Starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Rege-Jean Page and Ana de Armas, the Russo Brothers’ THE GRAY MAN is arriving soon on Netflix. Here’s a first look at the brand-new Trailer.

THE GRAY MAN arrives in theatres July 15, 2022 and on Netflix July 22, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

There’s no doubt that Tom Cruise is back and better than ever! Check-out this new Teaser Trailer released for MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING PART ONE!

Paramount Pictures Canada release MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE DEAD RECKONING PART ONE July 14, 2023.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)

B.J. Novak directs, writes and stars in VENGEANCE, coming soon to theatres this Summer!

Story:

VENGEANCE, the directorial debut from writer and star B.J. Novak (“The Office”), is a darkly comic thriller about Ben Manalowitz, a journalist and podcaster who travels from New York City to West Texas to investigate the death of a girl he was hooking up with. With an ensemble cast that includes Issa Rae, Ashton Kutcher, Boyd Holbrook, J. Smith-Cameron, and Dove Cameron.

Universal Pictures Canada will release VENGEANCE in theatres on Friday, July 29, 2022.

(Photo credit: Focus Features)

The 2022 INSIDE OUT Festival brought to us by Lead Sponsor RBC, takes place May 26-June 5, 2022 in-person and online in Ontario. The Festival is comprised of 128 films from 28 countries, including 38 feature films, 3 episodic series, and 7 world premieres.

Now in its 32nd year, the Festival celebrating LGBTQ2S+ Film and Television, is highlighted by some high-profile programming, including Prime Video Series, THE LAKE starring Jordan Gavaris and Julia Stiles, plus also Opening Night Film MARS ONE, a Family Drama directed by Gabriel Martin! 

Upcoming Disney+ release FIRE ISLAND starring Bowen Yang and Margaret Cho also will be screening at the Festival!

Our George Kozera had the pleasure of previewing a few of the Festival’s key titles in-advance of this year’s Festival! Here’s his thoughts!

UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS

What sounds suspiciously like a bad joke set-up…a scatterbrained sex worker and a bitter gay Little Person meet and go on a road trip from New York to Labrador in a shockingly pink vehicle so that she can reconnect with the aliens that abducted her when she was 15 years old…UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS is a captivating comedy/drama/sci-fi hybrid that will have you invested from the very first scene. Acclaimed for his winning short movies, this is multi-hyphenate Juan Felipe Zuleta’s first feature-length film and there is nary a false move, from the stunning cinematography and to the haunting score from Sebastian Zuleta. Much like Rom-Coms, road trip movies tend to fall into predictable patterns which this film obliterates with finesse and originality.

As Winona, Sarah Hay gives a fully rounded performance in a difficult role that could have been a cliched mess in a less talented hands. Beautifully-nuanced and impressively balancing the quirky humour or pathos required, I hope to see more of her in the future. Matthew August Jeffers, who many will recognize from his recurring role on TV’s “New Amsterdam,” dominates every scene as Peter. He portrays loneliness, rage, sarcasm, grief, insecurities, intelligence and fear with superior assurance and grace, and I will not be at all surprised if he is nominated for Best Actor at next year’s Independent Spirit Awards.

Hold onto your hats as UNIDENTIFIED OBJECTS soars to stratospheric heights.

Fri May 27, 7:15 pm
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BEYOND ED BUCK

I was drawn to the Documentary BEYOND ED BUCK as the story of a rich political insider arrested of drugging and killing two Black men was fictionalized in a recent episode of “Law and Order”. What I watched instead was a by-the-books “talking heads” feature that inexplicitly switched gears one third into the Movie. The first portion held my attention, albeit with many reservations, as I found the case against Ed Buck interesting, and the storyline incorporated sexual fetishes into the equation with aplomb. Then it completely switched gears and turned into a Documentary about Black Trans Lives (neither of Buck’s victims were Trans) with testimonials of those who survived prostitution, violence, and drug addiction. This is fine, but not what we were led to think the Documentary is about.

Documentarians Jayce Baron and Hailie Sahar sadly have taken on many topics that they are passionate about and tried to present too many things in a scant 91 minutes. There’s an unfinished, somewhat unsubstantiated and an incredibly angry one-sided vision presented in BEYOND ED BUCK. There are many stories to be told here and you can’t throw everything into one pot and call it Fusion.

