By Mr. Will Wong
Editor-turned-Director Garrett Price makes his Feature debut with LOVE, ANTOSHA, which premiered to raves at Sundance. The Documentary centers on Actor Anton Yelchin, who passed away tragically at the age of 2017 in 2016. Yelchin was known best for his work in films like Charlie Bartlett, Smurfs, three Star Trek films as Pavel Chekov, Fright Night and the highly-acclaimed Like Crazy.
Price gives us intimate access to Yelchin‘s path to becoming one of Hollywood’s most-buzzed Actors through archived footage and interviews with his parents Irina and Viktor, whom we learned formerly were Figure Skaters in Russia, and also some of his famous Co-stars and peers like John Cho, J.J Abrams, Jennifer Lawrence, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana and Kristen Stewart.
Antosha, as Anton is known at home, is portrayed here in a way that pays tribute to his artistry and quirkiness as we see him grow from a child auditioning for commercials, to his deep obsession with learning the history of Film, ultimately to finding himself as an Artist – not only an Actor but also a Photographer and Musician – before his premature passing.
One particularly interesting section of the Film is where Price examines Yelchin‘s frustrations, perpetually being labelled an “up-and-comer” despite having the unmistakable talent and skill of a star beyond his years. We also get perspective from his A-List peers, some who had a crush on him like Stewart and Lawrence, the latter who went-on to win an Oscar, getting advice from him on-set that helped set her up for success in how she approaches delivery of her lines. Despite being many years their junior, his Star Trek Co-Stars always felt he pushed them to work harder and up their game on-set.
We also learn of Yelchin‘s quiet battle with Cystic Fibrosis which began affecting him more later in life and cannot help but feel he was never meant to be here long on this earth. Instead he was meant to be remembered as a brilliant flash of light that wasn’t seen by nearly enough witnesses.
LOVE, ANTOSHA is a complete portrait of a remarkable talent, a loving friend and son, who left this world for too soon. It premieres on Hollywood Suite 2000s Movies Channel – HS00 Friday, November 13, 2020 at 9 PM and kicks-off a Yelchin weekend of Films including 5 to 7, Only Lovers Left Alive and Green Room.
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