingiano, Derrick DeBlasis, Gadiel Del Orbe, Kate Peterman, Colin Weatherby, Caroline Kwan, Will Neff, Jesse Benjamin, Claudia Restrepo (World Premiere)
The Fallout
Director/Screenwriter: Megan Park, Producers: David Brown, Rebecca Miller, Cara Shine, Joannie Burstein, Shaun Sanghani
High schooler Vada navigates the emotional fallout she experiences in the wake of a school tragedy. Relationships with her family, friends and view of the world are forever altered. Cast List: Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, Niles Fitch, Will Ropp, Lumi Pollack, John Ortiz, Julie Bowen, Shailene Woodley (World Premiere)
Women is Losers
Director/Screenwriter/Producer: Lissette Feliciano
In 1960s San Francisco, a once-promising catholic school girl, Celina Guerrera (Lorenza Izzo), sets out to rise above the oppression of poverty and invest in a future for herself and her son that sets new precedents for the time. Cast List: Lorenza Izzo, Bryan Craig, Chrissie Fit, Simu Liu, Steven Bauer, Liza Weil, Cranston Johnson, Alejandra Miranda, Shalim Ortiz, Lincoln Bonilla (World Premiere)
Eight world premieres: Eight real world stories that demonstrate innovation, energy and bold voices.
Introducing, Selma Blair
Director: Rachel Fleit, Producers: Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon, Troy Nankin
In a quest to take control of her personal health, actor Selma Blair adapts to new ways of living while pursuing an experimental medical procedure, after revealing her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis in 2018. (World Premiere)
Kid Candidate
Director: Jasmine Stodel, Producers: Jasmine Stodel, Chevis LaBelle, William Dorrien-Smith
Kid Candidate tells the story of Hayden Pedigo, an 24-year old experimental musician and his unlikely run for Amarillo city council after his Harmony Korine inspired spoof campaign video went viral. (World Premiere)
Lily Topples The World
Director: Jeremy Workman, Producers: Jeremy Workman, Robert J. Lyons
Lily Topples The World follows 20-year-old Lily Hevesh â the worldâs greatest domino toppler and the only woman in her field â in a coming-of-age story of artistry, passion, and unlikely triumph. (World Premiere)
Not Going Quietly
Director: Nicholas Bruckman, Screenwriters: Nicholas Bruckman, Amanda Roddy, Producer: Amanda Roddy
When a young father chances to meet a powerful senator on an airplane, their exchange goes viral, sparking one of the most unlikely political movements in a generation. (World Premiere)
The Oxy Kingpins
Director: Brendan FitzGerald, Producers: Drea Bernardi, Brendan FitzGerald, Nick August-Perna
The Oxy Kingpins covers the untold story of how a network of pharmaceutical manufacturers, distributors, and retailers worked together to orchestrate and perpetuate the opioid crisis that has killed over half a million people in America. (World Premiere)
The Return: Life After ISIS (Spain, United Kingdom)
Director/Screenwriter: Alba Sotorra Clua, Producers: Alba Sotorra Clua, Vesna Cudic
Shamima Begum (UK) and Hoda Muthana (US) made it into worldwide headlines when they left their countries as teenagers to join ISIS. Now they want to return but their countries donât want them back. (World Premiere)
Subjects of Desire (Canada)
Director/Screenwriter: Jennifer Holness, Producers: Jennifer Holness, Sudz Sutherland
Subjects of Desire is a thought provoking film that examines the cultural shift in beauty standards towards embracing (or appropriating) Black aesthetics and features, deconstructing what we understand about race and the power behind beauty. (World Premiere)
United States vs. Reality Winner
Director: Sonia Kennebeck, Producer: Ines Hofmann Kanna
A state of secrets and a ruthless hunt for whistleblowers â this is the story of 25-year-old Reality Winner who disclosed a document about Russian election interference to the media and became the number one leak target of the Trump administration. (World Premiere)
High profile narrative features receiving their World, International, North American, U.S. or Texas premieres at SXSW.
The Droverâs Wife: the Legend of Molly Johnson (Australia)
Director/Screenwriter: Leah Purcell, Producers: Bain Stewart, David Jowsey, Angela Littlejohn, Greer Simpkin, Leah Purcell
The Droverâs Wife: The Legend of Molly Johnson is a reimagining of Leah Purcellâs acclaimed play and Henry Lawsonâs classic short story. A searing Australian western thriller asking the question: how far do you go to protect your loved ones? Cast List: Leah Purcell, Rob Collins, Sam Reid, Jessica De Gouw, Malachi Dower-Roberts (World Premiere)
The Fabulous Filipino Brothers (Philippines, United States)
Director: Dante Basco, Screenwriters: Dante Basco, Darion Basco, Dionysio Basco, Arianna Basco, Producers: Joan Banaga, Rawn Erickson II, Dante Basco, Rome Reyes, Sienna Olazo, Belay A Santillan, Guido Zaballero
From Northern California to The Philippines, four brothers confront their issues with love, family, and culture, surrounding a highly controversial Filipino wedding. Told in four vignettes with cockfights, adultery, romance, food, and family. Cast List: Dante Basco, Derek Basco, Dionysio Basco, Darion Basco, Solenn Heussaff, Liza Lapira, Tirso Cruz III, Cheryl Tsai, Arriana Basco, Joe Jitsukawa (World Premiere)
Language Lessons
Director: Natalie Morales, Screenwriters: Mark Duplass, Natalie Morales, Producer: Mel Eslyn
A Spanish teacher and her student develop an unexpected friendship. Cast List: Natalie Morales, Mark Duplass, Desean Terry, Christine Quesada (North American)
Ludi
Director: Edson Jean, Screenwriters: Edson Jean, Joshua Jean-Baptiste, Producers: Fabiola Rodriguez, Mark Pulaski
Ludi, a hardworking and exhausted nurse, battles coworkers, clients and one impatient bus driver to learn her self worth as she chases the American Dream in Miamiâs Little Haiti neighborhood. Cast List: Shein Mompremier, Alan Myles Heyman, Madelin Marchant, Success St. Fleur Jr., Kerline Alce, Plus Pierre, Patrice DeGraff Arenas, Farah Larrieux (Texas Premiere)
Paul Doodâs Deadly Lunch Break (United Kingdom)
Director: Nick Gillespie, Screenwriters: Brook Driver, Matt White, Nick Gillespie, Producer: Finn Bruce
When Paulâs chances of winning a national talent contest are ruined and his dreams of fame are slashed, he plans a deathly revenge rampage!! 1 lunch break, 5 spectacular murders! Each wrongdoer dispatched in a fitting manner by the sparkly suited Paul! Cast List: Tom Meeten, Katherine Parkinson, Kris Marshall, Alice Lowe, Mandeep Dhillon, Johnny Vegas, Steve Oram, Craig Parkinson, Kevin Bishop, Pippa Haywood (World Premiere)
Recovery
Directors: Mallory Everton, Stephen Meek, Screenwriters: Whitney Call, Mallory Everton, Producers: Scott Christopherson, Stephen Meek, Abi Nielson Hunsaker
Two directionless sisters brave a cross-country road trip to rescue their grandmother from a COVID outbreak at her nursing home. Cast List: Whitney Call, Mallory Everton, Anne Sward Hansen, Julia Jolley, Baylee Thornock, Jessica Drolet, Stephen Meek, Tyler Andrew Jones, Noah Kershisnik, Justin Call (World Premiere)
See You Then
Director: Mari Walker, Screenwriters: Kristen Uno, Mari Walker, Producers: Mia Schulman, Kristen Uno, Mari Walker
A decade after abruptly breaking up with Naomi, Kris invites her to dinner to catch-up on their complicated lives, relationships, and Krisâ transition. Cast List: Pooya Mohseni, Lynn Chen, Nican Robinson, Danny Jacobs, Nikohl Boosheri (U.S. Premiere)
Swan Song
Director/Screenwriter: Todd Stephens, Producers: Todd Stephens, Eric Eisenbrey, Tim Kaltenecker, Stephen Israel
An aging hairdresser (Udo Kier) escapes his nursing home and embarks on an odyssey across his small town to style a dead womanâs hair for her funeral, rediscovering his sparkle along the way. Cast List: Udo Kier, Jennifer Coolidge, Linda Evans, Michael Urie, Ira Hawkins, Stephanie McVay (World Premiere)
Shining a light on new documentary features receiving their World, International, North American or U.S. premieres at SXSW.
Alien On Stage (United Kingdom)
Directors/Producers: Danielle Kummer, Lucy Harvey
British Bus driverâs amateur stage show of Ridley Scottâs Alien, accidentally makes it to a famous London theatre! With awkward acting and special effects requiring more luck than judgement, will their homemade homage be alright on the night? (International Premiere)
Fruits of Labor
Director: Emily Cohen Ibañez, Screenwriters: Ashley Solis Pavon, Emily Cohen Ibañez Producer: Emily Cohen Ibañez
A Mexican-American teenage farmworker dreams of graduating high school, when ICE raids in her community threaten to separate her family and force her to become her familyâs breadwinner. (World Premiere)
The Hunt for Planet B
Director: Nathaniel Kahn, Producers: Bonnie Hlinomaz, Nathaniel Kahn
Taking us behind the scenes with NASAâs high-stakes James Webb Space Telescope, The Hunt for Planet B follows a pioneering group of scientistsâmany of them womenâon their quest to find another Earth among the stars. (World Premiere)
Hysterical
Director: Andrea Nevins, Producers: Ross Dinerstein, Rebecca Evans, Carolina Groppa
Hysterical is an honest and hilarious backstage pass into the lives of some of stand-up comedyâs most boundary-breaking women, exploring the hard-fought journey to become the voices of their generation and their gender. Featuring Margaret Cho, Fortune Feimster, Rachel Feinstein, Marina Franklin, Nikki Glaser, Judy Gold, Kathy Griffin, Jessica Kirson, Sherri Shepherd, Iliza Shlesinger and more. Available on FX in 2021. (World Premiere)
The Lost Sons
Director: Ursula Macfarlane, Producer: Gagan Rehill
1960s Chicago, a baby is kidnapped from a hospital. Fifteen months later, a toddler is abandoned. Could he be the same baby? In a tale of breathtaking twists and turns, two mysteries begin to unravel and dark family secrets are revealed. (World Premiere)
Mau (Austria, United States)
Directors: Benji Bergmann, Jono Bergmann, Producer: Karol Martesko-Fenster
Mau follows the unlikely story of design visionary Bruce Mau and his ever-optimistic push for massive change. (World Premiere)
Spring Valley
Director: Garrett Zevgetis, Producers: Chico Colvard, Jeff Consiglio, Ariana Garfinkel
An explosive viral video shows a white policeman throwing a Black teenager from her school desk. One woman uproots her life to help the girl, face the officer, and dismantle the system behind the âAssault at Spring Valley.â (World Premiere)
WeWork: or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn
Director: Jed Rothstein, Producer: Ross Dinerstein
WeWork: or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn explores the rise and fall of one of the biggest corporate flameouts and venture capitalist bubbles in recent years â the story of WeWork, and its hippie-messianic leader Adam Neumann. (World Premiere)
When Claude Got Shot
Director: Brad Lichtenstein, Producer: Steven Cantor, Brad Lichtenstein, Jamie Schutz, Santana Wilson (co-producer)
Three strangersâ lives become inextricably entwined by a weekend of gun violence. (World Premiere)
Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America
Directors: Emily Kunstler, Sarah Kunstler, Screenwriter: Jeffery Robinson, Producers: Jeffery Robinson, Emily Kunstler, Sarah Kunstler
ACLU lawyer Jeffery Robinsonâs shattering talk on the history of U.S. anti-Black racism is interwoven with archival footage, interviews and Robinsonâs story, exploring the legacy of white supremacy and our collective responsibility to overcome it. (World Premiere)
Scary, funny, sexy, controversial â eight provocative after-dark features for night owls and the terminally curious.
Broadcast Signal Intrusion
Director: Jacob Gentry, Screenwriters: Phil Drinkwater, Tim Woodall, Producers: Greg Newman, Brett Hays, Giles Edwards, Nicola Goelzhaeuser
In the late 90s, a video archivist unearths a series of sinister pirate broadcasts and becomes obsessed with uncovering the dark conspiracy behind them. Cast List: Harry Shum Jr., Kelley Mack, Chris Sullivan, Jennifer Jelsema, Arif Yampolsky, Justin Welborn, Michael B. Woods, Steve Pringle (World Premiere)
The Feast (United Kingdom)
Director: Lee-Haven Jones, Screenwriter/Producer: Roger Williams
Over an evening a wealthy family gathers for a sumptuous dinner with guests in their ostentatious house in the Welsh mountains. Served by a mysteriously disturbing young woman, the assembled party do not realise they are about to eat their last supper. Cast List: Anne Elwy, Nia Roberts, Julian Lewis Jones, Steffan Cennydd, Sion Alun Davies, Lisa Palfrey, Rhodri Meilir (World Premiere)
Gaia (South Africa)
Director: Jaco Bouwer, Screenwriter: Tertius Kapp, Producer: Tertius Kapp, Jorrie van der Walt, Jaco Bouwer
In the depths of an ancient forest, something has been growing. Something older than humanity itself, and perhaps greater too. When a park ranger discovers a man and his son living wild, she stumbles onto a secret that is about to change the world. Cast List: Monique Rockman, Carel Nel, Alex van Dyk, Anthony Oseyemi (World Premiere)
Jakobâs Wife
Director: Travis Stevens, Screenwriters: Travis Stevens, Kathy Charles, Mark Steensland, Producers: Barbara Crampton, Bob Portal, Travis Stevens, Inderpal Singh
The disappearance of a young woman threatens to change the beige and banal lives of Anne Fedder (Barbara Crampton) and her pastor husband Jakob Fedder (Larry Fessenden) forever. Cast List: Barbara Crampton, Larry Fessenden, Bonnie Aarons, Mark Kelly, Sarah Lind, Robert Rusler, Nyisha Bell, Phil Brooks (World Premiere)
Offseason
Director/Screenwriter: Mickey Keating, Producer: Eric B. Fleischman, Maurice Fadida
After receiving a mysterious letter, a woman travels to a desolate island town and soon becomes trapped in a nightmare. Cast List: Joe Swanberg, Jocelin Donahue, Melora Walters, Richard Brake, Jeremy Gardner (World Premiere)
Sound Of Violence (Finland, United States)
Director/Screenwriter: Alex Noyer, Producer: Hannu Aukia, Alex Noyer
A young girl recovers her hearing and gains synesthetic abilities during the brutal murder of her family. Finding solace in the sounds of bodily harm, as an adult, she pursues a career in music composing her masterpiece through gruesome murders. Cast List: Jasmin Savoy Brown, Lili Simmons, James Jagger, Tessa Munro (World Premiere)
The Spine of Night
Directors/Screenwriters: Philip Gelatt, Morgan Galen King, Producers: Will Battersby, Philip Gelatt, Jean Rattle
In this ultra-violent, fantasy epic, ancient dark magic falls into sinister hands and unleashes ages of suffering onto mankind. A group of heroes from different eras and cultures must band together in order to defeat it at all costs. Cast List: Richard E. Grant, Lucy Lawless, Patton Oswalt, Betty Gabriel, Joe Manganiello, Larry Fessenden, Nina Lisandrello, Abby Savage, Tom Lipinski, Patrick Breen (World Premiere)
Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror
Director/Screenwriter: Kier-La Janisse, Producers: Kier-La Janisse, David Gregory, Winnie Cheung
Woodlands Dark Days and Days Bewitched is the first feature-length documentary on the history of folk horror, from the 1960s to today. (World Premiere)
Acclaimed standouts and selected premieres from festivals around the world.
Dear Mr. Brody
Director: Keith Maitland, Producers: Melissa Robyn Glassman, Megan Gilbride, Keith Maitland, Sarah Wilson
A psychedelic journey into the heart (and bank account) of Michael Brody, Jr, the hippie-millionaire who offered the world peace for the price of a postage stamp. (Texas Premiere)
How It Ends
Directors/Screenwriters/Producers: Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister-Jones
On the last day on Earth, one woman goes on a journey through LA to make it to her last party before the world ends, running into an eclectic cast of characters along the way. Cast List: Zoe Lister-Jones, Cailee Spaeny, Nick Kroll, Olivia Wilde, Helen Hunt, Lamorne Morris, Fred Armisen, Bradley Whitford, Charlie Day, Whitney Cummings
In the Same Breath
Director: Nanfu Wang, Producers: Nanfu Wang, Jialing Zhang, Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, Carolyn Hepburn
Nanfu Wangâs deeply personal In The Same Breath recounts the origin and spread of the novel coronavirus from the earliest days of the outbreak in Wuhan to its rampage across the United States. (Texas Premiere)
Ma Belle, My Beauty
Director/Screenwriter: Marion Hill, Producers: Ben Matheny, Kelsey Scult, Marion Hill
A surprise reunion in southern France reignites passions and jealousies between two women who were formerly polyamorous lovers. Cast List: Idella Johnson, Hannah Pepper, Lucien Guignard, Sivan Noam Shimon (Texas Premiere)
R#J
Director: Carey Williams, Screenwriters: Carey Williams, Rickie Castaneda, Producers: Timur Bekmambetov, Igor Tsay
A re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet, featuring a diverse cast in the classic Shakespearean roles. This modern day take is told on mobile and is a mashup of Shakespearean dialogue with current social media communication. Cast List: Camaron Engels, Francesca Noel, RJ Cyler, Diego Tinoco, Russell Hornsby, Siddiq Saunderson (Texas Premiere)
Violation (Canada)
Directors/Screenwriters/Producers: Madeleine Sims-Fewer, Dusty Mancinelli
A troubled woman on the edge of divorce returns home to her younger sister after years apart. But when her sister and brother-in-law betray her trust, she embarks on a vicious crusade of revenge. Cast List: Madeleine Sims-Fewer, Anna Maguire, Jesse LaVercombe, Obi Abili, Jasmin Geljo, Cynthia Ashperger (Texas Premiere)
Visions filmmakers are audacious, risk-taking artists in the new cinema landscape who demonstrate raw innovation and creativity in documentary and narrative filmmaking.
Ayar
Director: Floyd Russ, Screenwriters: Ariana Ron Pedrique, Floyd Russ, Vilma Vega, Producers: Kara Durrett, Floyd Russ, Corey Waters, Andy Coverdale
Ayar, a first-generation American Latina, returns home to reunite with her daughter. But when her mother, Renata, refuses to let her see her due to Covid, Ayar is confronted by the many roles sheâs been forced to play, including the role in this film. Cast List: Ariana Ron Pedrique, Vilma Vega, Henry Foster Brown, Simon Haycock, Calliah Sophie Estrada, Pete Pano, Briza Covarrubias, Ceasar Hartman, Jay Lawrence Kiman, Frances Fuches (World Premiere)
Delia Derbyshire â the Myths and the Legendary Tapes (United Kingdom)
Director/Screenwriter: Caroline Catz, Producer: Andy Starke
A portrait of the character and legacy of electronic sound pioneer Delia Derbyshire, who realised the Dr Who Theme tune in 1963 and explores the idea that this extraordinary composer lived outside of time and space as other people experience it. Featuring Caroline Catz, Cosey Fanni Tutti, Julian Rhind-tutt, Tom Meeten, Richard Glover, Saskia Reeves, and Michael Higgs. (International Premiere)
Inbetween Girl
Director/Screenwriter: Mei Makino, Producers: Matt Stryker, Connor Pickens, Emily Gollahon, Kate Gollahon, Udoy Rahim
Teen artist Angie Chen turns to secret hookups with the heartthrob of her private school after her parentsâ sudden divorce. Cast List: Emma Galbraith, William Magnuson, Emily Garrett, Lizabeth Waters, KaiChow Lau, Thanh Phuong Bui, Shanshan Jin, Kelsey Buckley (World Premiere)
Through the Plexi-Glass: The Last Days of the San Jose
Director: Liz Lambert, Producers: Liz Lambert, Tina Gazzerro Clapp, Ariel Quintans
The documentary tells the story of a real estate dealâs unexpected detour â one that sparked the gentrification of Austinâs hippest neighborhood â and reveals layers of knotty, unanswerable questions, all more relevant than ever today. (World Premiere)
Twyla Moves
Director: Steven Cantor, Producers: Steven Cantor, Jamie Schutz
Interwoven with her storied career and prolific works, Twyla Moves sees legendary choreographer Twyla Tharp navigate her latest creative challenge: making a dance for a world plagued by the Covid-19 pandemic. (World Premiere)
24 BEATS PER SECOND
Showcasing the sounds, culture and influence of music and musicians, with an emphasis on documentary.
Disintegration Loops
Director/Screenwriter: David Wexler, Producers: David Wexler, Bradford Coleman
As the 20th anniversary of 9/11 looms near, William Basinski contemplates the enduring legacy of The Disintegration Loops (his elegy to the 2001 Attacks), while quarantined in the midst of COVID-19. (World Premiere)
I Went To The Dance/Jâai ĂtĂ© Au Bal
Directors: Les Blank, Chris Strachwitz, Producer: Chris Strachwitz
Beautiful 5K restoration of the celebrated film on the history of Cajun and Creole/Zydeco music of SW Louisiana. Exhilarating performances by Clifton Chenier, Marc and Ann Savoy, BeauSoleil, and more. By Les Blank, Chris Strachwitz and Maureen Gosling (World Premiere)
Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché (United Kingdom)
Directors: Paul Sng, Celeste Bell, Screenwriters: Celeste Bell, Zoë Howe, Producers: Rebecca Mark-Lawson, Matthew Silverman, Daria Nitsche
The death of punk icon and X-Ray Spex frontwoman Poly Styrene sends her daughter on a journey across the world and through her motherâs archives to reconcile their fraught relationship. (North American Premiere)
Soy Cubana
Directors: Jeremy Ungar, Ivaylo Getov, Screenwriters: AgustĂn Rexach MartĂn, Ivaylo Getov, Jeremy Ungar, Producer: Robin Miller Ungar
When the Vocal Vidas, an all-female Cuban quartet, are invited to play their first show in the US, a simple concert becomes a journey across physical and ideological borders â affirming the connective power of music, even in the most uncertain times. (World Premiere)
Under the Volcano (Australia)
Director: Gracie Otto, Screenwriters: Cody Greenwood, Gracie Otto, Ian Shadwell, Producers: Cody Greenwood, Richard Harris
The story of George Martinâs AIR Studios Montserrat and the island that changed music forever. Featuring interviews with Sting, Mark Knopfler, Nick Rhodes, Jimmy Buffett, Verdine White, Tony Lommi, Stewart Copeland, Guy Fletcher, Midge Ure, Roger Glover. (World Premiere)
A diverse selection of international filmmaking talent, featuring innovative narratives, artful documentaries, premieres, festival favorites and more.