Sat Jun 04, 2:15 pm
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NANA’S BOYS

NANA’S BOYS opens with Q (Jared Wayne Gladly) finding nothing in the fridge and sneaking out a beautifully-furnished Manhattan apartment to buy a birthday breakfast for his, still asleep in bed, life partner Amari (David J. Cook) who is celebrating his “Dirty 30” that day. We quickly ascertain that Q, a successful Lawyer, is a bit of a control freak and Amari is unemployed and shiftless. They bicker in a way that only those in a long-standing relationship do culminating with Amari being overwhelmed by his gift of a wedding ring. When an explosion in Times Square forces the city into lockdown, the two men go into “The Boys in the Band” route and play a truth-seeking game using Polaroids of their life together. Shattering secrets are revealed.

NANA’S BOYS expertly portrays the dynamics of a relationship that changes and evolves much to the blind eye of a partner. Cracks in the foundation appear upon each new revelation. Writer/Director Ashton Pina confidently and concisely makes this very theatrical piece engrossing and elicits earnest performances and a believable chemistry between the two actors. The movie is an emotional roller coaster with gratifying results.

Tue May 31, 9:30 pm
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TRAMPS!

London in the ’60s may have been the epicenter of music and fashion and trends but it was short-lived, and it took 20 years for that city to regain that mantle once again. “It is the duty of every generation to reject the old” says one of many interviewees in the Inside Out Centerpiece Gala, TRAMPS!, a wildly-entertaining and vibrant Documentary about the birth of The New Romantics movement. Adapting from its Punk Rock roots and eschewing the grunge of the Sex Pistols and The Clash, The New Romantics were more theatrical in fashion and melodic in their music which captivated the world. Whereas I personally am a bit of an expert about the New York City Alternative scene of that era, I was transfixed by how it came to be across the pond and relished the Filmmakers use of archival filmed footage and recent interviews with the artistic pioneers of those days. The creatively flamboyant gay roots, exemplified by Boy George, were a crucial factor in the New Romantics success as it spawned new musical identities, informative magazines and genuinely original fashion and jewelry. It also respectfully honours those lost to AIDS (including maverick Filmmaker Derek Jarman and Performance Artist extraordinaire Leigh Bowery) or heroin addiction.

TRAMPS! reminded me of my favourite Grade School Teacher; he taught me new things, expanded my narrow environments, and made it all fun to boot! Highly-recommended.

Tue May 31, 7:00 pm
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FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE

Making a nod to the 1992 song by The Cure, FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE is Documentary Filmmaker Marcus Pontello’s love letter to Numbers, a nightclub in Houston Texas. Bullied as a teenager in and out of high school for being out and proud, Pontello found solace in the Alternative music scene and dancing the night away at the gay watering hole. Originally a GayDisco in the late ’70s, Numbers went through many iterations until it found success as a venue that catered to fans of musical acts that include Nine Inch Nails, Gary Numan and Grace Jones (shown minimally performing on the club’s stage). One of the co-owners of the bar during its heyday years was also the owner of Houston’s most successful record stores and worked tirelessly to promote new bands and music.

I wish FRIDAY I’M IN LOVE was as bouncy and compelling as the song remains to be. It is a rather sophomoric Documentary with endless interviews and little refreshing insights. Record stores have gone the route of the dinosaurs and nightclubs are not jammed to the rafters as they used to be everywhere currently, so the revelations here are not unique as this documentary wishes it could be. The Movie works as an unabashedly paean to a place that forever changed the Filmmaker. Other than that, I see a limited appeal to anyone outside of the Houston area and of a certain age.

Sun May 29, 2:15 pm
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OUT IN THE RING

First-time Filmmaker Ryan Bruce Levey explores the world of professional wrestling and its impact on the LGBTQ2S+ community in the Documentary OUT OF THE RING with passion and insight. Using archival footage alongside recent testimonies from Journalists, Historians and Wrestlers, Levey paints a fascinating and, at times, infuriating portrait of this incredibly unique form of entertainment. The rampant Homophobia and Racism that existed in the past is revelatory, but what profoundly disturbed me is the hypocrisy and greed from current Promoters as they exploit these Entertainers for financial gain. Whereas I could have done without some of the armchair psychological rhetoric presented, the interviews with current LGBTQ2S+ Professional Wrestlers were enlightening and inspiring as they strive for true and honest representation.

