Body-snatching aliens attempt to navigate love in the modern world in genre-bending comedy The Becomers, and Dark Star Pictures announced today that they’ve acquired it for release.
In The Becomers: “Dropped to Earth and escaping their dying planet, the two extraterrestrials (played by a sequence of actors) seek each other out —jumping from body to body— on our planet while becoming increasingly drawn into the madness of modern-day America.
Written, directed, and edited by Zach Clark (Little Sister), the film was shot in Chicago and stars Molly Plunk (Little Sister, Profane), Mike Lopez (All Jacked Up and Full of Worms, Crimes Against Humanity), Frank V. Ross (Drinking Buddies), Isabel Alamin, and Keith Kelly, and features the voice Russell Mael, lead singer of the explosive pop-rock band Sparks. The Becomers is produced by Joe Swanberg (Depraved, The Rental), and Edwin Linker (Saint Frances, Queen of Earth) of Slasher Films.
Clark...
In The Becomers: “Dropped to Earth and escaping their dying planet, the two extraterrestrials (played by a sequence of actors) seek each other out —jumping from body to body— on our planet while becoming increasingly drawn into the madness of modern-day America.
Written, directed, and edited by Zach Clark (Little Sister), the film was shot in Chicago and stars Molly Plunk (Little Sister, Profane), Mike Lopez (All Jacked Up and Full of Worms, Crimes Against Humanity), Frank V. Ross (Drinking Buddies), Isabel Alamin, and Keith Kelly, and features the voice Russell Mael, lead singer of the explosive pop-rock band Sparks. The Becomers is produced by Joe Swanberg (Depraved, The Rental), and Edwin Linker (Saint Frances, Queen of Earth) of Slasher Films.
Clark...
- 2/8/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Dark Star Pictures has acquired the North American distribution rights to Zach Clark’s genre-bending comedy “The Becomers,” with plans for a theatrical release in the third quarter of 2024. The acquisition took place before the commencement of the 2024 European Film Market on Feb. 15.
The alien romance film had its world premiere at the 2023 Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal; it subsequently screened at Beyond Fest and the Leeds International Film Festival. The cast includes Molly Plunk, Mike Lopez, Frank V. Ross, Isabel Alamin and Keith Kelly. Russell Mael, the lead singer of Sparks, lends his voice to the film as narrator.
Written in march 2021, the film “reverberates with the pulse of American politics of that time,” according to the description. It draws from Covid, Qanon, and “constant states of anxiety while exploring themes of confusion, isolation and the deep need for human connection through the story of two body-snatching alien lovers.
The alien romance film had its world premiere at the 2023 Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal; it subsequently screened at Beyond Fest and the Leeds International Film Festival. The cast includes Molly Plunk, Mike Lopez, Frank V. Ross, Isabel Alamin and Keith Kelly. Russell Mael, the lead singer of Sparks, lends his voice to the film as narrator.
Written in march 2021, the film “reverberates with the pulse of American politics of that time,” according to the description. It draws from Covid, Qanon, and “constant states of anxiety while exploring themes of confusion, isolation and the deep need for human connection through the story of two body-snatching alien lovers.
- 2/8/2024
- by Jaden Thompson
- Variety Film + TV
Last week, a bunch of high-ranking military officials went before the US Congress and admitted that the government has been aware of the existence of aliens and that remains of extraterrestrials had been recovered from UFO crash sites. But the public at large was relatively unphased by this news because we're already so wrapped up in our own problems. How much more shocking can an alien invasion be to say, a global pandemic or a climate crisis?
Seeing The Becomers at the Fantasia Film Festival reflected this mood. The sci-fi rom-com indie satire drops a pair of aliens into a distracted and troubled world much like our own. It was written and directed by Zach Clark (Little Sister) in the early days of Covid-19, joining the leagues of post-pandemic flicks like Sick and Corona Zombies.
“…the film has an unworldly feeling to it…”
In The Becomers, an alien has landed on earth,...
Seeing The Becomers at the Fantasia Film Festival reflected this mood. The sci-fi rom-com indie satire drops a pair of aliens into a distracted and troubled world much like our own. It was written and directed by Zach Clark (Little Sister) in the early days of Covid-19, joining the leagues of post-pandemic flicks like Sick and Corona Zombies.
“…the film has an unworldly feeling to it…”
In The Becomers, an alien has landed on earth,...