BantĂș Mama (Dominican Republic)
Director: Ivan Herrera, Screenwriters: Clarisse Albrecht, Ivan Herrera, Producers: Ivan Herrera, Nicolas LaMadrid, Franmiris Lombert
An Afropean woman escapes after being arrested in the Dominican Republic. She is sheltered by a group of minors, in a dangerous district of Santo Domingo. By becoming their protégée and maternal figure, she will see her destiny change inexorably. Cast List: Clarisse Albrecht, Scarlett Reyes, Arturo Perez, Euris Javiel, Donis Taveras, Jarold Santos (World Premiere)
Fucking with Nobody (Finland)
Director: Hannaleena Hauru, Screenwriters: Hannaleena Hauru, Lasse Poser, Producers: Emilia Haukka, Jussi RantamÀki
Hanna is a film director. She loses her dream job to her rival Kristian who is much more popular, and not single. Thus, she decides to create a parody romance on Instagram to question the image one offers to society. This fake romance will have unexpected effects. Cast List: Hannaleena Hauru, Samuel Kujala, Lasse Poser (North American Premiere)
Luchadoras (Germany)
Directors: Paola Calvo, Patrick Jasim, Screenwriters: Patrick Jasim, Paola Calvo, Phillip Kaminiak, Producer: Phillip Kaminiak
Luchadoras portrays the courageous female wrestlers of Ciudad JuĂĄrez, a city known for its high murder rate against women â who in the ring and in their daily lives fight to redefine the image of what it means to be a woman in Mexico. (World Premiere)
Ninjababy (Norway)
Director: Yngvild Sve Flikke, Screenwriter: Johan Fasting, Producer: Yngve SĂŠther
When Rakel (23), way too late, finds out sheâs six months pregnant after a not-so-romantic one-night stand, her world changes. Cast List: Kristine Thorp, Arthur Berning, Nader Khademi, Tora Christine Dietrichson (International Premiere)
Trapped (Egypt)
Director: Manal Khaled, Screenwriters: Manal Khaled, Rasha Azab, Producer: Manal Khaled
Trapped revolves around a number of women from different walks of life whose destinies are tied together; being all under one siege. As the events unfold, their own personal stories reflect on a far bigger siege that depicts the shackles imposed by a patriarchal society. Cast List: Coroline Khalil, Reem Hegab, Osama Abo El Ata, Neâma Mohsen, Mona Mokhtar, Saraâa Jebel (World Premiere)
Exciting Narrative, Documentary and Episodic projects from across our sections from the 2020 edition of the SXSW Film Festival.
Best Summer Ever
Directors: Michael Parks Randa, Lauren Smitelli, Screenwriters: Michael Parks Randa, Will Halby, Terra Mackintosh, Andrew Pilkington, Lauren Smitelli, Producers: Andrew Pilkington, Katie White, Terra Mackintosh, Leah Romond, Jake Sharpless
A fresh and exhilarating take on the beloved teen musical genre featuring eight original songs and a fully integrated cast and crew of people with and without disabilities. Cast List: Shannon DeVido, Rickey Wilson Jr., MuMu, Jacob Waltuck, Emily Kranking, Eileen Grubba, Holly Palmer, Ajani âAJâ Murray, Lawerence Carter-Long, Bradford Hayes (Texas Premiere)
Chad
Showrunner/Screenwriter: Nasim Pedrad, Director: Rhys Thomas, Producer: David Cress
An awkward 14-year-old Persian-American boy navigates his first year of high school on a mission to become popular. Cast List: Nasim Pedrad, Jake Ryan, Ella Mika, Saba Homayoon, Paul Chahidi, Alexa Loo, Thomas Barbusca (World Premiere) (Episodic)
Clerk (Canada, U.S.A.)
Director: Malcolm Ingram, Producers: Malcolm Ingram, Craig Fleming
A documentary on the life and career of Kevin Smith (World Premiere)
Executive Order (Brazil)
Director: LĂĄzaro Ramos, Screenwriters: Lusa Silvestre, LĂĄzaro Ramos, Aldri Anunciação, ElĂsio Lopes Jr, Producers: Daniel Filho, Tania Rocha
In a dystopian near future in Brazil, an authoritarian government orders all citizens of African descent to move to Africa â creating chaos, protests, and an underground resistance movement that inspires the nation. Cast List: Alfred Enoch, TaĂs AraĂșjo, Seu Jorge, Adriana Esteves, Renata Sorrah, Mariana Xavier, Pablo SanĂĄbio (Texas Premiere)
Violet
Director/Screenwriter: Justine Bateman, Producers: Justine Bateman, Michael D. Jones, Larry Hummel, Matt Paul
A film development executive realizes that âguiding voiceâ inside her head has been lying to her about everything. Cast List: Olivia Munn, Luke Bracey, Justin Theroux (World Premiere)
We Are As Gods
Directors/Screenwriters: Jason Sussberg, David Alvarado, Producers: Kate McLean, Jamie Meltzer, David Alvarado, Jason Sussberg
âWe are as gods and might as well get good at it,â Stewart Brand wrote in â68. The legendary pioneer of LSD, cyberspace, futurism, and modern environmentalism now urges people to use our god-like powers to fight extinction by reviving lost species. (World Premiere)
We Are The Thousand (Italy)
Director/Screenwriter: Anita Rivaroli, Producer: Simone Catania
Learn the story behind the viral video and what came after! We Are The Thousand takes you backstage with the Rockinâ1000. A thousand musicians gathered together with one missionâto get the Foo Fighters to perform in their small town. (North American Premiere)
Witch Hunt
Director/Screenwriter: Elle Callahan, Producers: Eric B. Fleischman, Maurice Fadida
In a modern America where witches are real and witchcraft is illegal, a sheltered teenager must face her own demons and prejudices as she helps two young witches avoid law enforcement and cross the southern border to asylum in Mexico. Cast List: Gideon Adlon, Elizabeth Mitchell, Abigail Cowen, Nicholas and Cameron Crovetti, Christian Camargo (World Premiere)
Without Getting Killed or Caught
Directors: Tamara Saviano, Paul Whitfield, Screenwriters: Tamara Saviano, Bart Knaggs, Producers: Tamara Saviano, Paul Whitfield
Without Getting Killed or Caught is the true story of Guy Clark, the dean of Texas songwriters, who struggles to write poetic, yet indelible songs while balancing a complicated marriage with wife Susanna, and a deep friendship with Townes Van Zandt. (World Premiere)
Presenting world premieres of prestige serials slated for release.
Confronting A Serial Killer
Showrunner: Po Kutchins, Director: Joe Berlinger, Producers: Eve Rodrick, Eleanor Yu, Cassandra Corbett, Janine Nask, Julia Pontecorvo, Lesley Grossman, Emma McNamara, Ariel Kay
Confronting a Serial Killer tells the story of the unprecedented relationship between author Jillian Lauren and serial killer Sam Little while investigating the devastating impact of bias against marginalized women in the criminal justice system. (World Premiere)
Cruel Summer
Showrunner: Tia Napolitano, Director: Max Winkler, Screenwriter: Bert V. Royal, Producer: Nicole Colombie
From Exec Producer Jessica Biel, Freeformâs Cruel Summer is a psychological thriller taking place over three summers when a popular girl goes missing and an awkward outlier transforms to queen bee and eventually, the most despised person in America. Cast List: Olivia Holt, Michael Landes, Froy Gutierrez, Harley Quinn Smith, Allius Barnes, Blake Lee, Brooklyn Sudano (World Premiere)
The Girlfriend Experience
Showrunner/Director/Screenwriter: Anja Marquardt, Producer: Chris Thompson
The third installment of The Girlfriend Experience is set in the London tech scene, Iris, a neuroscience major, begins to explore the transactional world of The Girlfriend Experience and quickly learns that client sessions provide her with a compelling edge in the tech world. Cast List: Julia Goldani Telles, Oliver Masucci, Frank Dillane, Daniel Betts, Armin Karima, Tobi Bamtefa, Jemima Rooper (World Premiere)
Made for Love
Showrunner/Director: Christina Lee
Based on Alissa Nuttingâs tragicomic novel, Made for Love is a dark, absurd, and cynically poignant story of divorce and revenge following Hazel Green (Cristin Milioti), a thirty-something woman on the run after 10 years in a suffocating marriage. Cast List: Cristin Milioti, Billy Magnussen, Dan Bakkedahl, Noma Dumezweni, Augusto Aguilera, Caleb Foote, Ray Romano (World Premiere)
Sasquatch
Showrunner/Director: Joshua Rofé, Producer: M. Elizabeth Hughes
Sasquatch is a true crime doc series following investigative journalist David Holthouse as he attempts to solve a bizarre twenty-five year old triple homicide that was said to be the work of a mythical creature. (World Premiere)
ThemâDescription/Credits to come
A pilot showcase introducing fresh work from bright new talent, many with an eye towards finding production, completion funds, or a release platform.
4 Feet High (Argentina, France)
Directors: Maria Belen Poncio, Rosario Perazolo Masjoan, Screenwriters: Greta Molas, Javier Correa Caceres, Elisa Gagliano, Rosario Perazolo Masjoan, Maria Belen Poncio, Delphine Agut, Ivana Galdeano, Gabriela Vidal
Imagine your last year of High School in a wheelchair. Cast List: Marisol Agostina Irigoyen, Florencia Licera, Marcio Ramses, Natalia Di Cienzo, Francisca Spinotti (Texas Premiere)
Daleâs House
Showrunner: Julie Lake, Director: Kat Whalen, Screenwriters: Matt Kirsch, Julie Lake, Producers: Matt Kirsch, Julie Lake, Dana Fares
Daleâs House is a horror comedy about two estranged best friends, both at rock bottom in their careers and personal lives, who end up house sitting together in a demonic house that grants them all the success they desire, in exchange for their souls. Cast List: Julie Lake, Matt Kirsch, Sandy McCree, Jeff Cahn (World Premiere)
For the Record (Canada)
Showrunner: Julian De Zotti, Directors: Lisa Baylin, Julian De Zotti, Screenwriter: Julian De Zotti, Producer: Lisa Baylin
Ray and Angela just broke up. What if music had the power to bring them back together? Follow the iconic songs that make up the unforgettable soundtrack for a uniquely interconnected cast of characters. Cast List: Anna Hopkins, Julian De Zotti, Lyriq Bent, Alexandra Beaton, Karen LeBlanc, Maurice Dean Wint, Kyra Clavell, Moni Ogunsuyi, Alannah Ong, Johnny Orlando (International Premiere)
Parked in America
Showrunner/Screenwriter: Kayla Yumi Lewis, Director: Luke Salin, Producers: Cole Bannick, Jori Johnson, Alexandro Pacheco
Parked in America is a half-hour dramedy following Jamie Park, a Korean teenager, who moves in with her relatives in Illinois after a family tragedy strikes back at home in Seoul. Cast List: Judy Song, Jeff Lawless, Solomon Abell, Ella Baker-Smith, Judy Han, Jim Cairl, Lexi Perkel, MeeWha Alana Lee (World Premiere)
The Position
Director/Screenwriter: Matthew Lessner, Producers: Breeda Wool, Michael Kaleda, Matthew Lessner
The Position is a metaphysical comedy about two modern womenâs unlikely partnership and subsequent misadventures in pursuit of a portal to the multiverse. Cast List: Breeda Wool, Remi Nicole (World Premiere)
Pretend Partners
Showrunners/Screenwriters/Producers: Kristin Erickson, Ron Najor, Director: Ron Najor
Two (not so good) friends realize they are better together than alone. Cast List: Kristin Erickson, Ron Najor, Kandis Fay, Dan J. Johnson (World Premiere)
Special Events for 2021 consist of conversations associated with projects in the 2021 Film Festival, table readings and other unique one-off events on our Live Channel 4.
Opening Night Special Event: YouTube Originals Docuseries Demi Lovato: Dancing with the Devil Special Event Q&A
Global superstar Demi Lovato, Director and Executive Producer Michael D. Ratner, YouTubeâs Global Head of Original Content Susanne Daniels and moderator Jenelle Riley from Variety discuss the new documentary event exploring the traumas and every aspect that led to Lovatoâs nearly fatal overdose in 2018, followed by her powerful awakenings in the aftermath.
Closing Night Film Special Event: Live Q&A with Charli XCX, a SICK moderator, and directors Bradley & Pablo
Live Q&A Followed by a virtual rave dance party which will consist of:
-A pre-recorded DJ set from Charli, shot in a big empty warehouse space with minimal, dark rave-y lighting. A true pandemic rave shot as a live performance.
-Different performers will be spotlighted on Zoom dancing to the set: Poison Oakland + other drag performers + fans featured in the film + lucky attendees!
7 Sounds
Filmmaker Sam Green and musician JD Samson ask you to step away from your computer and focus on the experience of listening in the present moment. 7 Sounds is an immersive, live-streamed audio-video work that explores the universal influence of sound. The piece weaves seven specific audio recordings into a meditation on the power of sound to bend time, cross borders, and profoundly shape our perceptionâopening new ways to hear our everyday world.
Art and Life Talk with Filmmakers Daryl Wein & Zoe Lister-Jones of Mister Lister Films
Dive into the filmmaking careers of husband-wife duo, Daryl Wein and Zoe Lister-Jones of such films as How It Ends (Sundance/SXSW 2021), The Craft (Sony), White Rabbit (Sundance/Gravitas), Band Aid (Sundance/IFC Films), Lola Versus (Fox Searchlight), Breaking Upwards (IFC Films/SXSW).
Black Monday Q&A
Join the brilliant cast and showrunners of Black Monday as they come together virtually for an exclusive Q&A. This series never fails to surprise as it tells subversively modern stories against a backdrop of big hair and bigger fashions. Miraculously, Don Cheadle, Andrew Rannells, Paul Scheer and Casey Wilson are even more fun live. Hilarity guaranteed.
Clerk and Twerk with Kevin Smith and Malcolm Ingram
Clerk is an examination and celebration of the life of Kevin Smith â and an exploration on how one kid from Jersey completely transformed the cultural landscape. A journey which began 25 years ago at the Sundance Film festival where his DIY film Clerks, financed on credit cards took the film world by storm. Leading to a career as a filmmaker, podcaster, stand-up comedian, author, comic book writer, television producer â a veritable pop culture icon with a very large and loyal fanbase.
Confronting a Serial Killer Conversation
Discussion with the team behind Confronting a Serial Killer: director/EP Joe Berlinger, EP/showrunner Po Kutchins and Jillian Lauren. Premiering on STARZ this Spring, the five-episode series that tells the timely story of the unprecedented relationship between acclaimed author and journalist Jillian Lauren and the most prolific serial killer in American history, Sam Little, and her race against time to identify his victims before itâs too late.
A Conversation with the Creator, Executive Producers, and Cast of the new Amazon Prime Video Terror Anthology, Them
Them creator and executive producer Little Marvin and executive producer Lena Waithe, will join cast, Deborah Ayorinde, Ashley Thomas, Alison Pill, Melody Hurd, and Shahadi Wright Joseph in a moderated discussion. In this candid conversation, executives, producers and cast will unpack the first episode, set to World Premiere during this yearâs SXSW Festival, as well as themes explored across the series.
A Conversation with the Filmmakers Behind Huluâs WeWork: or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn
Join Director Jed Rothstein and Producer Ross Dinerstein as they uncover the rise and fall of WeWork, the real estate startup whose CEO Adam Neumann blended spirituality, entrepreneurial hustle and free beer to convince investors that shared office space could change the world⊠until it entered near bankruptcy. The two will share a behind-the-scenes look at this captivating documentary while breaking down the personality that drove the companyâs culture and its massive financial deals.
Cosmic Breakthrough: Women in The Hunt for Planet B
Are we alone? This dynamic panel of eminent scientists and engineers will discuss the search for life in the universe. With the discovery of thousands of exoplanets and the huge James Webb Space Telescope launching this year, a new golden age of astronomy is dawningâand these women are at the heart of it. With Natalie Batalha, Amy Lo, Sara Seager, Jill Tarter, and Maggie Turnbull; moderated by Nathaniel Kahn.
Cruel Summer Q&A
From Executive Producer Jessica Biel (The Sinner), Cruel Summer is a psychological thriller that follows two young women; Kate Wallis, the popular girl with a charmed life who one day goes missing, and Jeanette Turner, the nerdy wannabee who is accused of being connected to Kateâs disappearance. Please join us for an exciting panel with series stars Olivia Holt, Chiara Aurelia, and executive producers Tia Napolitano, Jessica Biel and Michelle Purple. The panel will be moderated by Jessica Radloff from Glamour Magazine.
HBO Maxâs Made for Love: Panel with Stars and Executive Producers
Join stars Cristin Milioti, Billy Magnussen, Dan Bakkedahl, Noma Dumezweni, Caleb Foote and Ray Romano, and executive producers Christina Lee and Alissa Nutting for a conversation about HBO Maxâs upcoming series Made for Love premiering this spring. The darkly absurd and cynically poignant story of love and divorce follows Hazel Green (Milioti), a thirty-something woman on the run after 10 years in a suffocating marriage to Byron Gogol (Magnussen), a controlling tech billionaire. Glamourâs Samantha Barry moderates.
Homeroom with Nasim Pedrad, creator of TBSâs new comedy series Chad
A conversation with Nasim Pedrad, the creator, star and executive producer of TBSâ upcoming series, âChad,â and Glamourâs Editor-in-Chief Samantha Barry
Hysterical: Behind the Velvet Curtain with Comedyâs Boundary-Breaking Women
Stand-up comedy had always been a male domain. Join the cast and director of Hysterical, a feature documentary that explores female comicsâ hard-fought journey to become the voices of their generation and gender, for an honest and hilarious Q&A. The all-female panel discusses their shared stories and struggles as some of the boundary-breaking women shattering comedyâs glass ceiling with perfectly timed punch lines. Hysterical, produced by Campfire, will be available on FX in 2021. Panelists include Fortune Feimster, Rachel Feinstein, Marina Franklin, Sherri Shepherd, Iliza Shlesinger, Jessica Kirson (who also serves as EP) and director/EP Andrea Nevins. Moderated by Melanie McFarland.
In Conversation with Mark Duplass & Natalie Morales
Language Lessons filmmakers Mark Duplass and Natalie Morales sit down to discuss the process of writing a bilingual movie, the complexities of platonic love, and filmmaking during a global pandemic.
Incorporating Choreography and Verse Into Blindspotting
A discussion with the Blindspotting series creators and writers Rafael Casal and Daveed Diggs, lead actress Jasmine Cephas Jones, director Aurora Guerrero, cinematographer Tarin Anderson, and renowned choreographers Lil Buck and Jon Boogz on incorporating choreography and verse into the new television series Blindspotting.
Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story â Scenes from the Rough Cut
See work-in-progress scenes from the rough cut of Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story. This documentary weaves together live performances and interviews from the 50th anniversary of the iconic festival, featuring some of the biggest names in music, along with a wealth of archival documentary footage from the past half century. Academy-award nominee Frank Marshall shares insights from behind the scenes.
The Making and Digital Restoration of I Went to the Dance
This virtual Q&A, hosted by journalist/author Joe Nick Patoski, will go behind the scenes of the making of the celebrated 1989 feature documentary on the roots of SW Louisianaâs Cajun & Creole/Zydeco music, I Went to the Dance. Featured are Co-Filmmaker/Producer, Chris Strachwitz, Co-Filmmaker/Editor Maureen Gosling and Associate Producer/Sound Recordist, Chris Simon. It will also delve into the challenges and magic behind the 2021 ground-breaking 5k digital restoration of a documentary, I Went to the Dance, by Harrod Blank and Anthony Matt. Blank, the son of the late Co-Filmmaker/Cinematographer Les Blank, took on the task to bring back to life this exuberant film which celebrates the most important and influential performers of the era.
On the Road(trip) to Recovery: Filmmakers Mallory Everton, Whitney Call and Stephen Meek Talk their Feature Debut in the Midst of a Pandemic
For most people, quarantine looked a lot like baking bread and catching up on Tiger King, but for Utah-based sketch comics Mallory Everton, Whitney Call, and Stephen Meek, they saw a chance to do something different. The creative minds (and lifelong friends) behind JK Studios wrote, produced, directed, starred â and even gaffed â their first feature film with Recovery. In this SXSW-exclusive Q&A, the gang comes together to chat about their journey to creating their first featureâŠall from a safe social distance. The masks will come OFF as the filmmakers dive into what it really takes to make a movie with your quarantine family and the long road to a SXSW World Premiere. From SorĂž Films and the whole family, we hope youâll join us on the road to Recovery.
Poly Styrene: I Am A ClichĂ© â In Conversation with the Filmmakers
Directors Celeste Bell (Poly Styreneâs daughter) and Paul Sng discuss the legacy of the late punk icon and the making of the documentary, moderated by a member of the filmmaking team.
A Q&A with Kier-La Janisse of Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched
Join programmer Liane Cunje in conversation with Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched director Kier-La Janisse as they discuss the process behind the film â from its genesis as a short featurette to a comprehensive look at the folk horror phenomenon in film and television worldwide that became the House of Psychotic Women authorâs first feature as a writer, director and producer. Theyâll discuss the myriad definitions and taxonomies of folk horror, its touchstone films and most vocal champions, and the many challenges of finishing a documentary in the midst of a global pandemic.
Solar Opposites Table Read & SHLORPION SILENT (AND ALONE) DISCO
The Solar Opposites are going to SXSW! Join Justin Roiland (âKorvoâ), Thomas Middleditch (âTerryâ), Sean Giambrone (âYumyulackâ), Mary Mack (âJesseâ), executive producer Mike McMahan, and more as they take it bigger, funnier, and more oppositer than ever before during a virtual table read. As Huluâs most-watched original comedy premiere to date, Solar Opposites centers around a family of four aliens and their Pupa who are still stuck on earth in suburban America.
Swipe Righteous
Lifted from the parchment and downloaded onto your smartphone, Swipe Righteous reimagines famous Bible stories through our screens. Watch as Adam swipes right on Eve, Cain blocks Abel, and God tweets out his Ten Commandmentsâall told through Bazelevsâ Screenlife format.
SXSW Film Fest Episodic Pitch-a-Thon Presented by SeriesFest
For the second year in a row at SXSW Film, independent content creators will have the opportunity to participate in the Episodic Pitch-A-Thon presented by SeriesFest in partnership with SXSW. SXSW 2021 filmmakers will participate in the virtual event where each Creator/Creative Team will have 5 minutes to pitch in front of an audience. An industry panel of experts including top television, news media, and digital execs, will then have 7 minutes to give their feedback on each project.
Til Death Do Us Part: A Jakobâs Wife Discussion
Moderator Jordan Crucchiola leads an intimate conversation with genre legends Barbara Crampton, Larry Fessenden and writer/director Travis Stevens about reinventing yourself later in life, finding your own voice as an artist and how to have a happy marriage in a horror film.
Twyla Moves⊠You
Twyla Tharp teaches you her infamous and humorous Banjo dance and then talks about the experience of synopsizing her 55 year career into an 82 minute film experience.
Violet Q&A
Join Violet writer/director/producer Justine Bateman and special guests for a discussion of the film.