OUT IN THE RING introduced me to a world I had no interest in and I am now an informed and less judgmental about this unusual Sport and its Entertainers.

Fri Jun 03, 4:45 pm
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MONEYBOYS

In 1993, the Movie “Strawberry and Chocolate” made an international impact as it depicted gay life in Cuba. Though filmed in Taiwan and coming here after a successful screening at the Cannes Film Festival last year, MONEYBOYS may be the first film that addresses gay life in China. Despite a somewhat morose aura that permeates throughout, this is an accomplished piece of work that deserves attention.

When we first meet Fei (Kai Ko), he is a gay hustler working the rounds somewhere in South China and living with Xiaolai (J.C. Lin) with whom he has an intimate relationship with. After a brutally-violent incident, the story continues five years later when Fei returns to his small hometown village to see his dying grandfather. Despite a joyful reunion with his childhood friend Long (Yufan Bai), Fei’s family members treat him with disgust as, whereas they eagerly accept the money he sends, the method of how he makes his living is anathema to this patriarchal and homophobic environment. Fei leaves the village for good, followed by Long a few days later.

Much of Chinese Cinema has its own unique rhythm and style which may be discerned as over-the-top and soap opera-like by Western audiences. Everyone has their own story of love, be it requited or not. Seeing how Fei’s quest to find his heart’s soulmate falter often had me rivetted. With glorious Cinematography and heartfelt performances, MONEYBOYS is worth searching to experience.

Thu Jun 02, 9:15 pm
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Visit here for more on scheduling and tickets!

By Amanda Gilmore

Visionary South Korean Director Park Chan-Wook is back with this visually stunning romantic Thriller Noir.

After a man falls to his death from a mountain, Detective Hae-joon (Park Hae-il) meets his widow Seo-rae (Chinese Actress Tang Wei). She seems to be unaffected by the death of her husband. This causes suspicion amongst the detectives in the precinct. All signs point to her as suspect number one. But Hae-joon doesn’t believe that this mysterious woman could do such a thing. After stakeouts and an interrogation, Hae-joon becomes smitten with the mysterious Seo-rae. Now he must decide if his feelings get in the way of the investigation.

Decision to Leave starts out as a Detective Thriller and turns into something more heartfelt. In brilliant Chan-Wook style the edits and transitions are a visual feast for the eyes. Chan-Wook makes these transitions feel like they are one continuous take. They transport our detective into another scene that is playing out inside his mind. It’s a mesmerizing camera technique that is a delight to witness. There are shots that will dazzle and make any cinephile gasp.

The first half plays out like a gritty Detective Thriller Noir. Hae-joon is on a mission to find who threw this man off of the mountain. It seems like he found his prime suspect but her demeanour throws Hae-joon off. He finds this woman mesmerizing. The effect she has on him is paramount and the audience understands the emotion, thanks to the strong performance from Hae-il. He looks at her like she has all the answers in the world.

That’s when this noir turns into something more romantic. A blossoming relationship flourishes between the two. In lesser hands, this wouldn’t work. However, Chan-Wook excels in this storytelling. Seo-rae has clearly lived a difficult life. She’s been abused by her deceased husband. She carries this weight with her and it’s part of the reason Hae-joon falls for her. The audience is swept-away in this romance because of the chemistry between the two leads.

It’s in the second half when Seo-rae comes back into Hae-joon’s life that Chan-Wook’s intention comes through. This is a story about two people who fall in love in the oddest of circumstances. It’s about how far someone will go to protect the one they love. Wei’s performance is one of the best of the entire decade. It’s a special one that needs to be seen to be believed. She masters the art of mystery within her character. Although some would play Seo-rae as a psychopath, Wei grounds her. She’s a person who has never received real love and care until she met Hae-joon. Due to this, she will stop at nothing to feel it again. 

Overall, Decision to Leave despite being a Thriller, also is tender and romantic. It has an insurmountable performance from Wei that will not be forgotten. Additionally, it reminds us that love is unexpected, needed and selfless.