- 8/1/2023
- by Chris Aitkens
Writer/Director Zach Clark (Little Sister) takes familiar science fiction concepts, namely body-hopping aliens attempting to assimilate themselves on Earth, to awkward results and gets even weirder with it. The Becomers defies easy categorization as it blends absurdist humor with gross-out sci-fi and quirky rom-com conventions. It’s an ambitious voyage aimed to challenge perceptions and occasionally the gag reflex as it examines the power of love amidst a turbulent world.
The Becomers begins as horror, with an alien landing on Earth and seeking a human host to emulate. The alien finds one but then comes upon a woman giving birth in her car, asking for help. The title card then abruptly appears over a revolting mingling of blood and viscous yellow body fluid swirling on the ground. It’s enough to impress upon viewers that this alien species’ body-hopping way of fitting in spells bad news for the human hosts.
The Becomers begins as horror, with an alien landing on Earth and seeking a human host to emulate. The alien finds one but then comes upon a woman giving birth in her car, asking for help. The title card then abruptly appears over a revolting mingling of blood and viscous yellow body fluid swirling on the ground. It’s enough to impress upon viewers that this alien species’ body-hopping way of fitting in spells bad news for the human hosts.
- 8/1/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
As the narrator (Sparks’ Russell Mael) tells his story of star-crossed love many moons away, we watch as violence is wrought upon random, unsuspecting souls. Is the brightly lit, eye-holed entity taking over these bodies the same character as the disembodied voice we hear? Maybe. Hopefully.
Why? Because that would mean it isn’t acting out of aggression. It would merely be an alien creature come to Earth, jumping from host to host until it can reunite with its lover. When one body no longer proves sufficient, it must discard and seek another. When it settles on one that works, it lays low in hiding––using the cash from the pockets of its victims to find its way onto the Internet so it can buy contact lenses that hide its glow without the need of sunglasses. Unfortunately, however, Earth (and especially America) is hardly the “safest” place to hide.
Writer-director...
Why? Because that would mean it isn’t acting out of aggression. It would merely be an alien creature come to Earth, jumping from host to host until it can reunite with its lover. When one body no longer proves sufficient, it must discard and seek another. When it settles on one that works, it lays low in hiding––using the cash from the pockets of its victims to find its way onto the Internet so it can buy contact lenses that hide its glow without the need of sunglasses. Unfortunately, however, Earth (and especially America) is hardly the “safest” place to hide.
Writer-director...
- 7/24/2023
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
The Becomers
It’s not easy being all alone in a new place, unable to speak the language, but as every refugee knows, sometimes there’s no choice. As the narration at the start of The Becomers informs us, the protagonist of this film has fled a dying world to seek a new life on Earth. They hope to reconnect with their lover and begin the process of assimilation, but first they will need to find a human body to inhabit – or, if necessary, several. Zach Clark’s cheery and occasionally grotesque science fiction comedy follows this character through a series of bodies, in the process finding out some unexpected things about humans and humanity. It’s screening as part of the 2023 Fantasia international Film Festival, and Zach and I met up to discuss the way it all came about.
“The big thing for me is that over the pandemic,...
It’s not easy being all alone in a new place, unable to speak the language, but as every refugee knows, sometimes there’s no choice. As the narration at the start of The Becomers informs us, the protagonist of this film has fled a dying world to seek a new life on Earth. They hope to reconnect with their lover and begin the process of assimilation, but first they will need to find a human body to inhabit – or, if necessary, several. Zach Clark’s cheery and occasionally grotesque science fiction comedy follows this character through a series of bodies, in the process finding out some unexpected things about humans and humanity. It’s screening as part of the 2023 Fantasia international Film Festival, and Zach and I met up to discuss the way it all came about.
“The big thing for me is that over the pandemic,...
- 7/22/2023
- by Jennie Kermode
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Body-snatching aliens attempt to navigate love in the modern world in The Becomers, a genre-bending comedy set to make its premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival.
A new clip and poster reveal below gives a glimpse at the weird, funny, grotesque blend of genres in the latestby writer/director Zach Clark (Little Sister).
The Becomers tells “of a body-snatching alien who comes to Earth, reconnects with their partner, and tries to find their way in modern America.”
Written, directed, and edited by Clark, the film was shot in Chicago and stars Molly Plunk (Little Sister, Profane), Mike Lopez (All Jacked Up and Full of Worms, Crimes Against Humanity), Frank V. Ross (Drinking Buddies), Isabel Alamin, and Keith Kelly, and features the voice Russell Mael, lead singer of the explosive pop-rock band Sparks. The Becomers is produced by Joe Swanberg (Depraved, The Rental), and Edwin Linker (Saint Frances, Queen of Earth) of Slasher Films.