Weed, Murder & Bigfoot: A Conversation with the Team Behind Huluâs Sasquatch
While visiting a pot farm in Northern California in 1993, investigative journalist David Holthouse heard a story that still haunts him: On a nearby farm three men were torn limb from limb in a savage Bigfoot attack. Huluâs Sasquatch follows David as he revisits the Redwoods in search of any evidence that might lead to the truth of what happened that night. Join David Holthouse, director Joshua RofĂ© and executive producer Mark Duplass as they break down the production of this wild murder mystery.
A selection of original, well-crafted films that take advantage of the short form and exemplify distinctive and genuine storytelling.
Are You Still There?
Directors/Screenwriters: Rayka Zehtabchi, Sam Davis
Safaâs been through a lot. Now her car batteryâs dead in a strip mall parking lot. (North American Premiere)
Bruiser
Director: Miles Warren, Screenwriters: Miles Warren, Ben Medina
After his father gets into a fight at a bowling alley, Darious begins to investigate the limitations of his own manhood. (Texas Premiere)
Chuj Boys of Summer (Guatemala, United States)
Director: Max Walker-Silverman, Screenwriters: Marcos Ordoñez Ixwalanhkej Mendoza, Max Walker-Silverman
Speaking only his native language, a Guatemalan teenager begins his new life in rural Colorado. (Texas Premiere)
The Criminals (Romania, Turkey)
Director/Screenwriter: Serhat Karaaslan
Late at night in a small Turkish town, a young couple tries to find a hotel room to spend the night together.
Donât Go Tellinâ Your Momma
Directors: Topaz Jones, rubberband., Screenwriters: Topaz Jones, Jason Sondock, Simon Davis
Topaz Jones debuts his 2nd album, Donât Go Telling Your Momma as a reimagining of the 70s Black ABCs; a view into his and Americaâs Black Identity through 26 individual scenes, each representing a letter and a corresponding update to their meanings. (Texas Premiere)
Femme (United Kingdom)
Directors/Screenwriters: Ng Choon Ping, Sam H. Freeman
When Jordan gets into the car of a flirtatious drug-dealer, his night takes a dangerous turn. (World Premiere)
The Journey (Canada)
Director/Screenwriter: Ăve Saint-Louis
The Journey is the story of a father and daughter reunion. From Montrealâs airport, they will travel along a chaotic path, where their inability to find each other will unveil a complicated relationship and have them drift from their initial course. (World Premiere)
Like The Ones I Used To Know (Canada)
Director/Screenwriter: Annie St-Pierre
December 24, 1983, 10:50PM: Julie and her cousins ate too much sugar, Santa Claus is late and Denis, alone in his car, is anxious at the idea of setting foot in his ex-in-lawâs house to pick up his children. An early quirky and poetic coming-of-age. (Texas Premiere)
Marvinâs Never Had Coffee Before
Director: Andrew Carter, Screenwriters: Andrew Carter, Kahlil Maskati
Marvin Wexler tries coffee for the first time and desperately tries to talk about it with anyone who will listen.
The Mohel (Canada)
Director/Screenwriter: Charles Wahl
After celebrating the birth of their first child, James and Loa are faced with family expectations and financial strain as they fly in a Mohel to perform their sonâs Brit Milah â The circumcision ceremony. (World Premiere)
The Nipple Whisperer (Belgium)
Director/Screenwriter: Jan Van Dyck
Maurice Sanders has a gift. Heâs a nipple whisperer. Once he was known as âMagic Sandyâ. But that was years ago, before Doris, a famous model and Sanderâs muse, fell ill. Now, after more than a decade, Doris wants to meet Maurice again. (World Premiere)
The Other Morgan
Director/Screenwriter: Alison Rich
When a dopey young exterminator discovers thereâs another version of her out in the world, she begins to question her life choices. (Texas Premiere)
Plaisir
Director/Screenwriter: Molly Gillis
A lonely American faces unrequited love on a farm commune in the south of France. (World Premiere)
Play It Safe (United Kingdom)
Director/Screenwriter: Mitch Kalisa
Coaxed into playing a racial typecast in a fellow studentâs play, Black drama student Jonathan is faced with all too familiar decision: to challenge prejudice, or play it safe. (World Premiere)
Sales Per Hour
Directors: Michelle Uranowitz, Daniel Jaffe, Screenwriter: Michelle Uranowitz
A young woman faces a moral dilemma when she witnesses a sexual encounter in a dressing room at the clothing store where she works. (World Premiere)
Sisters
Director/Screenwriter: Jess Brunetto
Hidden secrets cause tension when two estranged sisters are forced to confront each other while preparing for their ailing motherâs death. (World Premiere)
Soak
Director/Screenwriter: Hannah Bang
A 16-year-old tries to convince her runaway mother to return home. (World Premiere)
Squeegee (Canada, United States)
Director/Screenwriter: Morgan Krantz
A high-powered female CEO meets her high-rise window-washer for an erotic rendezvous on opposite sides of a skyscraper window. (World Premiere)
Wiggle Room
Directors/Screenwriters: Sam Guest, Julia Baylis
Determined to save her wheelchair ramp from repossession, Daisy confronts the shady insurance agent who owes her money. (Texas Premiere)
Slices of life from across the documentary spectrum.
Ăguilas
Directors: Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, Maite Zubiaurre, Screenwriters: Kristy Guevara-Flanagan, Maite Zubiaurre, Nico Sandi
Along the scorching desert border in Arizona, it is estimated that only one out of every five missing migrants are ever found. Ăguilas is the story of one group of searchers, the Ăguilas del Desierto. (World Premiere)
The Beauty President
Director: Whitney Skauge
In 1992, drag queen Joan Jett Blakk made a historic bid for the White House as an openly queer write-in candidate. Today, Terence Smith, the man behind the persona, reflects back on his place in gay rights history at the height of the AIDS crisis. (World Premiere)
The Box
Directors/Screenwriters: James Burns, Shal Ngo
The Box is a hybrid documentary that explores the effects of solitary confinement through three peopleâs harrowing true stories â theyâve spent a combined nine years in isolation, and one of them co-directed this film. (World Premiere)
I Ran from It and Was Still in It
Director: Darol Olu Kae
A poetic meditation on familial loss and separation, and the love that endures against dispersion. (Texas Premiere)
Joe Buffalo (Canada)
Director: Amar Chebib, Screenwriters: Joe Buffalo, Amar Chebib
Joe Buffalo, an Indigenous skateboard legend and Indian Residential School survivor, must face his inner demons to realize his dream of turning pro. (World Premiere)
The Last Cruise
Director: Hannah Olson
The Last Cruise chronicles the first major COVID-19 outbreak outside of China. Using footage recorded by passengers and crew aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship, we watch class divisions emerge as the world misses its chance to contain the virus. (World Premiere)
Plant Heist
Directors: Chelsi de Cuba, Gabriel de Cuba
Californiaâs fight to protect native succulents from an international poaching ring worth millions. (World Premiere)
Red Taxi
Director: Anonymous
As protests unfold in Hong Kong, Red Taxi shows a city in upheaval through the eyes of those who must traverse the streets day and night to make a living. Filmed by a local film crew, who remain anonymous due to ongoing safety concerns. (North American Premiere)
Sophie and The Baron
Director: Alexandria Jackson
Iconic photographer Baron Wolman and contemporary artist Sophie Kipner transcend eras and mediums in a collaboration that demonstrates the magic of just saying yes. (World Premiere)
Ten Leaves Dilated
Directors: Kate E. Hinshaw, Ebony Blanding
A documentary that uses the make-believe world crafted by Cabbage Patch Kids to examine discourses surrounding childbirth in the American South. (World Premiere)
Trade Center
Director: Adam Baran
The voices of five gay men who cruised for sex at the World Trade Center in the 1980s and 1990s haunt the sanitized, commerce-driven landscape that is the newly rebuilt Freedom Tower campus. (World Premiere)
An assortment of stories told using traditional animation, computer-generated effects, stop-motion, and everything in between.
The Expected (Sweden)
Director/Screenwriter: Carolina Sandvik
A father-to-be ends up in a feverish nightmare after a miscarriage, when a strange entity seems to be growing in the motherâs blood. (North American Premiere)
Hold me Tight (Belgium, France)
Director/Screenwriter: MĂ©lanie Robert-Tourneur
In the middle of a dark forest, two silhouettes meet. In search of sexual desire, they start a dangerous and explosive parade. (International Premiere)
KKUM (Republic of Korea)
Director/Screenwriter: Kang Min Kim
My motherâs dreams have always been strong premonitions for important moments in my life. I rely on her dreams more than any religion. (Texas Premiere)
Love is Just a Death Away (Czechia)
Director/Screenwriter: BĂĄra Anna StejskalovĂĄ
A tender story about finding love even amid utter decay. (U.S. Premiere)
My Fat Arse and I (Poland)
Director/Screenwriter: Yelyzaveta Pysmak
An amusing film about anorexia and butts. (North American Premiere)
Navozande, the Musician (France)
Director/Screenwriter: Reza Riahi
At the time of the attack of the Mongols, a young musician and the love of his life are separated from each other. Fifty years later, the musician is summoned to perform at the castle of the Mongols where his beloved is being held. (Texas Premiere)
Normal (France)
Director/Screenwriter: Julie Caty
Dany is a rich heir who faces existential emptiness. He meets Karl Marx who asks him to destroy capitalism in order to save humankind. Reluctantly, Dany accepts his request and turns into a superhero. But he is quickly overwhelmed by his task. (North American Premiere)
Nuevo Rico
Director: Kristian Mercado, Screenwriters: Kristian Mercado, Juan Arroyo
A brother and sister stumble upon a celestial secret that changes their lives forever and propels them into ReggaetĂłn stardom, but they soon discover that their newfound fame comes at a deep price. (World Premiere)
Opera
Director: Erick Oh
Opera is a massive 8K size animation installation project which portrays our society and history, which is filled with beauty and absurdity. Erick enables viewers to experience the range of in-depth emotions through this epic reflection of human life. (Texas Premiere)
Our Bed Is Green
Director/Screenwriter: Maggie Brennan
A young woman seeks digital refuge from an overwhelming world and a bewildering obsession. (World Premiere)
Rendang of Death (Indonesia)
Director: Percolate Galactic, Screenwriters: Ryan Jackson, Indraswari Pangestu, Skolastika Lupitawina
In a quaint Padang restaurant, filled with people enjoying their lunch break, two bros put their friendship to the test when it turns out that thereâs only a single plate of their favorite food left: the Rendang of Death.
Your Own Bullshit (Poland)
Director: Daria Kopiec, Screenwriters: Daria Kopiec, Agata Zyzniewska
Thereâs nothing better than dinner with family. Though it remains a looped script that repeats itself infinitely. Recited singingly for many long years. (North American Premiere)
Bite-sized bits for all of your sex, gore, and hilarity cravings.
Donât Peek
Director/Screenwriter: Julian Terry
While playing a videogame, a young woman comes across a creepy character who wants to be let out.
Flex (Sweden)
Directors/Screenwriters: Josefin Malmén, David Strindberg
A semi-surreal comedy short that (literally) lets you under the skin of a bodybuilder and his ambivalent self-image â exploring the fine line between self-loathing and self-loving.
Flick
Director/Screenwriter: Ariel Zengotita
A reclusive college student is driven mad after picking a booger he canât flick away.
Joanne Is Dead
Director/Screenwriter: Brian Sacca
Itâs easy to dismiss the ramblings of the dementia-riddled elderly as nonsense. But what if there is a deadly truth behind those words? (World Premiere)
The Moogai (Australia)
Director/Screenwriter: Jon Bell
An Aboriginal psychological horror, The Moogai is the story of a family terrorised by a child-stealing spirit. (International Premiere)
A Puff Before Dying
Directors/Screenwriters: Michael Reich, Mike Pinkney
A wild night of drugs and drugged up driving ends in tragedy for three teenage girls that happen to be marionettes. (World Premiere)
Puss
Director/Screenwriter: Leah Shore
Samantha desperately wants to get laid, but is finding it to be difficult for some reason. (World Premiere)
Reklaw
Director/Screenwriter: Polaris Banks
A team of altruistic vigilantes destroy evidence to keep as many people from prison as possible, but when one of their crime scene clean-ups is revisited by the killer, the strength of their convictions is tested. (World Premiere)
Run That Shit!
Director: Tristan Kim, Screenwriters: Tristan Kim, Will Allyn Robinson
A Satanic cult lures a no-name rapper into stealing an enchanted chamber pot from his estranged friend and now superstar rapper, Big Tobacco. (Texas Premiere)
Significant Other
Director/Screenwriter: Quinn George
A couple struggles to see eye to eye when a mysterious red orb appears in their new home. (Texas Premiere)
Stuffed (United Kingdom)
Director: Theo Rhys, Screenwriters: Theo Rhys, Joss Holden-Rea
Stuffed is a short musical about a taxidermist who dreams of stuffing a human and the man she meets online, so afraid of ageing he volunteers to be her specimen. An unexpected romantic spark between them complicates their plans. (North American Premiere)
A Tale Best Forgotten (Sweden)
Director/Screenwriter: Tomas Stark
In a house by a river that lamented as it ran, lived a father, and his daughter, and the dog-headed man⊠A murder ballad. (North American Premiere)
The Thing That Ate The Birds (United Kingdom)
Directors/Screenwriters: Sophie Mair, Dan Gitsham
On the North Yorkshire Moors, Abel, Head Gamekeeper, discovers the thing that is eating his grouse. (North American Premiere)
An offshoot of our regular shorts program, composed of work shot in, about, or somehow relating to the Lone Star state.
Dorethaâs Blues
Director/Screenwriter: Channing Godfrey Peoples
Doretha goes out for her evening drink at her local watering hole when a news story dredges up old memories. (World Premiere)
Learning Tagalog with Kayla
Director/Screenwriter: Kayla Abuda Galang
In this lesson, Kayla teaches you Tagalog, the language of her homeland. (World Premiere)
Malignant
Directors: Morgan Bond, Nickolas Grisham, Screenwriters: Nickolas Grisham, Curtis McOsker
Chynna travels to a West Texas health retreat to visit her terminally ill mother. As she learns more about the faith-based wellness preached in the commune, Chynna desperately attempts to convince her mother to leave. (World Premiere)
O Black Hole! (United Kingdom)
Director: Renee Zhan, Screenwriters: Renee Zhan, Vanessa Rose
A woman who canât stand the passing of time turns herself into a black hole. A thousand unchanging years pass until one day, the Singularity wakes inside her. (Texas Premiere)
Summer Animals
Director/Screenwriter: Haley Elizabeth Anderson
Living out of a motel, 15-year-old Tommy makes a drastic decision in order for her siblings to escape the heat before the summerâs over. (World Premiere)
The Unlikely Fan
Directors: Sai Selvarajan, Jeff Bednarz, Screenwriter: Sai Selvarajan
Sheâs a Sri Lankan born, Dallas-based, retired teacher and mother. Sheâs also crazy about basketball. Meet âThe Unlikely Fanâ who knows a thing or two about hoops. (World Premiere)
A preview of the next filmmaking generation, as Texas High Schoolers present shorts of five minutes or less.
Beyond the Model
Director: Jessica Lin
After the assaults and discrimination of Asians because of COVID-19, this film shines a light on what it is like be a âmodel minorityâ in an increasingly divided America. (World Premiere)
Comeuppance
Director/Screenwriter: Meredith Smith
A family vacation forces Aaron to spend time with his diabolical cousin, Richard. The familyâs indifference to Richardâs relentless bullying proves tragic as Aaron is ultimately led to his destructive breaking point.
The Good Wifeâs Guide
Director/Screenwriter: Chloe Merriman
The Good Wifeâs Guide is a take on 1950s housewife culture based off of Housekeeping Monthlyâs article âThe Good Wifeâs Guideâ published in 1955.
Holographic Dreams
Director: Satvik Shankar, Screenwriter: Jackson Coates
A teenage boy goes on an exploration of his own fears about death, religion, and sin. (Texas Premiere)
In Time
Director/Screenwriter: Gaelila McKaughan
In the still gaps of her loosely-bound routine, a girl confronts a strange figure.
Metamorphism
Director/Screenwriter: Kate Saltel
Under great pressure, humans undergo similar steps of metamorphism.
A Really Dark Comedy
Director: Manasi Ughadmathe, Screenwriter: Jackson Coates
In a frantic rush to ask his crush out to prom, Gus and his friend Elliot speed to her house, unbeknownst to the horrors that lie on the road. (World Premiere)
Wired Shut.
Director: Alex O. Martinez
A teenage boy breaks his jaw and has to have his mouth wired shut. (World Premiere)
A range of classic, innovative, and stylish work showcasing the scope of music video culture.
The Avalanches â âRunning Red Lightsâ / Director: Greg Brunkalla
Bob Moses Featuring ZHU â âDesireâ / Director/Screenwriter: Owen Brown
C.Tangana â âDemasiadas Mujeresâ (Spain) / Director/Screenwriter: Santos Bacana
Dirty Projectors â âOverlordâ / Director: Dave Longstreth
FKA twigs â âsad dayâ (United Kingdom) / Director: Hiro Murai
Hedgehog â âBatâ (China) / Director: Haonan Wang, Screenwriters: Haonan Wang, Heran Wang
Jeremy Ivey â âSomeone Elseâs Problemâ / Director/Screenwriter: Kimberly Stuckwisch
Julia Stone â âBreakâ (Australia) / Director/Screenwriter: Jessie Hill
Kuricorder Quartet â âSouthpawâ (Japan) / Director/Screenwriter: Sawako Kabuki
Madame Gandhi â âWaiting for Meâ (India) / Director: Misha Ghose, Screenwriters: Madame Gandhi, Misha Ghose, Aastha Singh
Makeup and Vanity Set â âAlgorithmâ (France) / Directors: Saman Kesh, Justin Daashuur Hopkins
Run The Jewels ft. Pharrell Williams and Zack de la Rocha â âJU$Tâ (United Kingdom) / Director: Winston Hacking
Wax Tailor â âMisery (ft. Rosemary Standley)â (France) / Director/Screenwriter: Berkay TĂŒrk
Waze & Odyssey, George Michael, Mary J. Blige & Tommy Theo â âAlwaysâ (United Kingdom, U.S.) / Director: Nelson de Castro
Witch Prophet â âTesfayâ (Canada) / Director/Screenwriter: Leah Vlemmiks
Inspired by an essential part of the theatrical experience, these are works of art in their own right. The 15 sequences selected represent the very best and most original selections.
The 100 Title Sequence / Company: Picturemill / Title Designers: Dustin Reno, Evan Jackson
Aleph Title Sequence (Turkey) / Company: Ugur Baltepe â Ethem Cem / Title Designers: Uǧur Baltepe, Ethem Cem
Birds Of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn Title Sequence / Company: Shine / Creative Director: Michael Riley
The Botanist Title Sequence / Company: Samplistic / Title Designer: Michael Rosen
Dichos Title Sequence / Company: Gwenaëlle Gobé Films / Title Designer: Gwenaëlle Gobé
Lust Title Sequence / Company: Ringling College of Art + Design / Title Designer: Rudy Schultz
Never Forget Tibet Title Sequence (United Kingdom) / Company: Compassionate Films / Title Designer: Chris Caswell
The Queenâs Gambit Title Sequence / Title Designer: Saskia Marka
Saygı Title Sequence (Turkey) / Company: Ethem Cem â UÄur Baltepe / Title Designers: Ethem Cem, UÄur Baltepe
Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story Title Sequence (India) / Title Designer: Jishnu Chatterjee
Scoob! Title Sequence / Company: Aspect / Creative Directors: Jon Berkowitz, Brad Colwell
Sonic the Hedgehog Title Sequence / Company: Picturemill / Title Designers: William Lebeda, Cecilia De Jesus
Strangled Title Sequence (Hungary) / Company: FilmHungary, Studio-X / Creative Director: AndrĂĄs Derzsy, Creative Producer: SĂĄndor TakĂł
Swamp Thing Title Sequence / Company: Filmograph / Title Designer: Aaron Becker
Under the Influence Title Sequence / Company: Yacht Club Films / Title Designer: Nicco Quiñones
The immersive arts are finding new ways to enhance our ability to perceive the world that surrounds us, and in many instances they are redefining how we experience the world. The 20 projects presented in our Virtual Cinema Competition and Virtual Cinema Spotlight sections emphasize storytelling, ingenuity and also showcase how other industries are embracing this new medium.
Virtual Cinema Competition
World and International Premieres of exciting immersive work.
Biolum (France, United Kingdom)
Director: Abel Kohen, Screenwriter: Jon Rowe, Producers: Igal Kohen, Katharina Weser, Paul Kirsten
Biolum is an interactive, narrative VR sci-fi experience which immerses you in the mysterious beauty of deep sea life on a dive that takes a shocking turn for the worse. (World Premiere)
(Hi)story of a Painting (United Kingdom)
Directors: Gaëlle Mourre, Quentin Darras, Screenwriter: Gaëlle Mourre, Producers: Charlotte Mikkelborg, Gaëlle Mourre
(Hi)story of a Painting journeys into the story behind La Grande Jatte, an iconic painting by Georges Seurat that we all know but donât actually truly know⊠until now. Follow us as we learn how Georges went from underdog to world-renowned artist. (World Premiere)
Of Hybrids and Strings (Australia, France, Germany)
Director: Lauren Moffat, Producer: Fabbula
Of Hybrids and Strings is a fabulatory immersion into possible human and non-human connectedness. In a forest, at night, one becomes strangely entangled to plants and creatures. Until the forest starts to crystallise⊠(World Premiere)
The Passengers: Her & Him (Canada, France)
Director: Ziad Touma, Screenwriter: Nicolas Peufaillit, Producers: Ziad Touma, Oriane Hurard
Enter the thoughts of one of the Passengers, and help them face a pivotal moment in their lives. Welcome aboard an interactive VR experience, in which your gaze and voice influence the story. (International Premiere)
Poison (Republic of Korea)
Directors: Meesol Yi, Cooper Sanghyun Yoo, Screenwriter: Hyunsoo So, Producer: Wooyeol Jeon
Through Poison, an immersive VR experience, users are expected to feel the intelligence of the virus and its danger intuitively. Our primary goal is to let the people be alert, be aware of our enemies, and think about what we can do for our lives. (World Premiere)
A Promise Kept
Directors: Ken Winikur, Ariel Efron, Screenwriters: Susan Abrams, Ariel Efron, Kelley Szany, Ken Winikur, Producers: Susan Abrams, Kelley Szany
This gripping virtual reality experience takes you on a journey back to the notorious Auschwitz killing center with Holocaust Survivor, Fritzie Fritzshall as she fulfills her promise to the 599 women who helped save her life. (World Premiere)
Reeducated
Director: Sam Wolson, Producers: Ben Mauk, Sam Wolson, Nicholas Rubin, Matt Huynh
Reeducated takes viewers inside a âreeducationâ camp in Xinjiang, China, guided by the recollections of three men who were caught in what is likely the largest mass-internment drive of ethnic and religious minorities since the Second World War. (World Premiere)
Samsara (Taiwan)
Director/Screenwriter: Huang Hsin-Chien, Producer: Tsau Saiau-Yue
Samsara Episode 1 VR explores the concept of the Embodied Cognition. In this experience, the audiences will be transformed into different beingsâ bodies and experience the world from entirely new perspectives. (World Premiere)
Space Explorers: The ISS Experience Episode 2: Advance (Canada, United States)
Director: Félix Lajeunesse, Screenwriters: Félix Lajeunesse, Paul Raphaël, Producers: Felix & Paul Studios in association with TIME Studios
The largest production ever filmed in space, Space Explorers: The ISS Experience is an epic four-part immersive series that invites you to join eight astronauts on life-changing missions aboard the International Space Station. (World Premiere)
Shining a spotlight on acclaimed immersive works.