Decision to Leave screens at Cannes ’22:

Mon, May 23 at 6:00 PM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE

Tue, May 24 at 8:30 AM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE

Tue, May 24 at 7:30 PM at SALLE AGNÈS VARDA

Tue, May 24 at 9:30 PM at LICORNE

Wed, May 25 at 9:30 AM at CINEUM IMAX

Thu, May 26 at 12:00 PM at CINEUM AURORE

By Amanda Gilmore

This latest effort from Auteur David Cronenberg takes place sometime in the future when the human species has adapted to a synthetic environment. In doing so, the human body undergoes new transformations and mutations. Saul (Viggo Mortensen) is a man whose organs metamorphosis. This leads him and his partner Caprice (Léa Seydoux) to put on performance art shows where she operates on him, removing one of these mysterious organs at a time. However, a mysterious underground group believe that Saul’s ever-growing insides might just be the next step toward evolution.

Cronenberg opens with a young boy searching the ocean as a rotted shipwreck is just off the coast. It’s clear something has happened to Earth due to climate change. His mother warns him to not eat anything he finds. From her urgent, disgusted tone it’s clear he does this a lot. Soon we watch as he eats a plastic garbage bin. It’s a powerful opening to a film that works best as a commentary on climate change.

The impact of this climate change has caused the human body to transform in order to survive. However, this has led the species to feel no pain. As mentioned in the Film, pain acts as a warning sign. This brings into question how one can survive without it. The hollowness that comes with these characters causes them to crave something to feel.

The surgeries, and performance art, act as a substitute for sex in Crimes of the Future. As Kristen Stewart’s character Timlin explains: “Surgery is the new sex.” Stewart steals the show with her portrayal of the mousey Timlin. Particularly, in her advances upon Saul. It’s a shame she’s underused. But this statement is true as we see when watching Caprice (a daring and captivating performance from Seydoux) perform the surgeries on Saul. The look of desire and lust spreads across her face as she controls the procedure.

This theme of sex throughout the Film directly correlates to the idea of reproduction that continuously comes up. The evolution of humans won’t happen if no one is reproducing. One scene has Caprice unzip a part of Saul’s stomach and perform what is akin to oral sex. It’s as though Cronenberg is asking: how will the human race continue if they don’t procreate? They can adapt all they want, but without procreating the species will cease to exist.

The stylistic world Cronenberg and his Production Design team have created brings us into this futuristic world. The bed Saul sleeps in resembles a cocoon. He eats in a chair shaped like a skeleton that constantly moves. When he’s getting operated on, the machine looks like he’s in an incubator. This world and Cronenberg’s vision are fully realized.

There are Subplots that Cronenberg explores in the Film. He touches on how the Government police human bodies. They don’t want the characters to stray from the natural transformation their bodies are going through. This is the significance and the young boy from the beginning and the underground group who are attempting to perform surgeries to progress the human body. This Subplot is an intriguing one and we wish we had more time spent to evaluate it.

Crimes of the Future does have its share of queasy moments, however, it might not be as nauseating as was promised. The gruesome aspects come from the operations Caprice performs on Saul. Although, even then these scenes aren’t horrific – unless you are terrified of organs. The brutal aspects come more from the child. These two segments of the Film aren’t for the faint of heart, but they do tie everything together.

Crimes of the Future screens at Cannes ’22:

Mon, May 23 at 9:30 PM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE

Tue, May 24 at 12:00 PM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE

Tue, May 24 at 7:00 PM at LICORNE

Tue, May 24 at 7:30 PM at SALLE BAZIN

Wed, May 25 at 12:30 PM at CINEUM IMAX

Thu, May 26 at 9:30 AM at CINEUM AURORE

The 2022 Cannes Film Festival might have started a week ago, but the excitement continues to build as David Cronenberg’s CRIMES OF THE FUTURE premiered tonight. In attendance were none other than Kristen Stewart, whom our Amanda Gilmore spotted at the Press Junket and Photo Call earlier in a pink Chanel suit. Also in attendance were Léa Seydoux, Scott Speedman and Viggo Mortensen.

The Horror centers on a Performance Artist couple Caprice (Léa Seydoux) and Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen), whom publicly showcase the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), an investigator from the National Organ Registry, obsessively tracks their movements, which is when a mysterious group is revealed… Their mission – to use Saul’s notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.

The Horror received both walkouts and a standing ovation, divisive as Cronenberg expected. CRIMES OF THE FUTURE arrives in theatres June 3, 2022 via Sphere Films.