4 Feet High VR (Argentina, France)
Directors: Maria Belen Poncio, Rosario Perazolo Masjoan, Damian Turkieh, Screenwriters: Greta Molas, Javier Correa Caceres, Elisa Gagliano, Rosario Perazolo Masjoan, Maria Belen Poncio, Delphine Agut, Ivana Galdeano, Gabriela Vidal
Imagine your last year of High School in a wheelchair. Cast List: Marisol Agostina Irigoyen, Florencia Licera, Marcio Ramses, Natalia Di Cienzo, Francisca Spinotti (Texas Premiere)
Finding Pandora X
Director: Kiira Benzing, Screenwriter: Alyssa Landry, Producers: Kiira Benzing, Lara Bucarey, Alyssa Landry
With the passing of ages, the Gods of Mount Olympus have faded away until only two remain: Zeus and Hera. Now they are in danger of disappearing if they canât recover the box of hope that Pandora removed. (North American Premiere)
Meet Mortaza (France)
Director: Joséphine Derobe, Screenwriters: Joséphine Derobe, Mortaza Jami, Producers: Oriane Hurard, Quentin Noirfalisse
An immersive experience telling the journey of an afghan refugee. (U.S. Premiere)
Namoo
Director/Screenwriter: Erick Oh, Producers: Larry Cutler, Eric Darnell, Maureen Fan, Kane Lee
A narrative poem brought to life as an animated VR film, and an ode to a grandfatherâs passing, this story follows the journey of a budding artist â and his tree of life â from beginning to end. (Texas Premiere)
Odyssey 1.4.9 (France)
Director: François Vautier, Producer: Jeremy Sahel
A breathtaking VR journey into the visual heart of A Space Odyssey. A personal tribute unveiling the secrets of Stanley Kubrickâs masterpiece. (U.S. Premiere)
Once Upon a Sea (Canada)
Director: Adi Lavy, Screenwriter: Heidi Miller, Producers: Ina Fichman, Nimrod Shanit
Once Upon a Sea is a stunning, immersive trip to the Dead Sea region, the lowest place on earth â and it is our call to action. If nothing is done, the Dead Sea as we know it will be gone for good. (North American Premiere)
Paper Birds (Argentina)
Directors: German Heller, Federico Carlini, Screenwriter: German Heller, Producers: German Heller, Federico Carlini
Paper Birds is the story of a short sighted child with an exceptional talent for music. He must find his way through the world of darkness to bring back his sister, taken away by the shadows.
Potato Dreams
Director/Screenwriter: Wes Hurley, Producers: Mischa Jakupcak, Wes Hurley, Mara Auster, Jonathan Caso
Russian mother and son narrate this innovative 360 documentary which traces their nightmarish past in the USSR. (Texas Premiere)
Under the Skin (Brazil, China, Germany, Luxembourg, United States)
Director: JoĂŁo Inada, Screenwriters: Thamyra ThĂąmara, Andressa NĂșbia, Jon Thomaz, Rafael Cruz, Raull Santiago, JoĂŁo Inada, Producer: Diogo Dahl
Under the Skin is an interactive VR documentary that brings users to Complexo do AlemĂŁo â Rio de Janeiroâs most notorious favela complexâduring a surprise police operation, meeting residents who face police abuse and structural racism. (North American Premiere)
WebbVR: The James Webb Space Telescope Virtual Experience
Director: Chad Smith
Join the James Webb Space Telescope in orbit beyond the Moon and explore the universe from its perspective. Planetary systems are born, galaxies form, and stars emerge from within colorful nebulasâall before your eyes.
More info on the Festival can be found at sxsw.com.
(Photo credit: OBB Media)
As in previous years, we are thrilled to cover the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Today, the Festival announced its upcoming lineup as it goes digital and on satellite screens (public health permitting) for the first time. The Festival boasts 72 Features, 50 Shorts, 4 Indie Series, 14 New Frontier Projects and runs from January 28-February 3, 2021. Tickets go on sale January 7, 2021.
Among those Films to premiere at the Festival:
CODA / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: SiĂąn Heder, Producers: Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi, Patrick Wachsberger) â As a CODA â Child of Deaf Adults â Ruby is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the familyâs fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her love of music and her fear of abandoning her parents. Cast: Emilia Jones, Eugenio Derbez, Troy Kotsur, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Daniel Durant, and Marlee Matlin. World Premiere.
I Was a Simple Man / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Christopher Makoto Yogi, Producers: Sarah S. Kim, Christopher Makoto Yogi, Matthew Petock, Yamato Cibulka) â As a family in Hawai’i faces the imminent death of their eldest, the ghosts of the past haunt the countryside. Cast: Steve Iwamoto, Constance Wu, Kanoa Goo, Chanel Akiko Hirai, Tim Chiou, Boonyanudh Jiyarom. World Premiere
Jockey / U.S.A. (Director: Clint Bentley, Screenwriters: Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Producers: Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Nancy Schafer) â An aging jockey is determined to win one last championship, but his dream is complicated when a young rookie shows up claiming to be his son. Cast: Clifton Collins Jr., Molly Parker, Moises Arias. World Premiere
John and the Hole / U.S.A. (Director: Pascual Sisto, Screenwriter: NicolĂĄs Giacobone, Producers: Elika Portnoy, Alex Orlovsky, Mike Bowes) â A nontraditional coming-of-age story, set in the unsettling reality of John, a kid who holds his family captive in a hole in the ground. Cast: Charlie Shotwell, Michael C. Hall, Jennifer Ehle, Taissa Farmiga. World Premiere
Mayday / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Karen Cinorre, Producers: Jonah Disend, Lucas Joaquin, Karen Cinorre, Sam Levy) â Ana is transported to a dreamlike and dangerous land where she joins a team of female soldiers engaged in a never-ending war along a rugged coast. Though she finds strength in this exhilarating world, she comes to realize that she’s not the killer they want her to be. Cast: Grace Van Patten, Mia Goth, Havana Rose Liu, Soko, ThĂ©odore Pellerin, Juliette Lewis. World Premiere
On the Count of Three / U.S.A. (Director: Jerrod Carmichael, Screenwriters: Ari Katcher, Ryan Welch, Producers: David Carrico, Adam Paulsen, Tom Werner, Jake Densen, Ari Katcher, Jimmy Price) â Two guns. Two best friends. And a pact to end their lives when the day is done. Cast: Jerrod Carmichael, Christopher Abbott, Tiffany Haddish, J.B. Smoove, Lavell Crawford, Henry Winkler. World Premiere
Passing / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Rebecca Hall, Producers: Forest Whitaker, Nina Yang Bongiovi, Margot Hand, Rebecca Hall) â Two African-American women who can “pass” as white choose to live on opposite sides of the color line in 1929 New York in an exploration of racial and gender identity, performance, obsession and repression. Based on the novella by Nella Larsen. Cast: Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, AndrĂ© Holland, Alexander SkarsgĂ„rd, Bill Camp. World Premiere
Superior / U.S.A. (Director: Erin Vassilopoulos, Screenwriters: Erin Vassilopoulos, Alessandra Mesa, Producers: Benjamin Cohen, Grant Curatola, Patrick Donovan) â On the run, Marian returns to her hometown in upstate New York to hide out with her estranged identical twin sister, Vivian. Struggling to put the past behind her, Marian lies about the reason for her return, leaving her sister in the dark until their two worlds begin to collide. Cast: Alessandra Mesa, Ani Mesa, Pico Alexander, Jake Hoffman, Stanley Simons. World Premiere
Together Together / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Nikole Beckwith, Producers: Anthony Brandonisio, Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Tim Headington) â When young loner Anna is hired as the surrogate for Matt, a single man in his 40s, the two strangers come to realize this unexpected relationship will quickly challenge their perceptions of connection, boundaries and the particulars of love. Cast: Ed Helms, Patti Harrison, Tig Notaro, Julio Torres, Anna Konkle. World Premiere
Wild Indian / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr., Producers: Lyle Mitchell Corbine Jr., Thomas Mahoney, Eric Tavitian) â Two men are inextricably bound together after covering up the savage murder of a schoolmate. After years of separation following wildly divergent paths, they must finally confront how their traumatic secret has irrevocably shaped their lives. Cast: Michael Greyeyes, Chaske Spencer, Jesse Eisenberg, Kate Bosworth, Phoenix Wilson, Julian Gopal. World Premiere
Ailey / U.S.A. (Director: Jamila Wignot, Producer: Lauren DeFilippo) â Alvin Ailey was a visionary artist who found salvation through dance. Told in his own words and through the creation of a dance inspired by his life, this immersive portrait follows a man who, when confronted by a world that refused to embrace him, determined to build one that would. World Premiere
All Light, Everywhere / U.S.A. (Director: Theo Anthony, Producers: Riel Roch-Decter, Sebastian Pardo, Jonna McKone) â An exploration of the shared histories of cameras, weapons, policing and justice. As surveillance technologies become a fixture in everyday life, the film interrogates the complexity of an objective point of view, probing the biases inherent in both human perception and the lens. World Premiere
At the Ready / U.S.A. (Director: Maisie Crow, Producers: Hillary Pierce, Maisie Crow, Abbie Perrault) â Home to one of the region’s largest law enforcement education program, students at Horizon High School in El Paso train to become police officers and Border Patrol agents as they discover the realities of their dream jobs may be at odds with the truths and people they hold most dear. World Premiere
Cusp / U.S.A. (Directors: Parker Hill, Isabel Bethencourt, Producers: Zachary Luke Kislevitz, Parker Hill, Isabel Bethencourt) â In a Texas military town, three teenage girls confront the dark corners of adolescence at the end of a fever dream summer. World Premiere
Homeroom / U.S.A. (Director: Peter Nicks, Producers: Peter Nicks, Sean Havey) â Following the class of 2020 at Oakland High School in a year marked by seismic change, exploring the emotional world of teenagers coming of age against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world. World Premiere
Rebel Hearts / U.S.A. (Director: Pedro Kos, Producers: Kira Carstensen, Shawnee Isaac-Smith, Judy Korin) â A group of pioneering nuns bravely stand up to the Catholic Church patriarchy, fighting for their livelihoods, convictions and equality against an all-powerful Cardinal. From marching in Selma in 1965 to the Women’s March in 2018, these women have reshaped our society with their bold acts of defiance. World Premiere
Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It / U.S.A. (Director: Mariem PĂ©rez Riera, Producers: Brent Miller, Mariem PĂ©rez Riera, Ilia J. VĂ©lez-DĂĄvila) â Rita Moreno defied both her humble upbringing and relentless racism to become one of a select group who have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award. Over a seventy year career, she has paved the way for Hispanic-American performers by refusing to be pigeonholed into one-dimensional stereotypes. World Premiere
Summer Of Soul (âŠOr, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised) / U.S.A. (Director: Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, Producers: David Dinerstein, Robert Fyvolent, Joseph Patel) â During the same summer as Woodstock, over 300,000 people attended the Harlem Cultural Festival, celebrating African American music and culture, and promoting Black pride and unity. The footage from the festival sat in a basement, unseen for over 50 years, keeping this incredible event in Americaâs history lost â until now. World Premiere. DAY ONE
Try Harder! / U.S.A. (Director: Debbie Lum, Producers: Debbie Lum, Lou Nakasako, Nico Opper) â In a universe where cool kids are nerds, the orchestra is world class and being Asian American is the norm, seniors at Lowell High School compete for the top prize: admission to the college of their dreams. World Premiere
Users / U.S.A., Mexico (Director: Natalia Almada, Producers: Elizabeth Lodge Stepp, Josh Penn) â A mother wonders, will my children love their perfect machines more than they love me, their imperfect mother? She switches on a smart-crib lulling her crying baby to sleep. This perfect mother is everywhere. She watches over us, takes care of us. We listen to her. We trust her. World Premiere
The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be Quiet / Argentina (Director: Ana Katz, Screenwriters: Ana Katz, Gonzalo Delgado, Producers: Laura Huberman, Ana Katz) â Sebastian, a man in his thirties, works a series of temporary jobs and he embraces love at every opportunity. He transforms, through a series of short encounters, as the world flirts with possible apocalypse. Cast: Daniel Katz, Julieta Zylberberg, Valeria Lois, Mirella Pascual, Carlos Portaluppi. World Premiere
El Planeta / U.S.A., Spain (Director and Screenwriter: Amalia Ulman, Producers: Amalia Ulman, Kathleen Heffernan, Kweku Mandela) â Amidst the devastation of post-crisis Spain, mother and daughter bluff and grift to keep up the lifestyle they think they deserve, bonding over common tragedy and an impending eviction. Cast: Amalia Ulman, Ale Ulman, Nacho Vigalondo, Zhou Chen, Saoirse Bertram. World Premiere
Fire in the Mountains / India (Director and Screenwriter: Ajitpal Singh, Producers: Ajay Rai, Alan McAlex) â A mother toils to save money to build a road in a Himalayan village to take her wheelchair-bound son for physiotherapy, but her husband, who believes that an expensive religious ritual is the remedy, steals her savings. Cast: Vinamrata Rai, Chandan Bisht, Mayank Singh Jaira, Harshita Tewari, Sonal Jha. World Premiere
Hive / Kosovo, Switzerland, Macedonia, Albania (Director and Screenwriter: Blerta Basholli, Producers: Yll Uka, Valon Bajgora, Agon Uka) â Fahrijeâs husband has been missing since the war in Kosovo. She sets up her own small business to provide for her kids, but as she fights against a patriarchal society that does not support her, she faces a crucial decision: to wait for his return, or to continue to persevere. Cast: Yllka Gashi, Ăun Lajçi, Aurita Agushi, Kumrije Hoxha, Adriana Matoshi, Kaona Sylejmani. World Premiere
Human Factors / Germany, Italy, Denmark (Director and Screenwriter: Ronny Trocker, Producers: Susanne Mann, Paul Zischler, Martin Rehbock) â A mysterious housebreaking exposes the agony of an exemplary middle class family. Cast: Sabine Timoteo, Mark Waschke, Jule Hermann, Wanja Valentin Kube, Hannes Perkmann, Daniel SĂ©journĂ©. World Premiere
Luzzu / Malta (Director and Screenwriter: Alex Camilleri, Producers: Rebecca Anastasi, Ramin Bahrani, Alex Camilleri, Oliver Mallia) â Jesmark, a struggling fisherman on the island of Malta, is forced to turn his back on generations of tradition and risk everything by entering the world of black market fishing to provide for his girlfriend and newborn baby. Cast: Jesmark Scicluna, Michela Farrugia, David Scicluna. World Premiere
One for the Road / China, Hong Kong, Thailand (Director: Baz Poonpiriya, Screenwriters: Baz Poonpiriya, Nottapon Boonprakob, Puangsoi Aksornsawang, Producer: Wong Kar Wai) â Boss is a consummate ladies’ man, a free spirit and a bar owner in NYC. One day, he gets a surprise call from Aood, an estranged friend who has returned home to Thailand. Dying of cancer, Aood enlists Boss’ help to complete a bucket list â but both are hiding something. Cast: Tor Thanapob, Ice Natara, Violette Wautier, Aokbab Chutimon, Ploi Horwang, Noon Siraphun. World Premiere. DAY ONE
The Pink Cloud / Brazil (Director and Screenwriter: Iuli Gerbase, Producer: Patricia Barbieri) â A mysterious and deadly pink cloud appears across the globe, forcing everyone to stay home. Strangers at the outset, Giovana and Yago try to invent themselves as a couple as years of shared lockdown pass. While Yago is living in his own utopia, Giovana feels trapped deep inside. Cast: Renata de LĂ©lis, Eduardo Mendonça. World Premiere
Pleasure / Sweden, Netherlands, France (Director and Screenwriter: Ninja Thyberg, Producers: Eliza Jones, Markus WaltĂ„, Erik Hemmendorff) â A 20-year-old girl moves from her small town in Sweden to LA for a shot at a career in the adult film industry. Cast: Sofia Kappel, Revika Anne Reustle, Evelyn Claire, Chris Cock, Dana DeArmond, Kendra Spade. World Premiere
Prime Time / Poland (Director: Jakub PiÄ tek, Screenwriters: Jakub PiÄ tek, Ćukasz Czapski, Producer: Jakub Razowski) â On the last day of 1999, 20-year-old Sebastian locks himself in a TV studio. He has two hostages, a gun, and an important message for the world. The story of the attack explores a rebel’s extreme measures and last resort. Cast: Bartosz Bielenia, Magdalena PopĆawska, Andrzej KĆak, MaĆgorzata Hajewska-Krzysztofik, Dobromir Dymecki, Monika Frajczyk. World Premiere
Faya Dayi / Ethiopia, U.S.A. (Director, Screenwriter and Producer: Jessica Beshir) â A spiritual journey into the highlands of Harar, immersed in the rituals of khat, a leaf Sufi Muslims chewed for centuries for religious meditations â and Ethiopiaâs most lucrative cash crop today. A tapestry of intimate stories offers a window into the dreams of youth under a repressive regime. World Premiere
Flee / Denmark, France, Sweden, Norway (Director: Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Producers: Monica Hellström, Signe Byrge SĂžrensen) â Amin arrived as an unaccompanied minor in Denmark from Afghanistan. Today, he is a successful academic and is getting married to his long-time boyfriend. A secret he has been hiding for 20 years threatens to ruin the life he has built. World Premiere. DAY ONE
Inconvenient Indian / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Michelle Latimer, Producers: Stuart Henderson, Justine Pimlott, Jesse Wente) â An examination of Thomas King’s brilliant dismantling of North America’s colonial narrative, which reframes history with the powerful voices of those continuing the tradition of Indigenous resistance. International Premiere
Misha and the Wolves / United Kingdom, Belgium (Director and Screenwriter: Sam Hobkinson, Producers: Poppy Dixon, Al Morrow, Matthew Wells, Gregory Zalcman, JĂŒrgen Buedts) â A woman’s Holocaust memoir takes the world by storm, but a fallout with her publisher-turned-detective reveals her story as an audacious deception created to hide a darker truth. World Premiere
The Most Beautiful Boy in the World / Sweden (Directors: Kristina LindstroÌm, Kristian Petri, Producer: Stina Gardell) â Swedish actor/musician Björn Andresen’s life was forever changed at the age of 15, when he played Tadzio, the object of Dirk Bogarde’s obsession in Death in Venice â a role which led Italian maestro Luchino Visconti to dub him “the world’s most beautiful boy.” World Premiere
Playing With Sharks / Australia (Director and Screenwriter: Sally Aitken, Producer: Bettina Dalton) â Valerie Taylor is a shark fanatic and an Australian icon â a marine maverick who forged her way as a fearless diver, cinematographer and conservationist. She filmed the real sharks for Jaws and famously wore a chainmail suit, using herself as shark bait, changing our scientific understanding of sharks forever. World Premiere
President / Denmark, U.S.A., Norway (Director: Camilla Nielsson, Producers: Signe Byrge SĂžrensen, Joslyn Barnes) â Zimbabwe is at a crossroads. The leader of the opposition MDC party, Nelson Chamisa, challenges the old guard ZANU-PF led by Emmerson Mnangagwa, known as “The Crocodile.” The election tests both the ruling party and the opposition â how do they interpret principles of democracy in discourse and in practice? World Premiere
Sabaya / Sweden (Director and Screenwriter: Hogir Hirori, Producers: Antonio Russo Merenda, Hogir Hirori) â With just a mobile phone and a gun, Mahmud, Ziyad and their group risk their lives trying to save Yazidi women and girls being held by ISIS as Sabaya (abducted sex slaves) in the most dangerous camp in the Middle East, Al-Hol in Syria. World Premiere
Taming the Garden / Switzerland, Germany, Georgia (Director SalomĂ© Jashi, Producers: Vadim Jendreyko, Erik Winker, Martin Roelly, SalomĂ© Jashi) â A poetic ode to the rivalry between men and nature. World Premiere
Writing With Fire / India (Directors and Producers: Rintu Thomas, Sushmit Ghosh) â In a cluttered news landscape dominated by men, emerges India’s only newspaper run by Dalit women. Armed with smartphones, Chief Reporter Meera and her journalists break traditions on the frontlines of India’s biggest issues and within the confines of their own homes, redefining what it means to be powerful. World Premiere
Pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to storytelling populate this program. Films that have premiered in this category in recent years include The Infiltrators, Searching, Skate Kitchen, A Ghost Story and Tangerine. NEXT presented by Adobe.
The Blazing World / U.S.A. (Director: Carlson Young, Screenwriters: Carlson Young, Pierce Brown, Producers: Brinton Bryan, Elizabeth AvellĂĄn) â Decades after the accidental drowning of her twin sister, a self-destructive young woman returns to her family home, finding herself drawn to an alternate dimension where her sister may still be alive. Cast: Udo Kier, Carlson Young, Dermot Mulroney, Vinessa Shaw, John Karna, Soko. World Premiere
Cryptozoo / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Dash Shaw, Producers: Kyle Martin, Jane Samborski, Bill Way, Tyler Davidson) â As cryptozookeepers struggle to capture a Baku (a legendary dream-eating hybrid creature) they begin to wonder if they should display these rare beasts in the confines of a cryptozoo, or if these mythical creatures should remain hidden and unknown. Cast: Lake Bell, Michael Cera, Angeliki Papoulia, Zoe Kazan, Peter Stormare, Grace Zabriskie. World Premiere
First Date / U.S.A. (Directors and Screenwriters: Manuel Crosby, Darren Knapp, Producers: Brandon Kraus, Manuel Crosby, Darren Knapp, Lucky McKee, Charles Horak) â Conned into buying a shady ’65 Chrysler, Mike’s first date with the girl-next-door, Kelsey, implodes as he finds himself targeted by criminals, cops, and a crazy cat lady. A night fueled by desire, bullets and burning rubber makes any other first date seem like a walk in the park. Cast: Tyson Brown, Shelby Duclos, Jesse Janzen, Nicole Berry, Ryan Quinn Adams, Brandon Kraus. World Premiere
Ma Belle, My Beauty / U.S.A., France (Director and Screenwriter: Marion Hill, Producers: Ben Matheny, Kelsey Scult, Marion Hill) â A surprise reunion in southern France reignites passions and jealousies between two women who were formerly polyamorous lovers. Cast: Idella Johnson, Hannah Pepper, Lucien Guignard, Sivan Noam Shimon. World Premiere
R#J / U.S.A. (Director: Carey Williams, Screenwriters: Carey Williams, Rickie Castaneda, Alex Sobolev, Producers: Timur Bekmambetov, Igor Tsay, John J. Kelly, Alex Sobolev, Anna Soboleva) â A re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet, taking place through their cell phones, in a mash-up of Shakespearean dialogue with current social media communication. Cast: Camaron Engels, Francesca Noel, David Zayas, Diego Tinoco, Siddiq Saunderson, Russell Hornsby. World Premiere
Searchers / U.S.A. (Director: Pacho Velez, Producers: Pacho Velez, Joe Poletto, Cathy Tankosic, Sam Roseme) â In encounters alternately humorous and touching, a diverse set of New Yorkers navigate their preferred dating apps in search of their special someone.World Premiere
Son of Monarchs / Mexico, U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Alexis Gambis, Producers: Abraham Dayan, Maria Altamirano) â After his grandmotherâs death, a Mexican biologist living in New York returns to his hometown, nestled in the majestic monarch butterfly forests of MichoacĂĄn. The journey forces him to confront past traumas and reflect on his hybrid identity, sparking a personal and spiritual metamorphosis. Cast: Tenoch Huerta MejĂa, Alexia Rasmussen, LĂĄzaro Gabino RodrĂguez, NoĂ© HernĂĄndez, Paulina GaitĂĄn, William Mapother. Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize
Strawberry Mansion / U.S.A. (Directors and Screenwriters: Albert Birney, Kentucker Audley, Producers: Taylor Shung, Sarah Winshall, Emma Hannaway, Matisse Rifai) â In a world where the government records and taxes dreams, an unassuming dream auditor gets swept up in a cosmic journey through the life and dreams of an aging eccentric named Bella. Together, they must find a way back home. Cast: Penny Fuller, Kentucker Audley, Grace Glowicki, Reed Birney, Linas Phillips, Constance Shulman. World Premiere
We’re All Going to the World’s Fair / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Jane Schoenbrun, Producers: Sarah Winshall, Carlos Zozaya) â A teenage girl becomes immersed in an online role-playing game. Cast: Anna Cobb, Michael J. Rogers. World Premiere
Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir / U.S.A. (Director: James Redford, Producers: Karen Pritzker, Cassandra Jabola) â Amy Tan has established herself as one of America’s most respected literary voices. Born to Chinese immigrant parents, it would be decades before the author of The Joy Luck Club would fully understand the inherited trauma rooted in the legacies of women who survived the Chinese tradition of concubinage. World Premiere, Documentary
Bring Your Own Brigade / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Lucy Walker, Producers: Lucy Walker, Julian Cautherley, Holly Becker, Lyn Lear) â A character-driven veritĂ© and revelatory investigation takes us on a journey embedded with firefighters and residents on a mission to understand the causes of historically large wildfires and how to survive them, discovering that the solution has been here all along. World Premiere, Documentary
Eight for Silver / U.S.A., France (Director and Screenwriter: Sean Ellis, Producers: Mickey Liddell, Pete Shilaimon, Sean Ellis) â In the late 1800s, a man arrives in a remote country village to investigate an attack by a wild animal but discovers a much deeper, sinister force that has both the manor and the townspeople in its grip. Cast: Boyd Holbrook, Kelly Reilly, Alistair Petrie, Roxane Duran, Aine Rose Daly. World Premiere, Narrative
How it Ends / U.S.A. (Directors, Screenwriters and Producers: Daryl Wein, Zoe Lister-Jones) â On the last day on Earth, one woman goes on a journey through LA to make it to her last party before the world ends, running into an eclectic cast of characters along the way. Cast: Zoe Lister-Jones, Cailee Spaeny, Olivia Wilde, Fred Armisen, Helen Hunt, Lamorne Morris. World Premiere, Narrative
In The Earth / United Kingdom (Director and Screenwriter: Ben Wheatley, Producer: Andy Starke) â As a disastrous virus grips the planet, a scientist and a park scout venture deep into the forest for a routine equipment run. Through the night, their journey becomes a terrifying voyage through the heart of darkness as the forest comes to life around them. Cast: Joel Fry, Ellora Torchia, Hayley Squires, Reece Shearsmith. World Premiere, Narrative
In The Same Breath / U.S.A. (Director: Nanfu Wang, Producers: Nanfu Wang, Jialing Zhang, Julie Goldman, Christopher Clements, Carolyn Hepburn) â How did the Chinese government turn pandemic coverups in Wuhan into a triumph for the Communist party? An essential narrative of firsthand accounts of the coronavirus, and a revelatory examination of how propaganda and patriotism shaped the outbreakâs course â both in China and in the U.S. World Premiere, Documentary. DAY ONE
Land / U.S.A. (Director: Robin Wright, Screenwriters: Jesse Chatham, Erin Dignam, Producers: Allyn Stewart, Lora Kennedy, Leah Holzer, Peter Saraf) â The poignant story of one womanâs search, in the aftermath of an unfathomable event, for meaning in the vast and harsh American wilderness. Cast: Robin Wright, DemiĂĄn Bichir, Kim Dickens. World Premiere, Narrative
Marvelous and The Black Hole / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Kate Tsang, Producer: Carolyn Mao) â A teenage delinquent befriends a surly magician who helps her navigate her inner demons and dysfunctional family with sleight of hand magic, in a coming-of-age comedy that touches on unlikely friendships, grief, and finding hope in the darkest moments. Cast: Miya Cech, Rhea Perlman, Leonardo Nam, Kannon Omachi, Paulina Lule, Keith Powell. World Premiere, Narrative
Mass / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Fran Kranz, Producers: Fran Kranz, Casey Wilder Mott, JP Ouellette, Dylan Matlock) â Years after a tragic shooting, the parents of both the victim and the perpetrator meet face-to-face. Cast: Jason Isaacs, Ann Dowd, Martha Plimpton, Reed Birney. World Premiere, Narrative
My Name is Pauli Murray / U.S.A. (Directors: Betsy West, Julie Cohen, Producer: Talleah Bridges McMahon) â Overlooked by history, Pauli Murray was a legal trailblazer whose ideas influenced RBG’s fight for gender equality and Thurgood Marshall’s landmark civil rights arguments. Featuring never-before-seen footage and audio recordings, a portrait of Murray’s impact as a non-binary Black luminary: lawyer, activist, poet, and priest who transformed our world. World Premiere, Documentary
Philly D.A. / U.S.A. (Created By: Ted Passon, Yoni Brook, Nicole Salazar, Producers: Ted Passon, Yoni Brook, Nicole Salazar, Josh Penn, Michael Gottwald) â A groundbreaking inside look at the long shot election and tumultuous first term of Larry Krasner, Philadelphia’s unapologetic District Attorney, and his experiment to upend the criminal justice system from the inside out. World Premiere, Episodic Documentary
Prisoners of the Ghostland / U.S.A. (Director: Sion Sono, Screenwriters: Aaron Hendry, Reza Sixo Safai, Producers: Michael Mendelsohn, Laura Rister, Ko Mori, Reza Sixo Safai, Nate Bolotin) â A notorious criminal is sent to rescue an abducted woman who has disappeared into a dark supernatural universe. They must break the evil curse that binds them and escape the mysterious revenants that rule the Ghostland, an East-meets-West vortex of beauty and violence. Cast: Nicolas Cage, Sofia Boutella, Nick Cassavetes, Bill Moseley, Tak Sakaguchi, Yuzuka Nakaya. World Premiere, Narrative
The Sparks Brothers / United Kingdom (Director: Edgar Wright, Producers: Nira Park, Edgar Wright, George Hencken, Laura Richardson) â How can one rock band be successful, underrated, hugely influential, and criminally overlooked all at the same time? Take a musical odyssey through five weird and wonderful decades with brothers Ron & Russell Mael, celebrating the inspiring legacy of Sparks: your favorite band’s favorite band. World Premiere, Documentary
Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street / U.S.A. (Director: Marilyn Agrelo, Producers: Trevor Crafts, Ellen Scherer Crafts, Lisa Diamond) â How did a group of rebels create the worldâs most famous street? In 1969 New York, this âgangâ of mission-driven artists, writers and educators catalyzed a moment of civil awakening, transforming it into Sesame Street, one of the most influential and impactful television programs in history. World Premiere, Documentary
Censor / United Kingdom (Director: Prano Bailey-Bond, Screenwriters: Prano Bailey-Bond, Anthony Fletcher, Producer: Helen Jones) â When film censor Enid discovers an eerie horror that speaks directly to her sister’s mysterious disappearance, she resolves to unravel the puzzle behind the film and its enigmatic director â a quest blurring the lines between fiction and reality in terrifying ways. Cast: Niamh Algar, Nicholas Burns, Vincent Franklin, Sophia La Porta, Adrian Schiller, Michael Smiley. World Premiere. DAY ONE
Coming Home in the Dark / New Zealand (Director: James Ashcroft, Screenwriters: Eli Kent, James Ashcroft, Producers: Mike Minogue, Catherine Fitzgerald, Desray Armstrong) â A familyâs outing descends into terror when teacher Alan Hoaganraad, his wife Jill and stepsons Maika and Jordon explore an isolated coastline. An unexpected meeting with a pair of drifters, the enigmatic psychopath Mandrake and his accomplice Tubs, thrusts the family into a nightmare when they find themselves captured. Cast: Daniel Gillies, Erik Thomson, Miriama McDowell, Matthias Luafutu. World Premiere
A Glitch in the Matrix / U.S.A. (Director: Rodney Ascher, Producer: Ross M. Dinerstein) â A multi-media exploration of simulation theory â an idea as old as Platoâs Republic and as current as Elon Muskâs Twitter feed â through the eyes of those who suspect our world isn’t real. Part sci-fi mind-scrambler, part horror story, this is a digital journey to the limits of radical doubt. World Premiere
Knocking / Sweden (Director: Frida Kempff, Screenwriter: Emma Broström, Producer: Erik Andersson) â When Molly moves into her new apartment after a tragic accident, a strange noise from upstairs begins to unnerve her. As its intensity grows, she confronts her neighbors â but no one seems to hear what she is hearing. Cast: Cecilia Milocco. World Premiere
Mother Schmuckers / Belgium (Directors and Screenwriters: Lenny Guit, Harpo Guit, Producers: David Borgeaud, Erika Meda) â Issachar & Zabulon, two brothers in their twenties, are supremely stupid and never bored, as madness is part of their daily lives. When they lose their mother’s beloved dog, they have 24 hours to find it â or she will kick them out. Cast: Harpo Guit, Maxi Delmelle, Claire Bodson, Mathieu Amalric, Habib Ben Tanfous. World Premiere
Violation / Canada (Directors, Screenwriters and Producers: Madeleine Sims-Fewer, Dusty Mancinelli) â A troubled woman on the edge of divorce returns home to her younger sister after years apart. But when her sister and brother-in-law betray her trust, she embarks on a vicious crusade of revenge. Cast: Madeleine Sims-Fewer, Anna Maguire, Jesse LaVercombe, Obi Abili, Jasmin Geljo, Cynthia Ashperger. International Premiere
SPOTLIGHT
The Spotlight program is a tribute to the cinema we love from throughout the past year. Films that have played in this category in recent years include The Biggest Little Farm, The Death of Stalin, The Rider, Ida and The Lobster.
Night of the Kings / France, Ivory Coast, Canada, Senegal (Director and Screenwriter: Philippe LacĂŽte, Producers: Delphine Jaquet, Yanick LĂ©tourneau, Ernest Konan, Yoro Mbaye) â A young man is sent to La Maca, a prison on the Ivory Coast in the middle of the forest ruled by its prisoners. With the red moon rising, he is designated by the Boss to be the new “Roman” and must tell a story to the other prisoners. Cast: KonĂ© Bakary, Steve Tientcheu, Digbeu Jean Cyrille, RasmanĂ© OuĂ©draogo, Issaka Sawadogo, Denis Lavant.
The World to Come / U.S.A. (Director: Mona Fastvold, Screenwriters: Ron Hansen, Jim Shepard, Producers: Casey Affleck, Whitaker Lader, Pamela Koffler, David Hinojosa, Margarethe Baillou) â Somewhere along the mid-nineteenth century American East Coast frontier, two neighboring couples battle hardship and isolation, witnessed by a splendid yet testing landscape, challenging them both physically and psychologically. Cast: Katherine Waterston, Vanessa Kirby, Casey Affleck, Christopher Abbott. North American Premiere
Life in a Day 2020 / United Kingdom, U.S.A. (Director: Kevin Macdonald, Producers: Jack Arbuthnott, Tim Partridge) â An extraordinary, intimate, global portrait of life on our planet, filmed by thousands of people across the world, on a single day: 25th July 2020. World Premiere
4 Feet High VR / Argentina, France (Lead Artists: MarĂa BelĂ©n Poncio, Rosario Perazolo Masjoan, Damian Turkieh, Ezequiel LenardĂłn, Key Collaborators: Marie Blondiaux, Marcos Rostagno, Eugenia Foguel, Matias Benedetti, Manuel Yeri, Martin Lopez Funes, Guillermo Mena) â Juana, a 17-year-old wheelchair user, aims to explore her sexuality but is ashamed of her body. Trying to find her place in a new high school, she will go through failure, friendship, fear and politics until she builds her own pride. Cast: Marisol Agostina Irigoyen, Florencia Licera, Marcio Ramses, Natalia Di Cienzo, Francisca Spinotti.
7 Sounds / U.S.A. (Lead Artist: Sam Green, Key Collaborator: JD Samson) â An immersive live-streamed audio-video work exploring the universal influence of sound, weaving seven specific audio recordings into a meditation on the power of sound to bend time, cross borders, and profoundly shape our perception.
Beyond the Breakdown / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Tony Patrick, Lauren Lee McCarthy, Grace Lee, Key Collaborators: Jesse Cahn Thompson, Aldo Velasco) â Imagining alternate narratives for our near-future reality, inside a browser designed to hack our normal online behaviors and cultivate collaborative spaces for self-reflection and renewal.
The Changing Same: Episode 1 / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: MichĂšle Stephenson, Joe Brewster, Yasmin Elayat, Key Collaborators: James George, Alexander Porter, Rad Mora, Elliott Mitchell) â An immersive, episodic virtual reality experience where the participant travels through time and space to witness the connected historical experiences of racial injustice in America. A respectful, haunting story infused with magical realism and Afrofuturism about the uninterrupted cycle of the 400-year history of racial terror â past and present.
Fortune! / France, Canada (Lead Artists: Brett Gaylor, Nicolas Bourniquel, Arnaud Colinart, Key Collaborators: Marianne LĂ©vy-Leblond, Rob McLaughlin, Dash Spielgeman, Rolito, Clement ChĂ©riot) â Money, from bills to coins, has no intrinsic value beyond what weâve collectively agreed to grant it. However, thereâs no denying that money governs our lives. This series of animated documentary shorts in AR for smartphones, tablets and social media platforms, explores that relationship. Cast: Frank Bourassa.
Namoo / U.S.A. (Lead Artist: Erick Oh, Key Collaborators: Maureen Fan, Larry Cutler, Eric Darnell, Kane Lee, David Kahn) â A narrative poem brought to life as an animated VR film, and an ode to a grandfather’s passing, this story follows the journey of a budding artist â and his tree of life â from beginning to end.
Nightsss / Poland (Lead Artists: Weronika Lewandowska, Sandra Frydrysiak, Key Collaborators: Marcin Macuk, Piotr Apostel, Kaya KoĆodziejczyk, Marek Straszak, Arek Zub, Przemek Danowski) â A virtual erotic poem created in artistic animation with ASMR and interactive elements, immersing the viewer in the sensual experience of poetry and dance.
Prison X – Chapter 1 : The Devil and The Sun / Australia, Bolivia, India (Lead Artists: Violeta Ayala, Alap Parikh, Maria Corvera Vargas, Roly Elias, Key Collaborators: Daniel Fallshaw, Rilda Paco Alvarado, Alberto Santiago) â Heavy doors open and you are swept into an infamous Bolivian jail, where you live among devils, saints, wicked characters, corrupt prison guards and even a Western filmmaker. In Prison X, inhabit the dreams and nightmares of the Neo-Andean underworld. Cast: Violeta Ayala, Genesis Owusu, Celina Debassey, Anamaria GĂłmez Jaramillo, Jesse Odom, Nicole Ukelele.
Rich Kids: A History of Shopping Malls in Tehran / United Kingdom, Iran (Lead Artists: Javaad Alipoor, Kirsty Housley, Key Collaborator: Nick Sweeting) â A darkly comedic, urgent new play about entitlement, consumption and digital technology, exploring the ubiquitous feeling that our societies are falling apart through the story of two young members of the Iranian elite, asking what their deaths tell us about climate change, social collapse and Instagram. Cast: Javaad Alipoor, Peyvand Sadeghian.
Secret Garden / U.S.A. (Lead Artist: Stephanie Dinkins, Key Collaborators: Ethan Edwards, John Fitzgerald, Matthew Niederhauser, Danielle McPhatter, Sidney San MartĂn, Kate Stevenson, Adaora Udoji, Chris White) â An immersive web experience and installation, illuminating the power and resilience in Black women’s stories. Interactive audio vignettes generate a multi-generational narrative that collapses past, present, and future. Cast: Dayne Board, Erlene Curry, Tianna Mendez, Melissa Moore, Brandi Porter, Lisa Sainville.
Tinker / U.S.A. (Lead Artist: Lou Ward, Key Collaborators: Shimon Alkon, Lara Bucarey, Avril Martinez, Aileen Paron, Anthony Alan Garcia, Roberto Tan, Cristopher David, Neil Realubit, Anton Arcega, David Conklin, Evan Chavez) â What happens when the memories we spend a lifetime creating begin to disappear? Step inside the Grandfatherâs workshop to discover this answer for yourself. In this live, bespoke unscripted performance, reimagine what it means to play, to connect and to hold fast to the memories we create. Cast: Randy Dixon.
To Miss The Ending / United Kingdom (Lead Artists: Anna West, David Callanan, Key Collaborators: Jamie Finlay, Steph Clarke, Dan Tucker) â A VR cubicle of cardboard boxes begins to glitch, revealing an empty dark space in front of you â until something glimmers in the distance, a wave of blue flooding towards you. A chorus of real memories and imagined futures expands, until only the largest memories are left. Cast: Charlotte Berry, Michael Dodds, Houmi Miura, Ben Kulvichit, Anna West.
Traveling the Interstitium with Octavia Butler / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Sophia Nahli Allison, idris brewster, Stephanie Dinkins, Ari Melenciano, Terence Nance, Key Collaborators: Yance Ford, Sharon Chang, Kamal Sinclair) â Inspired by the ideas of Octavia Butler, voyaging into the interstitium: a liminal space, a cultural memory, containing the remnants of our ancestors, a place of refuge, a place of recentering, a portal into an alternate dimension.
Weirdo Night / U.S.A. (Lead Artists: Jibz Cameron, Mariah Garnett) â A filmed edition, hosted by Dynasty Handbag, of the wildly popular, underground, eponymous live performance and comedy event that, until COVID-19, was held monthly in Los Angeles. Cast: Patti Harrison, Smiling Beth, Morgan Bassichis, Sarah Squirm, Hedia Maron, Blasia Discoteca.
U.S. Fiction
Ava From My Class / U.S.A., South Korea (Director: Youmin Kang, Screenwriters: Youmin Kang, Soomin Kang) â Anna thinks Ava is the best actress in her class. International Premiere
Bambirak / U.S.A., Germany (Director and Screenwriter: Zamarin Wahdat) â When Kati stows away in her father’s truck, Faruk must juggle his responsibilities as a single dad while holding down his first job in a new country. As their relationship deepens, a brush with covert racism tests their bond. North American Premiere
BJ’s Mobile Gift Shop / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Jason Park) â A young Korean-American hustler runs throughout the city of Chicago making sales out of his “mobile gift shop.” World Premiere
Bruiser / U.S.A. (Director: Miles Warren, Screenwriters: Miles Warren, Ben Medina) â After his father gets into a fight at a bowling alley, Darious begins to investigate the limitations of his own manhood. World Premiere
Don’t Go Tellin’ Your Momma / U.S.A., Germany, France, Italy (Directors and Screenwriters: Topaz Jones, rubberband.) â In 1970, Black educators in Chicago developed an alphabet flashcard set to provide Black-centered teaching materials to the vastly white educational landscape and the Black ABCs were born. Fifty years later, twenty-six scenes provide an update to their meanings. World Premiere
Doublespeak / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Hazel McKibbin) â A young woman grapples with the aftermath of reporting sexual harassment in the workplace.
i ran from it and was still in it / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Darol Olu Kae) â A poetic meditation on familial loss and separation, and the love that endures against dispersion.
In the Air Tonight / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Andrew Norman Wilson) â An insider’s take on the meaning behind Phil Collins’ 1980 single “In the Air Tonight.”
LATA / U.S.A., India (Director: Alisha Mehta, Screenwriters: Alisha Mehta, Mireya Martinez) â Lata, a 23 year old domestic worker, navigates her way through an upper class home in South Mumbai. Doors consistently open and close, giving Lata selective access to the various contending realities that occupy this space.
Raspberry / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Julian Doan) â A son struggles to say goodbye to his dead father. World Premiere
The Touch of the Master’s Hand / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Gregory Barnes) â Troubled by an unnatural temptation, a young Mormon missionary must confess the humiliating depths of his pornography addiction. World Premiere
White Wedding / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Melody C Roscher) â Amidst a racially tense Southern wedding, a biracial bride has the chance to confront her estranged Black father after accidentally hiring his wedding band to perform. World Premiere
Wiggle Room / U.S.A. (Directors and Screenwriters: Sam Guest, Julia Baylis) â Determined to save her wheelchair ramp from repossession, Daisy confronts the shady insurance agent who owes her money. World Premiere
Yoruga / U.S.A., Colombia (Director and Screenwriter: Federico Torrado TobĂłn) â A lonely old man pays a visit to Yoruga, one of the last animals on Earth. World Premiere
You Wouldn’t Understand / U.S.A. (Director: Trish Harnetiaux, Screenwriters: Trish Harnetiaux, Jacob A. Ware) â An idyllic picnic of one is upended after the arrival of a stranger.
International Fiction
The Affected / Norway (Director: Rikke Gregersen, Screenwriters: Rikke Gregersen, Trond Arntzen) â Minutes before takeoff, a situation occurs, preventing an airplane from departing: in an attempt to prevent the deportation of one passenger, another refuses to sit down â forcing the pilot to take a political stand.