Also spotted around town were Jamie Foxx, seen enjoying the French Riviera on a yacht.

Canada’s Nina Dobrev and Shaun White also were spotted around town at both the Top Gun: Maverick Premiere last week, and a Fundraiser for Ukraine, the With Love for Peace Gala.

Review here for CRIMES OF THE FUTURE.

(Photo credit: Amanda Gilmore/Mr. Will Wong)

In advance of its Premiere at Cannes, comes this brand new Trailer for Baz Luhrmann’s ELVIS! Our Amanda Gilmore will be seeing it and sharing her thoughts later this week. Stay tuned!

Synopsis:

From Oscar-nominated visionary filmmaker Baz Luhrmann comes Warner Bros. Pictures’ drama “Elvis”, starring Austin Butler and Oscar winner Tom Hanks. The film explores the life and music of Elvis Presley (Butler), seen through the prism of his complicated relationship with his enigmatic manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Hanks). The story delves into the complex dynamic between Presley and Parker spanning over 20 years, from Presley’s rise to fame to his unprecedented stardom, against the backdrop of the evolving cultural landscape and loss of innocence in America. Central to that journey is one of the most significant and influential people in Elvis’s life, Priscilla Presley (Olivia DeJonge).

Starring alongside Hanks and Butler, award-winning theatre actress Helen Thomson (“Top of the Lake: China Girl,” “Rake”) plays Elvis’s mother, Gladys, Richard Roxburgh (“Moulin Rouge!” “Breath,” “Hacksaw Ridge”) portrays Elvis’s father, Vernon, and DeJonge (“The Visit,” “Stray Dolls”) plays Priscilla. Luke Bracey (“Hacksaw Ridge,” “Point Break”) plays Jerry Schilling, Natasha Bassett (“Hail, Caesar!”) plays Dixie Locke, David Wenham (“The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy, “Lion,” “300”) plays Hank Snow, Kelvin Harrison Jr. (“The Trial of the Chicago 7,” “The High Note”) plays B.B. King, Xavier Samuel (“Adore,” “Love & Friendship,” “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”) plays Scotty Moore, and Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog”) plays Jimmie Rodgers Snow.

Also in the cast, Dacre Montgomery (“Stranger Things,” “The Broken Heart Gallery”) plays TV director Steve Binder, alongside Australian actors Leon Ford (“Gallipoli,” “The Pacific”) as Tom Diskin, Kate Mulvany (“The Great Gatsby,” “Hunters”) as Marion Keisker, Gareth Davies (“Peter Rabbit,” “Hunters”) as Bones Howe, Charles Grounds (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “Camp”) as Billy Smith, Josh McConville (“Fantasy Island”) as Sam Phillips, and Adam Dunn (“Home and Away”) as Bill Black.

To play additional iconic musical artists in the film, Luhrmann cast singer/songwriter Yola as Sister Rosetta Tharpe, model Alton Mason as Little Richard, Austin, Texas native Gary Clark Jr. as Arthur Crudup, and artist Shonka Dukureh as Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton.

Warner Bros. Pictures Canada release ELVIS in theatres June 24, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros. Pictures Canada)

Review by Amanda Gilmore

Fashion Model-Celebrity couple Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean) are having problems…money problems. The main issue is that they have too much of it, which causes issues when it comes to bill time. The truth is, Yaya makes more than Carl but she’ll never pay. While in this rut in their relationship, Yaya’s influencer status gets them a free trip on a yacht. It’s there they meet their fellow uber-wealthy, upper-class, white privileged passengers. However, when they hit a stormy, turbulent night these rich elite are left stranded on an island.

Writer-Director Ruben Östlund’s latest is a biting, hilarious Satire on the privileged. He does this in three parts. The first is entirely focused on Carl and Yaya. As the bill sits on their table, Yaya becomes engrossed in her phone until Carl offers to pay. This results in one of the longest fights over money on-screen. Östlund, with the help of the brilliant Dickinson and Dean, creates an engrossing argument on Feminism and currency. It’s a hilarious section in this smart Film that sets the theme of money and hierarchy. Additionally, it shows a different side to Dickinson that allows him to show off his comedic side, which he excels at.