Black Bodies / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Kelly Fyffe-Marshall) â A Black man laments as he comes face-to-face with the realities of being Black in the 21st century. International Premiere
The Criminals / France, Romania, Turkey (Director and Screenwriter: Serhat Karaaslan) â In a town in Turkey, a young couple is looking for some privacy. They are rejected from the hotels because they do not have a marriage certificate. When they think they found a way, the situation gets out of hand. World Premiere
Excuse Me, Miss, Miss, Miss / Philippines (Director: Sonny Calvento, Screenwriter: Arden Rod Condez) â Vangie, a miserable contractual sales lady, is about to lose her job. But in her desperate attempt to convince her boss not to sack her, Vangie uncovers the ultimate jaw-dropping secret to regularization.
Five Tiger / South Africa (Director and Screenwriter: Nomawonga Khumalo) â A god-fearing woman in present-day South Africa finds herself in a transactional relationship as she tries to support her sick husband and daughter. North American Premiere
Flex / Sweden (Directors and Screenwriters: Josefin Malmen, David Strindberg) â He may be god enough, but is he good enough? A slightly surreal comedic exploration of the fine line between a bodybuilder’s self-loathing and self-loving.
Like the Ones I Used to Know / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Annie St-Pierre) â December 24, 1983, 10:50 p.m.: Julie and her cousins ate too much sugar, Santa Claus is late. Denis, alone in his car, is anxious at the idea of setting foot in his ex-in-law’s house to pick up his children. World Premiere
Lizard / United Kingdom (Director: Akinola Davies, Jr., Screenwriter: The Davies Brothers) â Juwon, an 8-year-old girl with an ability to sense danger, gets ejected from Sunday school service. She unwittingly witnesses the underbelly in and around a megachurch in Lagos. International Premiere
The Longest Dream I Remember / Mexico (Director: Carlos Lenin, Screenwriters: Carlos Lenin, Isa Mora Vera) â As Tania leaves her hometown, she must confront what her absence will mean in the search for her disappeared father. World Premiere
Mountain Cat / Mongolia, United Kingdom (Director and Screenwriter: Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir) â A troubled girl is coerced into seeing a shaman. Trapped by the ancient beliefs that pacify her mother, she finds peace in the physical realm, unleashing her repressed, youthful spirit on the shaman when she realizes his true identity. U.S. Premiere
Unliveable / Brazil (Directors and Screenwriters: Matheus Farias, Enock Carvalho) â In Brazil, where a trans person is murdered every three days, Marilene searches for her daughter Roberta, a trans woman who is missing. While running out of time, she discovers one hope for the future. North American Premiere
The Unseen River / Vietnam, Laos (Director and Screenwriter: PháșĄm Ngá»c LĂąn) â Stories told along the river: a woman reunites with her ex-lover at a hydroelectric plant; meanwhile, a young man travels downstream to a temple in search of a cure for his insomnia.
We’re Not Animals / France (Director and Screenwriter: NoĂ© DebrĂ©) â His ex Marie became an Instagram star (thanks to an activist group focused on the female orgasm). Depressed, Igor believes this is a deliberate campaign to prevent him from finding someone else. World Premiere
Non-Fiction
A Concerto is a Conversation / U.S.A. (Directors: Ben Proudfoot, Kris Bowers) â A virtuoso jazz pianist and film composer tracks his family’s lineage through his 91-year-old grandfather from Jim Crow Florida to the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Dear Philadelphia / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director: Renee Osubu) â With the help of their family, friends, and faith, three fathers unravel the incomparable partnership of forgiveness and community in North Philadelphia. International Premiere
The Field Trip / U.S.A. (Directors: Meghan O’Hara, Mike Attie, Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck) â A group of fifth graders learn what it takes to get ahead in the modern American workplace. World Premiere
My Own Landscapes / France (Director: Antoine Chapon) â Before going to war, a former military game designer made video game scenarios that prepared soldiers for cultural shocks and healed trauma. Once back from the war, his relationship with his identity, with life and with the video game changed.
The Rifleman / U.S.A. (Director: Sierra Pettengill, Screenwriters: Daniel Garber, Sierra Pettengill) â Told entirely through archival material, tracing Harlon Carter, considered the âfather of the modern NRA,â across the decades, revealing the links between the National Rifle Association, the U.S. Border Patrol, and gun culture.
Snowy / U.S.A. (Directors: Kaitlyn Schwalje, Alex Wolf Lewis) â Snowy, a 4-inch-long pet turtle, has lived an isolated life in the family basement. With help from a team of experts and his caretaker, Uncle Larry, we ask: Can Snowy be happy and what would it take? World Premiere
Spirits and Rocks: an Azorean Myth / Switzerland, Portugal (Director: Aylin Gökmen) â On a volcanic island, inhabitants are caught in an unending cycle: the threat of impending eruptions, and the burden of past traumas, loom over them. Some draw upon myth and religious beliefs to interpret their precarious situation; others demonstrate resilience. International Premiere
Tears Teacher / Japan (Director: Noemie Nakai) â Yoshida is a self-proclaimed “tears teacher.” A firm believer that regular crying promotes healthier living, he’s made it his mission to make more people weep.
This is the Way We Rise / U.S.A. (Director: Ciara Lacy) â An exploration into the creative process, following Native Hawaiian slam poet Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio, as her art is reinvigorated by her calling to protect sacred sites atop Maunakea, Hawai`i.
To Know Her / U.S.A., Hong Kong (Director: Natalie Chao) â A poetic exploration of the camera’s gaze and a family’s relationship with the filmmaker’s mother. International Premiere
When We Were Bullies / U.S.A., Germany (Director and Screenwriter: Jay Rosenblatt) â A mind-boggling “coincidence” leads the filmmaker to track down his fifth grade class â and fifth grade teacher â to examine their memory of and complicity in a bullying incident fifty years ago. World Premiere
Up at Night / Democratic Republic of the Congo, Belgium (Director and Screenwriter: Nelson Makengo) â As dusk fades and another night without electricity falls, Kinshasa’s neighborhoods reveal an unstable environment of violence, political conflict and uncertainty over the building of the Grand Inga 3 hydroelectric dam, promising a permanent source of energy to the Congo. U.S. Premiere
Animation
The Fire Next Time / United Kingdom (Director: Renaldho Pelle, Screenwriter: Kerry Jade Kolbe) â Rioting spreads as social inequality causes tempers in a struggling community to flare, but the oppressive environment takes on a life of its own as the shadows of the housing estate close in.
Forever / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Mitch McGlocklin) â A life insurance company uses an AI algorithm to determine the risk of a new applicant. The subsequent denial sparks a period of introspection for the individual in question.
The Fourfold / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Alisi Telengut) â An exploration of the indigenous worldview and wisdom based on ancient shamanistic traditions and animistic beliefs in Siberia and Mongolia. With hand-crafted animation, a testament of reclaiming animism for environmental ethics and non-human materialities.
Ghost Dogs / U.S.A. (Director: Joe Cappa, Screenwriters: Joe Cappa, J.W. Hallford) â A family’s new rescue pup is terrorized by deceased pets in this mind-bending horror.
GNT / Australia (Directors and Screenwriters: Sara Hirner, Rosemary Vasquez-Brown) â Glenn is a woman on an unwholesome mission, but just how far will she go to conquer the cliqueâŻââŻand social media at large?
KKUM / South Korea, U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Kang-min Kim) â My mother’s dreams have always been strong premonitions for important moments in my life. I rely on her dreams more than any religion.
Little Miss Fate / Switzerland (Director and Screenwriter: Joder von Rotz) â When the opportunity arises, Little Miss Fate slips into the role of the world leader. Unintentionally she creates a monster, which greedily wants to suck up all the love of the world. Overwhelmed by the rapid development, she loses control.
Misery Loves Company / U.S.A., South Korea (Director: Sasha Lee, Screenwriters: Sasha Lee, Yejin Choi) â As Seolgi is lying on a grass field with friends, a shooting star falls, and dark, intrusive thoughts hit her. Her melancholy blooms into bright and colorful “flower people,” dancing and wishing for a meteorite to end the world.
Souvenir Souvenir / France (Director and Screenwriter: Bastien Dubois) â For ten years, I’ve pretended to make a movie out of my grandfather’s Algerian war souvenirs. Today, Iâm not sure I want to hear what he has to say.
Trepanation / U.S.A. (Director: Nick Flaherty) â What was once familiar is now unrecognizable. All previous desires are overshadowed by the need to disappear completely.
4 Feet High / Argentina, France (Directors: MarĂa BelĂ©n Poncio, Rosario Perazolo Masjoan, Executive Producers: Ezequiel LenardĂłn, Marie Blondiaux) â Juana, a 17-year-old wheelchair user, aims to explore her sexuality but is ashamed of her body. Trying to find her place in a new high school, she will go through failure, friendship, fear and politics until she builds her own pride. Cast: Marisol Agostina Irigoyen, Florencia Licera, Marcio Ramses, Natalia Di Cienzo, Francisca Spinotti. World Premiere
Seeds of Deceit / Netherlands (Director: Miriam Guttmann, Executive Producers: Monique Busman, Michiel van Erp, Judith Reuten) â The revelation that Dr. Karbaat clandestinely used his own semen to inseminate more than 65 of his patients shocked the world. A vivid portrayal of how that happened and all the ways it haunts those affected: the emotional trauma of coming to terms with a changed life, a new identity. World Premiere
These Days / U.S.A. (Director and Screenwriter: Adam Brooks) â Mae, lonely and self-isolating, navigates the world of online dating during the early days of quarantine. Her first attempt is a comic disaster; then, she meets Will and her world begins to change in unexpected ways. Cast: Marianne RendĂłn, William Jackson Harper, Amy Brenneman, Parker Young. World Premiere
Would You Rather / France, Germany (Creators: Lise Akoka, Romane GuĂ©ret, Executive Producer: Pierre Grimaus, Jean Dathanat) â Sixteen-year-olds ShaĂŻ, Djeneba, Aladi, and IsmaĂ«l grew up in a working-class Paris neighborhood. Together, they watch hours drift by, cracking jokes, and playing their favorite game, âWould you rather?â As the group’s equilibrium suddenly shifts, they have to start making choices â in their lives and their game. Cast: Fanta Kebe, Shirel Nataf, Zakaria Lazab, Mouctar Diawara. North American Premiere
(Photo credit: Sundance)
The 30th annual INSIDE OUT FILM FESTIVAL kicks-off this week, running October 1-11, 2020. Showcasing 150 films and 9 episodic series. The Festival will go by a digital platform this year as we navigate the Pandemic. Programming will be made available via insideout.ca and also via Inside Out’s new AppleTV and Roku apps. This will allow INSIDE OUT patrons to customize their own schedules from home for the first time ever.
Headlining the Festival this year is a special conversation with talent from Netflix‘s upcoming Series BOYS IN THE BAND, adapted from the popular Broadway Play. The Series premieres on Netflix September 30, 2020.
Also Gabriel Range‘s David Bowie Biopic STARDUST, filmed in Toronto, will open the Festival with a special Drive-In Premiere at Ontario Place. The Premiere will feature Drag Queen and Drag King performances by: Drag Queens:
–Allysin Chaynes
–Bonbon Bontemps
–Tiffany Boxx
–Shada Jada Hudson
–Manny Dingo
Acclaimed Festival favourites also will surface at INSIDE OUT this year including THE OBITUARY OF TUNDE JOHNSON, COWBOYS, NO ORDINARY MAN and TIFF ’20 fan favourite, SHIVA BABY.
Our George Kozera (@PartyG) had the pleasure of previewing some of the key titles at the Festival and here are some of his thoughts:
Parvis (Benny Radjaipour) has been sentenced to 120 hours of community service at a Red Cross refugee centre located in Hannover, Germany to be a Farsi translator. Though born in Germany to Iranian parents, he struggles with the various dialects, which affects him emotionally. As a happily-open young gay teenager, partying late nights at local bars and using apps for sexual hook-ups, he tones his image and mannerisms down somewhat when at the refugee camp as to not bring unwanted attention to himself from glaring homophobic eyes. After one frustrating translation session, Parvis sits on a stoop, wiping away tears, and is approached by the handsome, curly haired Amon (Eidin Jalali), with whom he shared furtive glances with up to this point, who offers a sympathetic ear (much to the chagrin of his fellow soccer playing buds). Amon is at the camp alongside his sister Bana (Banafshe Hourmazdi), both awaiting word on their immigration status. The three young people become great friends and Parvis and Amon fall in love with each other.
It is easy to see why NO HARD FEELINGS won the Teddy Award for Best LGBTQ film at this yearâs Berlin Film Festival. The performances by the three leads are refreshing as they go about their daily lives chanting their mantra: âthe future is oursâ. Their optimism is intoxicating to watch, despite their feelings of not really belonging anywhere and coping with the racism and homophobia they frequently encounter.There are powerful scenes of many young adults in the refugee centre with looks of despair on their faces as they await their fates that was heartbreaking to see. But whatever the future has in store for the three main characters, we root for them as they approach their lives with hope and dreams to fulfill. NO HARD FEELINGS deserves to be seen.
BREAKING FAST fills a void that is sorely lacking: a charming, funny Rom-Com first date movie for gay men. It has it allâŠthe two very attractive leads, the campy (but all knowing) gay best friend, the gorgeous exteriors (this time, itâs West Hollywood), fabulously decorated homes. Throw-in witty banters, a love of Musical Theatre, a Soundtrack that include songs from Lizzy, Sarah Vaughn and TLC, plates upon plates of sensually-photographed food as well as deep dark secrets and you have a classic movie for the ages!
Mo (Haaz Sleiman) is a gay Muslim doctor, out to his family, who gets dumped by his boyfriend Hassan (Patrick Sabongui, best known for his recurring role on TVâs âThe Flashâ) on the first day of IFTAR (the meal after sunset during the holy month of Ramadan) for fear of being outed by a family member. Fast-forward a year later, same time of the year. Mo is still aching the loss but grudgingly accepts the invitation to celebrate the nth anniversary of his best friend Samâs 21st birthday. As Sam, Amin el Gamal illuminates the screen with panache, style and bitchiness! At the party, Mo meets Kal (Michael Cassidy) and the attraction is instant and eventually theirs is a relationship of sweeping romantic gestures as they celebrate Iftar together. Minus any intimacy between the two as those are verboten during Ramadan and Mo is a devout Muslim. After a contentious accidental meeting with Kalâs mother (Veronica Cartwright) that ultimately brings out secrets Kal has and with Hassan trying to reconnect with Mo, the relationship has hit an impasse.
Writer/Director Mike Mosallam has a deft hand, eye and ear and he navigates through the turbulent waters of being gay and Muslim with valid opinions on both ends of the spectrum with intelligence. I also admired how he portrays an interracial relationship without that being an issue. The chemistry between Sleiman and Cassidy is authentic and the Cinematography is sensual.
And, if youâre like me, the âClimb Every Mountainâ scene at a karaoke bar will leave you all goosepimply and teary-eyed. BREAKING FAST is priority viewing.
Have you ever seen an undiscovered star miraculously burst through the galaxy and light up the heavens? Let me introduce you to one by the name of Matt Fifer, the Writer/Director/Producer/Editor of CICADA, a movie consummate on so many levels that it continues to resonate with me days after seeing it and will undoubtedly make my list of the best in 2020.
As this Movie opens with a âbased on true eventsâ disclaimer, it should come with no surprise that Fifer also plays the lead role of Ben. Once engaged to a woman, this mopey, handsome bisexual man having meaningless sex with anyone and everyone is portrayed provocatively and humorously in a series of vignettes. Then he meets an attractive black man in front of a used book store. Sam (Sheldon D. Brown) is easily charmed by Benâs flirtatiousness and quick wit and the two hook-up. Set against a backdrop of a never more beautiful looking Manhattan and Greenwich Village, their relationship blooms and as they blossom together, they slowly reveal their inner fears and demons which range from the insecurities of admitting who they are to their family members to much more shocking revelations of sexual and physical violence, racism and homophobia. Their relationship has hit numerous stumbling blocks and we watch and hope they can survive as a couple. I know I am being deliberately vague about their many obstacles, but one of the powers of CICADA is the sense of discovery that sucker punches you in the heart. Like a great Documentary, Fifer and Brown (who also contributed to the Screenplay) expertly navigate the topics with finesse.
While on the topic of experts, Cobie Smulders (from the recently cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns TV series âStumptownâ) dominates the screen in her role as Benâs psychiatrist and Neil Patrick Harrisâ real-life husband David Burtka shines subtly in his role as a DILF who hires Ben as a House Painter.
Fifer is a powerhouse hyphenate. Taking his incredible acting chops talents aside, his vision is a fully realized accomplishment; from sweepingly-romantic scenes replete with too many laugh out loud one-liners to heartbreaking circumstances, CICADA must be seen. Itâs cinematic gold.
A monster breakout hit at this yearâs TIFF and already written about on this site by my talented colleague, Amanda Gilmore, I just want to quickly add how much I loved SHIVA BABY and I hope this Movie resurges Polly Draperâs career. Her comic timing is brilliant. I literally almost fell-off my chair when she accuses her daughter of being too thin by saying âYou look like Gwyneth Paltrow on food stampsâ. Hollywood Casting Agents: canât get Oscar and Emmy winner Allison Janney? Hire the Divine Ms. Draper.
AHEAD OF THE CURVE is a Documentary Feature about Franco Stevens who, with grit and determination, printed the first lesbian lifestyle glossy Magazine. âCurveâ was the first of its kind as the many talking heads in this Film (that include Melissa Etheridge and SAG and Obie winner, Lea DeLaria) expound what a significant impact it made on their lives. The Movie opens with the fear that the print edition of this iconic Magazine may be heading towards extinction and how an online version could successfully compete in an already over-saturated environment. I was fascinated with all aspects of starting and maintaining the many successes that was Curve magazine and the constant battles initiated by the readers over the use of the lesbian on the cover versus words like gay, dyke, queer, etc.
Where AHEAD OF THE CURVE falters with me is that it spends considerable screen time on many topics and issues that, though very important (homophobia, transphobia, legal inequitiesâŠthe list goes on), had little to do with the Magazine itself or the life of Franco Stevens. Whereas earlier in the Movie, there are many theories, humorously depicted, as to why the magazine was first called âDeneuveâ, these same women express shock and indignation when the magazine is sued by Catherine Deneuve for infringement. Much of Stevensâ personal life is glossed over. She married a man at 19 and after one class realized she was gayâŠthat was a head scratching revelation. I found many aspects of AHEAD OF THE CURVE informative and interesting but, all in all, for me, itâs a noble misstep.
Written by then 19-year-old Stanley Kalu (now 23) then having its world premiere at TIFF ’19, THE OBITUARY OF TUNDE JOHNSON is, sadly, as timely today as when it was first conceived. The Movie opens with its Narrator saying âTunde Johnson departed this life 9:30pm, May 28th, 2020 at the hands of police officers in Los Angeles, Californiaâ, the day he came out as gay to his wealthy Nigerian-born parents. His crime? Being black while driving. Using âGroundhog Dayâ as a template, we relive Tundeâs school day and his tragic fate over and over again, though the reasons for the death change as the story takes us along different paths. Nevertheless, death for sitting in an expensive car or walking alone in a prosperous neighbourhood or standing in front of a store smoking a cigarette is heinous and difficult to watch. Steven Silver (Netflixâs â13 Reasons Whyâ) gives a multi-faceted, intense performance in the lead role and is complimented greatly by all the Supporting Actors, which include David James Elliott. Director Ali LeRoi succinctly and eloquently depicts the movies many issues as racism, police brutality, LGBTQ acceptance, drugs and mental health. It is a searing commentary on the consequences of being black in America, made even scarier if youâre young and gay. THE OBITUARY OF TUNDE JOHNSON is a towering and powerful achievement.
NO ORDINARY MAN is a fascinating documentary that focuses on the life of Billy Tipton, a popular Jazz Musician in the ’40s and ’50s whose Trans identity was not publicly revealed until after his death in 1989. In a male-dominated Jazz scene from which women musicians were excluded, the talented Tipton found work and fame dressed as a man; he married a woman and together they adopted 3 children (from whom he continued to keep his gender a secret). After his death, the tabloid newspapers and TV shows (including Oprah and Geraldo) fixated on the salacious and a posthumous Biography, titled âSuits Meâ added flames to the horribly-misinformed fire. I found NO ORDINARY MAN absolutely engrossing and illuminating as Trans men are sadly under-represented in the arts. TV shows like âPoseâ and multiple Emmy nominated Laverne Cox shed positive portraits of Trans women but who gets more media attention: Chaz Bono or Caitlyn Jenner? Not only do Directors Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt employ Tiptonâs photographs, music and personal tape recordings, the âtalking headsâ interviews shed insights into a world of Transmasculinity and gender versus sexuality. I particularly enjoyed sequences where Trans men were reading from a Script about a proposed Tipton Biopic and their unique and individual interpretations of how Tipton would react, intermingling with their own thoughts and experiences. NO ORDINARY MAN is groundbreaking and triumphant.
The handsome, charismatic and talented Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) is the centerpiece in the introspective, languidly-paced MONSOON from writer/director Hong Khaou. Playing Kit, he returns to the country of his birth, Vietnam, to scatter the ashes of his late parents. While there, he reunites with his childhood friend, Lee (David Tran), meets an Art Curator, Linh (Molly Harris) and has an online hook-up with Lewis (Parker Sawyers), the son of a troubled Vietnam War vet. The lush Cinematography of modern day Vietnam only accentuates the rich heartfelt performances by everyone in MONSOON.
When youâre a closeted gay teen attending high school in picturesque rural Ireland, life would be so much easier if everyone just thought you were in a relationship with someone of the opposite sex. Which is exactly what Eddie (Fionn OâShea) and Amber (Lola Petticrew) do; they become each otherâsâ beard. DATING AMBER takes us on their journey filled with uncomfortable hugs and kisses in public and awkward meetings with their parents as they individually deal with their own coming out processes.
Like Garbo, I rarely laugh but could not help myself guffawing throughout. The two leads are as supremely talented as they are photogenic. Writer/Director David Freyne infuses the screen with authenticity and charm, with letter perfect performances from all the supporting characters. DATING AMBER is a richly composed and executed movie and a must-see!
Troy kidnaps his child, Joe from his estranged wife Sally and the two travel on horseback through the wilds on Montana towards Canada. Flashbacks show us 11 year old Joeâs discomfort wearing a dress at a family picnic and the exceptionally close bond with Troy. When Joe tells Troy that she is not a Tomboy, but a boy trapped in a girlâs body, his total and complete acceptance of the news contrasts dramatically from how Sally reacts.
COWBOYS is a powerful and complex movie, tackling the subject matter of being a transgender child with grace and eloquence. Not only is this Steve Zahnâs (as Troy) best screen performance ever, young trans actor Sasha Knightâs accomplishment belies his age. As the police officer in charge of finding the two outcasts safely, the always great Ann Dowd adds another feather to her accomplished cap. Against the majestic backdrop of the Montana forests, COWBOYS resonates with compassion. Â
Visit insideout.ca for more details and tickets!
(Photo credit: Inside Out/Netflix/Obscured Pictures)
Just a few weeks left of summer, but there’s plenty of action and thrills to enjoy at home on digital, on-demand and via streaming. See what’s out!
By David Baldwin
A group of five friends set out to go spelunking through an uncharted cave deep in the Northern Australian forest. As they begin exploring, a tropical storm sets in, flooding the cave and leaving the group trapped. And survival will not be easy with a crocodile swimming around close by.
Black Water: Abyss is a small, claustrophobic Thriller that works best when it focuses on the increasingly cramped spaces around our group of friends. The cave is small, the water is gradually rising up around them and swimming through some of the caverns could mean death by crocodile. It all makes for a handful of terrifying and breathless sequences, but it comes at the price of some daft underwater cinematography and less than ideal creature effects. Worse, it is hard to care about any of the characters living or dying when they are saddled with a stereotypical soap opera storyline that you will predict the outcome of instantaneously. The film would have benefitted from Director Andrew Traucki â who Co-Directed the first Black Water film â spending less time lingering on specific dialogue and items that will obviously come up again later, and more time on the precarious situation these friends find themselves in.
levelFILM release BLACK WATER: ABYSS on On-Demand on Tuesday, August 10, 2020.
By David Baldwin
Eli Yaguchi (Theodor Aoki) is a cellist trying to get into a prestigious musical conservatory. He needs to rehearse with his brother Nick (Maximillian Aoki), but Nick is more invested in working at a bar with some local gangsters. But when Eli finds a big bag of money, the brothers get entangled in a plot involving a kidnapping, a heist and some seedy characters with their own agendas.
As a Hamilton boy born and bred, I love seeing Hamilton on screen as Hamilton (and not Detroit or any other American wasteland). Co-Writer/Director Warren P. Sonoda is a Hamilton boy as well, and his love for the city is on full display throughout Things I Do For Money. The Film is a very personal story right from the start, even if it is about crime, violence and all the sordid types of things we do for the ones we love. I was afraid after a few initial scenes that it would be overly artsy, but the Film has a slick look and feel that blends nicely with the beautifully-shot and often intense cello playing scenes. While I wish the dialogue was a bit less clunky and that the acting was a bit stronger (to be fair, many of the actors here are first timers â including our leads), Things I Do For Money is a well-made and enjoyable Canadian picture.
Raven Banner Releasing release THINGS I DO FOR MONEY on Digital and
On-Demand on Tuesday, August 10, 2020.
By Mr. Will Wong
Paranormal Activity Co-Directors Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost, join forces again in high-octane Action-Thriller PROJECT POWER. The Film set in New Orleans, centers on an ex-soldier, Art (Jamie Foxx) with a vendetta and out to rescue his daughter; a cop named Frank (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) on a mission, teaming with a teenage drug dealer, Robin (Dominique Fishback). The trio’s stories intersect as a highly-coveted drug surfaces in New Orleans, givings its users superhuman ability for the span of five minutes. You might turn invisible, you might become bulletproof, you might die. With the drug being responsible for an influx of crime in the City, the power is in this trio’s hands to fight those responsible for the dangerous drug.
Time passes rather quickly in this action-packed ride loaded with some cool CGI, which has us rooting for these three. In many ways, the story is a reflection of the vicious cycle of crime in the inner city and speaks to the oppression of black people in the most timely manner. Fishback whom you might remember from 2018’s The Hate U Give, is back and steals the show as a girl wise beyond her years, yet still embodies a naivetĂ© that acts as a vessel which connects us to this dark, fiery underworld.
PROJECT POWER streams on Netflix Friday, August 14, 2020.
By Mr. Will Wong
David Arquette rose to prominence in Hollywood in the mid-90s with major hits like the Scream franchise, Never Been Kissed, See Spot Run and more. Coming from a family rich in acting pedigree with siblings Rosanna, Richmond, Patricia and Alexis all actors also. Arquette made headlines after crossing into the world of Wrestling, being crowned WCW World Heavyweight Champion in 2000, drawing outrage from fans. This Documentary co-directed by David Darg and Price James follows his return to the sport. This time around, he really has something to prove to himself and wrestling fans – that through hard work and cutting his teeth like a real wrestler, that he too can be competitive. The Actor after suffering a heart attack goes on a journey to get fit and we meet his family, including his wife and kids who have no choice but to be supportive no matter how embarrassing this is for them.
The Film goes a level deeper in giving us an understanding of some of the mental issues he is coping with and his comeback at times is scary and goes to some near-death situations. We thoroughly were entertained and Arquette isn’t unlike most of us. Acceptance and approval means something to many of us.
In addition to premiering at the Fantasia Film Festival (coverage to come), YOU CANNOT KILL DAVID ARQUETTE is available on Digital and On-Demand via Elevation Pictures Friday, August 28, 2020.
By Mr. Will Wong
A story so twisted, it had to be true. Based on a true story set in 1989, Daniel Roby‘s TARGET NUMBER ONE (known as MOST WANTED in the U.S.), centers on a Canadian investigative journalist named Victor Malarek (Josh Hartnett) who is in pursuit of the truth after a former heroine junkie Daniel LĂ©ger (Antoine Olivier Pilon), is sentenced suspiciously to 100 years in jail in Thailand. The story works its way backwards where we learn the series of events that led to LĂ©ger‘s conviction and the people behind his demise, namely a drug dealer named Glen Picker (Jim Gaffigan). Picker convinces Leger to go to Thailand, framing him to authorities as a major player in international drug trade overseeing a major shipment. This in turn sets Picker up for a big pay-off in exchange for this information. LĂ©ger winds-up serving eight years in a Thai prison subject to several abuses, before making his way back to Canada thanks to Malarek whose choices are less than supported by his wife (Amanda Crew).
Clocking-in at 2 hours and 15 minutes, there certainly was room for a bit more judiciousness in editing, but thankfully the story here is compelling enough to retain our interest. Hartnett delivers some of his best work yet and LĂ©ger, whom we saw last in Xavier Dolan‘s award-sweeping Mommy, delivers a commendable performance. Funnyman Gaffigan gives us something new but in a way that is familiar as the calculating and conniving Picker, full of one-liners, like “Keep your shirt on, this isn’t a gay cruise!”. We’re still laughing about that.
eOne Films release TARGET NUMBER ONE, opening in Ontario theatres Friday, August 14, 2020.
By David Baldwin
Six friends in lockdown decide to hold a séance with a medium over a Zoom chat. While they are initially skeptical of the things the medium says, things quickly take a turn when it becomes clear a demonic spirit has begun haunting their homes.
Host is a movie of the moment, and one that will scare the hell out of you â especially if you tend to have your daily work meetings over Zoom. It is not a particularly original idea (the film taking place in real time âover a computer screenâ gimmick has been done), but rarely has this filmmaking style been used as effective as it is here. Director Rob Savage introduces us to our characters, jumps right into the action and finishes all in 56 ridiculously-brisk and well-paced minutes. He does not waste a single second. Where other films would take a moment to breathe, Host keeps moving relentlessly, lining up and knocking down one breathless, terrifying set piece after the next. The deliberately consumer grade look of the Film amplifies the scares, using the limitations and our knowledge of our phones, laptops and Zoom itself to its advantage. Even when it is at its most artificial and predictable, Host fires on all cylinders.
Now I just need to log into my work computer and cancel all of my Zoom meetings, ASAP. HOST streams on Shudder now.
By Mr. Will Wong
This Ensemble Comedy directed and written by Actor Mike Doyle centers on a group of thirtysomethings who either are single or falling-out of love. We meet Cammy (Michelle Buteau) who falls for a homeless guy Henry (Colin Donnell); Haley (Zoe Chao) who is seduced by her student Scott (Christopher Gray); Adam (Scott Evans) and Marklin (Augustus Prew) who are growing apart; and Elizabeth (Kate Walsh) who seldom has trouble meeting guys. While each of these characters goes through their own messy situations, Doyle takes us on a journey which each of them and what he captures well is their tight-knit bond. We only wish it went to deeper places or had them exploring more about struggles in their own friendships with one another. Even despite some questionable choices, their bond remains unbreakable. There are some very solid performances from this Ensemble led by Buteau and Walsh and what amounts is a mildly-dramatic watch.
We absolutely love tales of obsession and people on-the-verge and this is everything we hoped for. We’ve always enjoyed Amanda Peet but she slays it in the lead role here of Betty Broderick. This season of the Series based on true events in the mid-80s, sees this Socialite’s world crumble when she is growingly-suspicious of her lawyer husband Dan (Christian Slater) cheating on her, eventually shut-out from her kids’ lives and driven to murder. While the Series literally starts at level 11 on a scale of 10 in terms of chaos, the story works its way backwards a bit and we witness that build-up in tension before it erupts into a relentless fire. Peet is effective start to finish, managing to deliver a sympathetic performance even if Broderick’s choices ultimately are horribly-wrong. Slater is growingly-loathsome as the story progresses which means he did his job just right. These eight episodes flew-by so quickly and we loved it!
If you’re braving the theatres this weekend, check-out our Review of UNHINGED which is now in theatres.
(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures/eOne Films/Raven Banner Releasing/Netflix/levelFilm/Shudder)
The streaming options are limitless right now during this isolation period and our Team gather together some Series and Films that might be on your radar this month!
DEFENDING JACOB (APPLE TV+)
Based on William Landay‘s best-selling Novel of the same name, this eight-part Series stars Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery and Jaeden Martell as a family navigating the son being accused of a deadly crime. The suspenseful Series throws in a few twists where we realize very early the outcome, but the story doesn’t end there as it goes a layer deeper and we learn about Andy (Evans), a successful lawyer navigating being a father to his son Jacob (Martell) and seeking justice for him, yet having to step aside from the situation based on conflict of interest. We learn that Andy has been covering a deep, dark secret about his family which is key to how the story unfolds. Evans shows us his true dramatic chops, while Downton Abbey‘s Dockery also transforms into a suburban housewife/mother who increasingly grows doubtful of her son’s innocence. Martell, who we loved in It, Knives Out and St. Vincent continues to show why he’s among this next generation’s top young talent. All episodes are available now to stream on Apple TV+.
JUDY AND PUNCH (A71)
Set in Seaside, which humourously is nowhere near the sea, this Australian Black Comedy centers on a couple, Judy (Mia Wasikowska) and Punch (Damon Herriman), a pair of Puppeteers with a popular show. Taking place in an era of Paganism, where justice is sought through hanging and stoning, we see Judy frustrated by her husband’s drinking which leads to catastrophe and domestic violence. Just when we think Judy is dead, she isn’t and she bands with a group of misfits who help her find herself as she exacts revenge on her husband who manufactures a story about her disappearance, struggling to maintain his puppet act on his own. This Film, which got raves at Sundance last year, is the directorial debut by Actress and Writer Mirrah Foulkes, carried by a post-Me Too energy and fantastic performances from its two leads. Wasikowska emerges from the background as the Film progresses breathing a vulnerable courage into Judy, while Herriman who has played Charles Manson in both Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood and Mindhunter, brings a similar type of manic energy to Punch. Worth a watch if revenge stories are your thing. Available June 5, 2020 on Digital and On-Demand.
JEFFREY EPSTEIN: FILTHY RICH (NETFLIX)
This four-part Netflix series is based on the Book of the same name by James Patterson. Co-written by John Connolly and Tim Malloy, it gives us candid interviews with victims of the convicted sex offender, also exposing some of his high-profile and highly-guarded circle of friends who victimized these young, often under-aged women. Certainly a difficult watch and often enraging how successful Epstein and his legal team were for several years dodging conviction and receiving pardon. Being so secretive and cryptic, we never get a clear picture as to the Whys behind Epstein‘s action, although we commend this being largely about what this opportunity means to his many victims who never really had their justice or chance to be heard with him ending his life.
HONEY BOY (AMAZON PRIME)
Winning much Awards Season acclaim and a premiere at TIFF ’19, this Dramedy based on Shia LaBeouf’s life growing-up as a child actor with his alcoholic, sex offender father, played by himself. Noah Jupe (Mid-90s) plays a younger LaBeouf, as this story which doubles as therapy for LaBeouf who still maintains a close relationship with his father. Honey Boy explores the peculiar dynamic when a child is the breadwinner in the family and the power struggle between parent and child, set in a $40-a-night motel room where they live. A difficult watch at times, we gain insight and some empathy for this troubled, often misunderstood star who also wrote the Film, directed by Alma Har’el. This has been on Amazon Prime for a bit, but definitely worth a watch for their phenomenal work by the Film’s two leads.
FLAVORFUL ORIGINS (NETFLIX)
This gorgeously-shot treasure is a quick watch and we easily zipped through this. Those who love to learn about other cuisine and cultures should definitely check this out. Season One draws you right in as we visit the Chaoshan region of Guangdong, China. Each episode we learn about native ingredients which define the region’s tastes and learn about the processes behind making dishes like Raw Crab, Fish Sauce, Master Sauce, Fish and Meat Balls, plus so much more. Highly-educational, giving you insight into the science behind foods also. Something to wind down to at the of the day. Both seasons are on Netflix.
BLOCKERS (NETFLIX)
This 2018 coming-of-age Comedy finally surfaces on Netflix and the timing is perfect with many of our grads missing out on their Proms this year, being at home. Directed by Kay Cannon, BLOCKERS centers on three girls about to graduate high school, making a sex pact together to each lose their virginities. Their parents get involved after learning of this and try to intercept this from happening. We see their adventure unfold as the parents try to find out where they each are headed to after Prom. Fantastic performances by our three teen leads Kathryn Newton (Julie), TIFF International Rising Star Geraldine Viswanathan (Kayla) and Gideon Adlon (Sam), and our three adult leads John Cena (Mitchell), Leslie Mann (Lisa) and Ike Barinholtz (Hunter). The jokes are relentless as the fumbling parents desperately try to go undercover and understand the lingo, but ultimately the Film is heartfelt and about each of the girls finding themselves. Blockers is so much more than a raunchy Comedy.
LAST MOMENT OF CLARITY (VVS FILMS)
By Justin Waldman
First-time Writer/Director Duo Colin and James Krisel come together to bring Last Moment of Clarity to our viewing pleasure. While there are strong performances from the Cast, the familiarity of plot points and themes, along with a truly head scratching turn leaves the audience slightly dumbfounded. Sometimes the best mysteries would be the ones that are left unturned or without the resolution desired by the protagonist, however then one would always be chasing that final answer.
The Movie focuses on Sam (Zach Avery), who is living in Paris, goes to a local cinema and sees his assumed dead partner, Georgia (Samara Weaving) as an actress in the Film and this causes him to question the world he left behind, and, if Georgia is actually dead. Upon launching his own private eye investigation, he runs into old acquaintance Kat (Carly Chaikin) as she tries to help him uncover the mystery.
What makes Last Moment of Clarity work well are the performances by Avery, Weaving and Chaikin. Avery is determined to find out if the woman he assumed was dead, is actually alive and stops at nothing from uncovering the truth, Samaraâs performance is grounded and incredibly-focused, and Carlyâs desire to reconnect and help her old friend is precise and heartwarming. The action that flows in the Movie while keeping you locked in suspense, including up to the last frame of the Movie, keeps you captivated, but the big plot twist, later explained by a Hitchcockian means, is a bit far-fetched. VVS Films release LAST MOMENT OF CLARITY on-demand June 5, 2020, and DVD/Blu-ray June 30, 2020.
ABE (MK2 | MILE END)
We didn’t expect much from coming-of-age Dramedy ABE, but it was a pleasant surprise. The Film centers on a 12-year-old boy (Stranger Things’ Noah Schnapp) with a love of cooking, who must reconcile the conflicted feelings brought upon his grandparents. One side of his family is Palestinian, the other side Israeli and this is a recipe for disaster as family dinners often end in both sides not seeing eye-to-eye when it comes to harbouring past political and religious resentment. With him reaching the age for a Bar Mitzvah in the near future, Abe must choose which side of his heritage he will adopt. Abe‘s parents enroll him in a summer cooking camp which he realizes quickly is well below his skill set, and he winds-up studying under a professional Chef, Chico (Seu Jorge) without his parents knowing. Will his new skills help him prepare a meal that will being both sides of his family together at last? What happens when his parents find out he’s been hiding this secret?
Schnapp is wonderful in the titular role and the Film takes a genuinely-touching turn when the adults are forced to examine their deep hatred of one another. Abe examines the conflicted reality of growing-up with mixed heritage, the pressures of conformity and also the process of finding one’s self. All the while, Director/Writer Fernando Grostein Andrade presents the story in a fun, lighthearted way with plenty of mouthwatering moments. ABE will be available (to be confirmed) at virtual Imagine Theatres.
QUEER EYE: SEASON 5 (NETFLIX)
The Fab Five are back at it and hit-up Philadelphia this season and true to brand, they hit all the right feels at moments. We meet a diverse range of those in need of help including a Pastor grappling with his church and his sexuality; a Pet Groomer whose boyfriend cheated on her and is in desperate need of business advice; a hunky Jersey Shore DJ in his late thirties who has some growing-up to do; a teen Activist with a nervous energy looking to improve her living space and have people take her more seriously; a Seafood Shop Owner ready to launch a restaurant, coming at the cost of being there for his family; a Pediatrician who feels guilty not spending enough time with her daughter; and a mother and wife who is dealing with her husband’s ALS diagnosis. The latter is the emotional high point where we see the Fab Five connect with her on a level deeper than any other, revealing a raw, visceral truth about appreciating our past and present. We can never grow tired of these transformations and love that they aren’t about changing these subjects as much as they are about making them elevated versions of themselves. A perfect celebration of Pride, released in a timely manner!
SURVIVE THE NIGHT (VVS FILMS)
By Justin Waldman
From Director Matt Eskandari and first-time Writer Doug Wolfe, comes Survive the Night, which at times feels aptly-named. Despite some brief moments of tension and action, sadly, even a solid Cast which features Bruce Willis, can’t salvage this.
The Movie focuses on brothers Jim (Shea Buckner) and Matty (Tyler Jon Olson) as theyâre robbing a gas station and things go awry and Matty gets shot. Theyâre both worried about getting caught, but end up going to a hospital and following disgraced doctor, Rich (Chad Michael Murray) home. This is where they threaten his family, Frank (Willis) and Jan (Lydia Hull) included, so Rich can operate on Matty and save him, or his family will become collateral damage.
In addition to a lack of cohesion, we don’t feel these characters have enough at stake, which is baffling considering half the Cast is either trying to save their family or save their own skin and at times we felt this is a Film we’ve already seen. VVS Films release SURVIVE THE NIGHT, out now on-demand and on DVD/Blu-ray July 21, 2020.
THE POSTCARD KILLINGS (VVS FILMS)
By David Baldwin
After traveling to London to identify his daughterâs mutilated body, New York detective Jacob Kanon (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) decides to stick around and help with the investigation. He quickly learns that a serial killer is on the loose, murdering people and setting their bodies up in positions similar to popular art pieces. The killer also seems to be sending out postcards to journalists â suggesting where they might strike next â and Kanon is eager to join the chase around Europe to find them.
The Postcard Killings is stylish and looks great. But for the most part, it feels very cold, clinical and by the numbers. Save for one shocking moment in the middle of the Film, everything plays out exactly as you would assume and it was almost too obvious to predict the Film would be based on a book with the way it moves from scene to scene. It makes for a Film that is neither thrilling nor dull â just one that strikes the balance somewhere in the middle. Morgan shines as the cop reeling from a tragedy, but he only gets a few precious moments to breathe life into the character. I wish the same could be said for Cush Jumbo (of The Good Fight/The Good Wife), who does a lot of heavy lifting yet seems to be playing a heroine character cribbed from any number of other thrillers. VVS Films release THE POSTCARD KILLINGS on-demand and digitally now and on DVD/Blu-ray June 23, 2020.
STEALING SCHOOL (GAME THEORY FILMS)
Director/Writer Li Dong examines racial injustice and deep dirty Academia secrets in Satire STEALING SCHOOL, where we see a bright young Chinese-Canadian student named April (Celine Tsai) defend her innocence before a tribunal, when an obsessive Teaching Assistant (Jonathan Keltz) accuses her of plagiarism. As the plot thickens, we learn of a darker web of corruption and the lengths others will go to sway the ruling and what’s in it for them. Despite this not being an issue of April’s race, it comes to the forefront the deeper we go and we realize things might not have been what they appeared at first. We’re afraid to reveal exactly why as it would be giving too much away, but everyone’s hiding something from the past here. Dong manages to keep us in suspense the whole ride with theatrics and a bit of melodrama from its lead characters, telling this story which at times feels more Drama than Comedy, neat and concise. Game Theory Films release STEALING SCHOOL on Vimeo-on-Demand June 19, 2020 and Apple TV/iTunes June 23, 2020.
BUFFALOED (VVS Films)
Zoey Deutch delivers pure fire in Tribeca Film Festival selection BUFFALOED from Director Tanya Wexler. Set in the chaotic, cut throat world of Debt Collection, we meet Peg (Deutch), just about ready to get into college and onto a bright future till she realizes she’s got to pay for tuition. Making the wrong choices to do just that, she pays her dues in prison only to come out and land a job where she realizes she has the strength of persuasion and is actually good enough to compete against her awful misogynistic boss Wizz (Jai Courtney). What ensues is a turf war between them and we wonder if Peg‘s gotten in over her head, so much that her family gets implicated in some of her sketchy dealings. While the Dark Comedy gets a bit rowdy at times, Deutch manages to capture our interest the entire way with her sheer charisma and despite its absurdities, the Film is making a statement about debt the debt crisis in America today facing every day people like you and me, struggling to afford rent, mortgages and medical bills and the greed that can destroy us. VVS Films release BUFFALOED on-demand June 16, 2020.
DA 5 BLOODS (NETFLIX)
Iconic Filmmaker Spike Lee is back with his latest Feature on Netflix, DA 5 Bloods. We meet four former Vietnam vets: Paul (Delroy Lindo), Otis (Clarke Peters), Eddie (Norm Lewis) and Melvin (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) who return to there on a search to find the remains of and some of the gold their fallen Squad Leader Norman (Chadwick Boseman) had helped them hide back then. The story follows these men, who had several loose ends untied, including coping with PTSD. The Film even explores some of the complexities and resentment locals have towards American soldiers still, being responsible for the deaths of their families in the war. Entering the picture is Desroche (Jean Reno), a Frenchman looking to buy gold off the Bloods and matters get complicated when they find their lives on the line in the name of completing their mission as things get bloody. Performances are very strong from this tight Ensemble, led by Lindo and at moments it feels too long. Lee always has something to say and it is incredibly-timely that he ties it all together in a Black Lives Matter framework, and once again displays his remarkable ability to tell the complicated stories, humanizing his characters with great detail in the African-American voice.