Once we arrive in the second part, we are introduced to a range of characters. Such as an elderly couple who sells grenades and Russian fertilizer magnate Dimitriy (played by the incomparable Zlatko Buric). It’s in this section that the majority of the hysterical moments happen. The things these characters say to each other and the staff on board (which resemble those from the Reality Show Below Deck) are shocking. It’s in this section that Östlund’s themes come through.

He touches on the privilege that comes along with having wealth in comparison to those who work on the yacht. The edits show the jarring difference in the lives of the passengers and employees. Triangle of Sadness through and through is a riot, however, there is one segment that remains a standout.

It takes place between the Captain (Woody Harrelson), a drunk who spends a lot of time in his cabin, and Dimitriy. As the yacht rocks during the Captain’s dinner and passengers are projectile vomiting everywhere (yes, there are some serious, although uproarious scenes in this second part) the two exchange quotes. Captain spews Socialism quotes while Dimitriy is an advocate for Capitalism. Harrelson and Buric are outrageously funny. Could easily watch them as these characters for days on end.

The Final Act of Östlund’s unmissable Satire has the rich stranded and incapable of providing the necessities to survive. Remember, they pay people to take care of them. But lucky, or unlucky, for them there is one capable crew member who survived — Abigail (Dolly De Leon). Onboard she was the cleaning manager but on this island, she becomes the boss. It’s a perfect way to sum up all of Östlund’s themes. Having the upper-class succumb to someone they believe is below them. De Leon not only runs the island, but she steals the entire third act and runs away with it.

Triangle of Sadness is unforgettable, nailing every beat and then some. The Ensemble Cast has impeccable comedic timing. This is not to be missed.

Triangle of Sadness screens at Cannes ’22:

Sat, May 21 at 6:00 PM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE

Sun, May 22 at 8:30 AM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE

Sun, May 22 at 1:00 PM at SALLE AGNÈS VARDA

Sun, May 22 at 9:30 PM at LICORNE

Mon, May 23 at 11:45 PM at CINEUM IMAX

Tue, May 24 at 9:30 AM at CINEUM AURORE

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

This impressive First-Feature Debut by Co-Directors Riley Keough and Gina Gammell follows two Oglala Lakota boys on Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Bill (Jojo Bapteise Whiting) is a 23-year-old trying to make some money. When he finds an abandoned poodle, he starts his own dog breeding business. While Matho (Ladainian Crazy Thunder) is a 12-year-old desperate for his father’s approval. When the unexpected happens, Matho sees no other way but to follow in his father’s footsteps. Bound by their shared search for belonging, they grapple with identity, family, and loss, as they navigate their unique paths to manhood.

Keough and Gammell observe their endearing characters navigate reservation life. Although this is more of a character-driven piece, it’s more captivating than plot-focused narratives. Their two storylines give a ranged look at what these young men need to do to survive in a world that’s abandoned them. The Co-Directors use the two interlocking storylines as a way to give an authentic look into the lives of those on reservations.

Bill is a go-getter who’s trying to start his own business. His drive to succeed is infectious. Additionally, he’s a goofball who wants to get the mother of one of his children back. His endearing quality is that things never quite go right in his romantic life. Bapteise Whiting gives a star-making performance. We see the struggle he’s lived through, his desire to succeed and the bond that grows between him and his Poodle.

Matho’s story is much darker. He’s forced to act beyond his years due to his home life. He’s surrounded by a particular style of living and only wants his father’s approval. In seeking that, it backfires and his father kicks him out of the house. Forcing this 12-year-old to provide for himself, leads him right down the life his father led. Crazy Thunder gives a heartbreaking performance as the young boy who’s trying to find a way to survive.

The Co-Directors and Writers, with the help of Co-Writers Franklin Sioux Bob and Bill Reddy, bring in Native American beliefs through the use of the American Buffalo. The Lakota believe the American buffalo is a symbol that one does not have to struggle to survive if the right action is joined by the right prayer. The American buffalo is witnessed by both Bill and Matho at different moments. This, in addition to the editing by Affonso Gonçalves and Eduardo Serrano, brings these two young men together.

War Pony screens at Cannes ’22:

Sat, May 21 at 2:15 PM at SALLE DEBUSSY

Sun, May 22 at 8:30 AM at SALLE DEBUSSY

Sun, May 22 at 12:00 PM at CINEUM AURORE

Mon, May 23 at 11:30 AM at LICORNE

Mon, May 23 at 1:15 PM at CINEUM SCREEN X