WHITNEY (NETFLIX)
We still don’t believe she’s gone. We’ve been meaning to catch this 2018 Documentary about our beloved Whitney Houston and after watching it finally we only had regrets we didn’t see it sooner. Filmmaker Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland) gives us a very intimate look at the troubled life of this famed international Superstar who had it all. He also asks some very uncomfortable questions to those who were closest to her, exploring pressure for her to make her life seem perfect to the world. Macdonald interviews everyone from her ex-spouse Bobby Brown, who is uncomfortable discussing her drug use still, to those who worked closely with her like Tiffanie Dixon, her Hairstlylist who found her dead. One thing that is crucial for a Documentary about someone this high-profile to succeed is that it uncovers details that weren’t known prior and some shocking revelations are made about her family which are heartbreaking. This story, painted with a backdrop of her powerful catalog of hits makes this an empathetic, truthful portrait of the Whitney we never got to know.
DATING AROUND SEASON 2 (NETFLIX)
I’ll preface this by saying I dislike Dating Shows – the artifice and song-and-dance that comes with them. But I actually really enjoyed the fly-on-the-wall, unforced approach this very inclusive and diverse Series on dating takes. Each episode we follow along with a new person and their slate of potential suitors on dinner and drink dates. Sometimes you really feel the sparks, sometimes it’s just plain awkward and you’re begging for the date to end. By the end of each episode each subject picks the one person they choose to date again and sometimes these are shocking, sometimes not. We love the vast array of people we meet of varying orientations and ethnicities and that everyone is being as close to an authentic version of themselves as possible. We enjoy that uncomfortable subjects sometimes are brought to light in their conversations and we get why some people still remain single! Now in its second season, DATING AROUND was a quick and easy watch and a totally fresh take on a clichĂ©d genre of Television.
(Photo/video credit: Netflix/Apple TV+/VVS Films/A71/Amazon Prime Video/MK2|MILE END/Game Theory Films)
Enter for a chance to win Advance Screening Passes to see TIFF ’19 selection, THE GOLDFINCH! Screenings take place as follows:
VANCOUVER
Screening details:
Monday, September 9 2019
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Cineplex International Village
88 West Pender, 3rd Floor
Vancouver BC, V6B 6N9
EDMONTON
Screening details:
Monday, September 9 2019
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Scotiabank Theatre Edmonton
8882 170 St Suite: #3030
Edmonton AB, T5T 4M2
OTTAWA
Screening details:
Monday, September 9 2019
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Scotiabank Theatre Ottawa
2385 City Park Drive
Ottawa ON, K1J 1G1
CALGARY
Screening details:
Monday, September 9 2019
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Scotiabank Theatre Chinook
6455 Macleod Trail SW
Calgary AB, T2H 0K4
WINNIPEG
Screening details:
Monday, September 9 2019
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Scotiabank Theatre Winnipeg
817 St. James Street
Winnipeg MB, R3G 3L3
HALIFAX
Screening details:
Monday, September 9 2019
Show Time: 7:00 PM
Scotiabank Theatre Halifax
190 Chain Lake Dr.
Halifax NS, B3S 1C5
Synopsis:
The last time 13-year-old Theo Decker saw his mother, she was gliding away from him into another gallery of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Seconds later, a terrorist bomb exploded destroying priceless pieces of artâŠand shattering Theoâs life forever. The tragedy changes the course of his life, sending him on a stirring odyssey of grief and guilt, reinvention and redemption, friendship and even love.
Throughout the turbulent years, as he grows into adulthood, Theo secretly clings to a single, precious objectâhis one tangible connection to the mother he lost on that terrible dayâ a priceless painting of a tiny bird chained to its perch. The Goldfinch.
A beautifully wrought coming-of-age story, intimate in its emotion and sweeping in its design, âThe Goldfinchâ is the film adaptation of Donna Tarttâs globally acclaimed and beloved bestseller of the same name. The novel, which won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, spent more than 30 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers list.
Directed by BAFTA Award winner John Crowley (âBrooklynâ), the film features a multigenerational cast led by Ansel Elgort (âBaby Driverâ) as Theo Decker and Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman (âThe Hours,â âBig Little Liesâ) as Mrs. Barbour. The film also stars Oakes Fegley (âPeteâs Dragonâ) as Young Theo, Aneurin Barnard (âDunkirkâ) as Boris, Finn Wolfhard (âStranger Things,â âITâ) as Young Boris, with Sarah Paulson (âThe Post,â âAmerican Crime Storyâ) as Xandra, Luke Wilson (âThe Royal Tenenbaumsâ) as Larry, and Jeffrey Wright (HBOâs âWestworldâ) as Hobie.
âThe Goldfinchâ is produced by Nina Jacobson (âThe Hunger Gamesâ films, âAmerican Crime Storyâ) and Brad Simpson (âWorld War Z,â âAmerican Crime Storyâ). Mari Jo WinklerIoffreda, Kevin McCormick, Sue Kroll and Courtenay Valenti served as executive producers. The screenplay is by Oscar nominee Peter Straughan (âTinker Tailor Soldier Spyâ), based on the novel by Tartt.
Rounding out the main ensemble cast are Ashleigh Cummings (âMiss Fisherâs Murder Mysteriesâ) as Pippa, Willa Fitzgerald (âLittle Womenâ) as Kitsey Barbour, Aimee Laurence (âChicago P.D.â) as Young Pippa, Denis OâHare (âAmerican Horror Storyâ) as Lucius Reeve, and Boyd Gaines (2014âs âDriving Miss Daisyâ) as Mr. Barbour.
The behind-the-scenes creative team included Oscar-winning director of photography Roger Deakins (âBlade Runner 2049â), Oscar-nominated production designer K.K. Barrett (âHerâ), editor Kelley Dixon (âBreaking Badâ), and costume designer Kasia Walicka Maimone (âBridge of Spiesâ). The music is by Trevor Gureckis (âBloodlineâ).
âThe Goldfinchâ is a presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Amazon Studios, a Color Force Production, a John Crowley Film. Slated for release on September 13, 2019, it will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures. âThe Goldfinchâ has been rated R for drug use and language.
See the Trailer:
Artwork:
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THE GOLDFINCH hits theatres Friday, September 13, 2019.
(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros. Canada)
The 2019 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival kicks-off this Thursday, April 27 and runs through Sunday, May 5, 2019, giving Film lovers a chance to see over 200 Documentaries. It is expected that this year’s audience will exceed 200,000 with an array of fascinating guests to visit the City including Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Mr. Toilet, John Cleese, Ai Weiwei, Gordon Lightfoot and more!
Highlighting the Festival this year are AFTER PARKLANDÂ which examines the lives of students who survived the Parkland shooting; ASK DR. RUTH gives us a candid look at the life of the famed Sex Therapist; ASSHOLES: A THEORY looks at the Psychology of well, assholes; DRAG KIDS follows a group of pre-teens brought together by their love for Drag; GORDON LIGHTFOOT: IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND centers on the famed Canadian Singer/Songwriter; HUMAN NATURE received tons of buzz out of Sundance and looks at the new phenomenon of Gene Regulation; MR. TOILET: THE WORLD’S #2 MAN follows Jack Sim‘s quest to raise the standards of toilets worldwide; and Contemporary Artist and Activist Ai Weiwei directs THE REST.
Dr. Ruth
Ai Weiwei
Our Amanda Gilmore (@GilmoreAmanda) and George Kozera (@PartyG) had the chance to preview some of the most-buzzed Films of the Festival and here are some of their Reviews, including when and where to see the Films:
AMANDA GILMORE
Push
This documentary follows UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Housing Leilani Farha in her quest to define housing as a fundamental human right.
Director Fredrik Gertten does a tremendous job of getting ample amounts of information regarding city housing crisisâs across multiple continents, including North America and Europe. With the push of middle to low-income classes out of cities and into more rural neighbourhoods, this doc raises important questions about what cities are going to be in the future and who they will be for. Push isnât just a great Doc, but is also shot beautifully. Gertten aids his story by creating a dreary atmosphere by having many cities establishing shots displaying low-grey clouds and rain.
Push screens at Hot Docs on Fri, April 26 at 9:15PM at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, Sat, April 27 at 4PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1, Wed, May 1 at 1PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1, and Sat, May 4 at 9:15PM at Hart House Theatre.
Toxic Beauty
Toxic Beauty examines the effects of everyday cosmetics on the internal health of our bodies.
Director and Writer Phyllis Ellis has created a shockingly informative Documentary that will change the way men and women use their beauty products. Through rigorous interviews, class-action lawsuits and scientific studies this documentary delves deep into what is in our products and what effects they have on our health. It’s a mind-opening and possibly life-changing Film that is essential viewing.
Toxic Beauty screens at Hot Docs on Mon, Apr 29 at 12:45PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1, and Thu, May 2 at 5:45PM at Scotiabank Theatre 3.
Advocate
Advocate follows Israeli Human Rights Lawyer Lea Tsemel who has defended Palestinians against an array of criminal charges.
Directors Rachel Leah Jones and Philippe BellaĂŻche flip between two recent cases Tsemel was working on and prominent cases she took on during her fiveJ decades of work. In doing so, they create an in-depth and balanced look into the daily, gruelling tasks Tsemel, and her family, face. Tsemel states that she is always a loser in the cases she takes on, however, if she is able to get a lesser sentence for her clients then she really is a winner. This doc shows how people from opposite sides can come together and work to help each other.
Advocate screens at Hot Docs on Sun, April 28 at 6PM at Scotiabank Theatre 4, Mon, April 29 at 3:30PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 2, and Sun May 5 at 6:15PM at Isabel Bader Theatre.
Bellingcat: Truth in a Post-Truth World
This Documentary follows citizen journalists who work at Bellingcat, the “home of online investigations” and their resourceful investigative tools that expose untruthful information to international news stories.
Living in a post-truth world that has government officials fabricating news stories, is our frightening reality. Yet, this Documentary helps put us at ease knowing there are volunteer citizens who are using everyday social media tools to help uncover those government lies. Director Hans Pool paces this steadily with his behind-the-scenes access into every day, under-the-radar heroes who work at Bellingcat, resulting in a captivating watch.
Bellingcat: Truth in a Post-Truth World screens at Hot Docs on Tue, Apr 30 at 9:15PM at Isabel Bader Theatre, Wed, May 1 at 1PM at Isabel Bader Theatre, and Fri, May 3 at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema.
Well Groomed
Well Groomed follows a few American creative dog groomers and their quest to win both regional and the top-ranked grooming competition.
Director and Writer Rebecca Stern is documenting the artistry that goes into creative dog grooming and the passion behind those who do it. In that sense, this is a universal story of doing what one loves and hoping to one day be rewarded for it. Stern carries this Film along with a steady and often fun pace, however, she does leave some questions unanswered along the way.
Well Groomed screens at Hot Docs on Thu, Apr 25 at 8PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1, Fri, Apr 26 at 12:45PM at Isabel Bader Theatre, and Sat, May 4 at 10:15AM at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema.
Take Me To Prom
This Documentary short follows LGBTQ+ Canadians from different decades telling their prom stories.
Take Me To Prom is a beautiful Film that shows us how far we have come for the right of the LGBTQ+ community, but also shows there is more progress to be made. The stories from the handful of people are entirely unique from each other and leave a lasting impact. It will be hard for another to not be moved by this Short Doc.
Take Me To Prom will screen ahead of My Dads, My Moms and Me at the Hot Docs Film Festival on Wed, May 1 at 7PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 3, and Sat, May 4 at 10AM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 3.
Knock Down The House
This powerful Documentary follows some of the women, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and more,  who were running for Congress during the 2018 race.
Director Rachel Lears gives us a behind-the-scenes look into the challenges and struggles that many women running for Congress were facing. Everyone loves an underdog story and Lears plays-out this Documentary as an underdog story. Mostly because these women and their stories really were the underdogs and many were and still are rooting for. Knock Down The House is a timely look into American politics and the call for change that was beginning to happen.
Knock Down The House screens at Hot Docs on Sun, Apr 28 at 6:15PM at Isabel Bader Theatre, Mon, Apr 29 at 4PM at Isabel Bader Theatre, Fri, May 3 at 6:30PM at Fox Theatre, and Sat, May 4 at 1PM at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema.
Because We Are Girls
Because We Are Girls follows three sisters who endured childhood rape, sexual assault and trauma from a relative.
The Film documents one Punjabi-Canadian family and their dark secrets that stem from their toxic family culture. However, this Doc speaks to the experiences that many women and men have experienced no matter their familial background. Itâs an extremely hard to watch documentary due to the unflinching stories these women tell, but one that has a powerful message for this and future generations.
Because We Are Girls screens at Hot Docs on Wed, May 1 at 6:15PM at Scotiabank Theatre 4, Thu, May 2 at 1PM at Scotiabank Theatre 13, and Fri, May 3 at 6PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 2.
For Sama
Waad al-Kateab has documented the uprising in her home city of Aleppo for decades and threads all the footage into this beautiful documentary, dedicated to her daughter.
Directors al-Kateab and Edward Watts take an unflinching look at the horrific conflict in Aleppo and the effects it has on those caught in the crosshairs. There are many scenes that are gut-wrenching to watch and will leave a wounding effect on your heart for years to come. No matter how hard it is to watch itâs a must-see and one of the most impactful of the Festival.
For Sama screens at Hot Docs on Mon, Apr 29 at 9PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 3, Tue, Apr 30 at 12:30PM at Hart House Theatre, and Sun, May 5 at 12:45PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 3.
The Corporate Coup DâEtat
This Documentary examines the past two decades in American democracy and how the corporations behind the scenes, may be the ones running the show.
This in-depth study of Corporatism leaves no stone unturned, offering ample amounts of information and captivating interviews. Director Fred Peabody doesnât only document the reality we are faced with, he forces viewers to question what part they have within our immediate reality. Therefore, resulting in an enthralling Film that has the power to change the way we think.
The Corporate Coup DâEtat screens at Hot Docs on Mon, Apr 29 at 9:30PM at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema, Tue, Apr 30 at 10AM at Isabel Bader Theatre, and Fri, May 3 at 12PM at Hart House Theatre.
Buddy
This heartwarming documentary shows the everlasting bond and love between service dogs and their owners.
Director Heddy Honigmann has many subjects who all have distinct stories, which makes each narrative insightful and impactful. Although the Film has the most adorable and impressive service dogs as a focal point, it’s the owner’s vivid and moving personal commentary that leaves the lasting effect.
Buddy screens at Hot Docs on Fri, Apr 26 at 3:15PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1, Sat, Apr 27 at 3PM at Isabel Bader Theatre, and Tue, Apr 30 at 10:30AM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 3.
Assholes: A Theory
This Documentary is inspired by the novel of the same name written by Aaron James and examines what it means to be an asshole.
Director John Walker in the voice of legendary John Cleese, has given us all a gift with this hilarious and insightful look at the different meanings of being an asshole. Although it may sound like all fun and games, Walker takes a closer look at the negative global and social impacts, which cause a ripple effect, of those people who are assholes. In doing this, he gives us an explanation for why our society is the way it is while offering up solutions to help change it.
Assholes: A Theory screens at Hot Docs on Tue, Apr 30 at 7 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1, Wed, May 1 at 3:45 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1, and Sat, May 4 at 12:45 PM at Isabel Bader Theatre
Killing Patient Zero
During the beginning of the AIDS-crisis in North America, there were doctors and researchers trying to figure out where exactly the disease came from. What they inaccurately came to the conclusion of was that the person responsible for spreading AIDS throughout North America was a male flight attendant from Canada.
Director and Writer Laurie Lynd has brought this powerful story of a particular time in our history to the screen in an eloquent way, all while honouring the life of one man who didn’t deserve the blame that came his way. Lynd does this through captivating interviews and old footage from the 70s and 80s. Overall, this Documentary looks at uplifting and harrowing stories from that time which evokes a range of emotions.
Killing Patient Zero screens at Hot Docs on Fri, Apr 26 at 8:30 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1, Sat, Apr 27 at 12:30 PM at Scotiabank Theatre 4, and Fri, May 3 at 2:45 PM at Hart House Theatre.
Edge of Democracy
Edge of Democracy follows the journey of Brazil’s rise out of Dictatorship to Democracy only to find that same Democracy being taken away from them.
This Documentary takes it’s time to explain the history of Brazil’s politics, which is needed to help audiences understand the importance of what is happening right now. Although it takes its time there isn’t a moment that the doc feels too long. The in-depth look at the importance of democracy and how easy it can be taken away makes for an importance viewing experience.
Edge of Democracy screens at Hot Docs on Thu, Apr 25 at 5 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1, Fri, Apr 26 at 12:30 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 2, and Sat, May 4 at 1:15 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 1.
Una Primavera
This Documentary follows the family of one woman as the matriarch separates from the patriarch due to decades of abuse.
Director and Writer Valentina Primavera picks up her camera and gives a personal account of her family’s experience. Due to this deeply personal story the doc evokes immense emotions ranging from joy, anger and sadness. The themes within Una Primavera will resonate with many because it’s a story that has affected many. Due to that, it makes those who have experienced something similar with their family to feel a little less alone.
Una Primavera screens at Hot Docs on Mon, Apr 29 at 9 PM at Scotiabank Theatre 8, Wed, May 1 at 4 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox 2, and Sat, May 4 at 12:45 PM at Scotiabank Theatre 3.
GEORGE KOZERA
Framing John Delorean
At one point in his life, John DeLorean seemed to have it all. Rich and handsome. Poised to be the next head of General Motors, then, the most important company in the world. His third marriage to Supermodel Cristina Ferrare, with whom he has two children, is strong and passionate. He decides to leave GM and start his own revolutionary automobile company and designs a car now famous for being featured in Back to the Future. There were many financial hardships and on October 18, 1982, DeLorean was arrested by the FBI for trafficking cocaine in a videotaped sting operation. Framing John DeLorean wants us to figure out if he was framed or was he a mastermind criminal. The documentary is filled with interviews from his friends and co-workers and the insight they provide are fascinating. Where this Movie falters greatly is with its numerous filmed re-enactments starring Alec Baldwin as DeLorean as well as Josh Charles, Morena Baccarin and Dean Winters. I really didnât care what Baldwin thought of DeLorean or how he approached the acting role and would have preferred that the Filmmakers spent more time with DeLoreanâs son, Zack, who comes across tragic and angry.
Framing John Delorean screens at Hot Docs Wed, May 1, 9:15PM at Isabel Bader Theatre, and Fri, May 3, 6:30PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox.
Always in Season
When young Lennon Lacy is found hanging from a swing set in Bladenboro, North Carolina in 2014, the local officials deem it to be suicide, but his family and friends are convinced he was the victim of lynching. Not only does Director Jacqueline Olive investigate this matter in Always in Season, she also films an annual re-enactment of the slaughter of an African American family in Monroe, Georgia in 1934 as well as gives us an oral history of lynching in the southern States for over a century when it was not unusual for members of a town to be invited to attend a âHanging Beeâ. Not only is this Documentary provocative comprehensive in what it shows on screen, it will sadden and infuriate that this barbaric ritual still occurs regularly in the Christian south. This is a searing Documentary that will stay with you for days afterwards.
Always in Season screens at Hot Docs on Sun, Apr 28, 6:15PM Hart House, Tue, Apr 30, 12:45PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox, and Sat, May 4 6:30 PM at Hart House.
On the Inside of a Military Dictatorship
Despite being imprisoned for years and labelled a pariah by the male ruling and military class, when winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Aung San Suu Kyi, was overwhelmingly voted into power in Myanmar in 2015, the world believed she could bring stability to a country rocked by violence and corruption. Whereas On the Inside of a Military Dictatorship touches on many issues plaguing her, including ethnic cleansing violence between Buddhists and Muslims, This Documentary fails to keep the interest of the audience mostly due to the monotone of the Narrator (and Director) Karen Stokkendal Poulsen, its âtalking headsâ motif and redundant and repetitive interviews, it will appeal greatly to Political Sciences students and followers.
On the Inside of a Military Dictatorship screens at Hot Docs on Fri, Apr 26, 8:15 PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox, Sun, Apr 28, 12:15PM at Hart House, and Thurs, May 2, 12:15PM at Scotiabank.
The Wandering Chef
Have you ever hiked deep inside a forest, overturn a huge boulder and wonder if the moss growing underneath would make for a tasty soup? Not only does acclaimed celebrity Korean Chef, Jiho Im, do that as well as with other ingredients we mere mortal would step on or ignore, he travels these woods helping elderly farmers with their chores and cooks meals for them that are delicious with medicinal healing powers. Still affected emotionally due to the death of his strong maternal figure, Imâs relationship with an 88-year-old frail farmer is the crux and beautiful beating heart and soul of The Wandering Chef. This charming Documentary may even make you want to chew on some roots you find buried deep in gravel, especially after you watch him lovingly prepare 108 dishes in 24 hours.
THE WANDERING CHEF screens at Hot Docs Wed, May 1, 6:30pm at Hart House, Thu, May 2, 3:00PM at Scotiabank, and Fri, May 3, 9:30PM at Isabel Bader Theatre.
Mr. Toilet: The World’s #2 Man
One cannot watch this Documentary without a huge smile on your face for the most part. Jack Sim is out to solve the worldâs sanitation problem as 40% of the worldâs population does not have access to a room most of us take for granted. He has been hired to secure six million toilets to a region in India where the natives rather spend their money on cellphones or satellite dishes than having indoor plumbing. Women, in particular, need to find safe and secure outdoor places to relief themselves away from prying eyes and sexual assaults that occur on a daily basis. Mr. Toilet uses many means in its cinematic options to make their case. Humorous movie puns abound and animated sequences are interspersed with frightening statistics. Jack Sim is passionate and eccentric to boot â interviews with his wife and children are hysterical. This Documentary is an entertaining must-see, especially for those who give a “crap”!
Mr. Toilet: The World’s #2 Man screens at Hot Docs Sat, Apr 27 at 5:45PM at Scotiabank, Sun, Apr 28, 1:00PM at Isabel Bader Theatre, and Sat, May 4, 8:30PM at Fox Theatre.
Drag Kids
Take three boys and one girl, all between the ages of nine to eleven, who love dressing up and performing in drag and you have one of the most fascinating and entertaining documentaries ever filmed about this still relatively underground subculture. Drag Kids not only is unique as it features preteens overcoming obstacles to pursue their passion for performing, it delves into the relationships between parents and children and the bullying their children experience at times. It also takes us deep into the world of competitive Vogueing which is prominently featured in critically-acclaimed TV series POSE.
The children are insanely talented, eloquent and compelling to watch especially when they get overly excited whether it is over a pair of heels or Rice Krispie squares. The parents are unconditionally supportive and protective and the predominantly Lady Gaga tunes will have your toes tapping. You must check out Drag Kids, it is fab…u…lous!
Drag Kids screen at Hot Docs on Sunday, Apr 28 at 6:15 at TIFF Bell Lightbox, Tuesday, Apr.30 at 1:15 at TIFF Bell Lightbox and Friday May 3 at 3:45 at TIFF Bell Lightbox.
Find Tickets here.
(Photo credit: Hot Docs/Mr. Will Wong)
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