A new clip and poster reveal below gives a glimpse at the weird, funny, grotesque blend of genres in the latestby writer/director Zach Clark (Little Sister).
The Becomers tells “of a body-snatching alien who comes to Earth, reconnects with their partner, and tries to find their way in modern America.”
Written, directed, and edited by Clark, the film was shot in Chicago and stars Molly Plunk (Little Sister, Profane), Mike Lopez (All Jacked Up and Full of Worms, Crimes Against Humanity), Frank V. Ross (Drinking Buddies), Isabel Alamin, and Keith Kelly, and features the voice Russell Mael, lead singer of the explosive pop-rock band Sparks. The Becomers is produced by Joe Swanberg (Depraved, The Rental), and Edwin Linker (Saint Frances, Queen of Earth) of Slasher Films.
- 7/18/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Fantasia International Film Festival is back for its 27th annual edition, running July 20 through August 9, and it’s bringing one of Hollywood’s biggest stars––in spirit now; he’s officially canceled so as to not cross the picket line of the current SAG-AFTRA strike––to Montreal with a world premiere and career recognition. Nicolas Cage, his new film Sympathy for the Devil, and his Cheval Noir Career Achievement Award aren’t the only draw for this three-week event, though.
You’ve got a spotlight on Korean cinema to celebrate sixty years of diplomatic relations between Canada and the Republic of Korea. There’s the honor of bestowing underground filmmaker Larry Kent with the 2023 Canadian Trailblazer Award alongside a screening of a rare 35mm print of his 1981 film Yesterday. And a slew of world premieres from horror’s best and brightest––a list spanning Larry Fessenden (Blackout), Jenn Wexler...
You’ve got a spotlight on Korean cinema to celebrate sixty years of diplomatic relations between Canada and the Republic of Korea. There’s the honor of bestowing underground filmmaker Larry Kent with the 2023 Canadian Trailblazer Award alongside a screening of a rare 35mm print of his 1981 film Yesterday. And a slew of world premieres from horror’s best and brightest––a list spanning Larry Fessenden (Blackout), Jenn Wexler...
- 7/17/2023
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
It’s time for some body-snatching mayhem.
Zach Clark’s “The Becomers,” about confused alien lovers trying to find their place on Earth, and each other, has debuted the first clip and poster ahead of its Fantasia Film Festival premiere.
“I was really inspired and influenced by 1950s B-movies. I have always liked the disreputable pockets of film history. My general approach to the entire movie was to embrace that and embrace kitsch as an access point,” said Clark.
“Older genre films really invite the audience in. Now, it’s all about visual effects and things looking as real as possible. But this more lo-fi effect asks you to play along in a way that modern stuff doesn’t.”
Also joining in on the fun is the film’s surprising narrator, Russell Mael, best known as the lead singer for Sparks: The cult American band celebrated by Edgar Wright...
Zach Clark’s “The Becomers,” about confused alien lovers trying to find their place on Earth, and each other, has debuted the first clip and poster ahead of its Fantasia Film Festival premiere.
“I was really inspired and influenced by 1950s B-movies. I have always liked the disreputable pockets of film history. My general approach to the entire movie was to embrace that and embrace kitsch as an access point,” said Clark.
“Older genre films really invite the audience in. Now, it’s all about visual effects and things looking as real as possible. But this more lo-fi effect asks you to play along in a way that modern stuff doesn’t.”
Also joining in on the fun is the film’s surprising narrator, Russell Mael, best known as the lead singer for Sparks: The cult American band celebrated by Edgar Wright...
- 7/17/2023
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Fantasia’S 27th Edition To Open With Pascal Plante’S Red Rooms Multiple World Premiere discoveries, continental bows of Vincent Must Die, Restore Point and Insomniacs After School, new works from Junta Yamaguchi, Yuval Adler, Zach Clark, Nuhash Humayun and Olivier Godin, the Canadian premiere of the acclaimed instant-classic horror film Talk To Me, national launches of …
The post Fantasia Launches Second Wave of Titles for 27th Edition, July 20 – August 9 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
The post Fantasia Launches Second Wave of Titles for 27th Edition, July 20 – August 9 appeared first on Horror News | Hnn.
- 6/9/2023
- by Janel Spiegel
- Horror News
The 27th edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival is set to commence from July 20 through August 9, 2023, taking place at the Concordia Hall Cinema, with additional screens at the Cinémathèque québécoise and Cinéma du Musée.
The festival’s second wave of programming is here, bringing with it announcements of the opening film, serial killer thriller Red Rooms, the Canadian premiere of Talk to Me, and a slew of new world premieres and festival screenings.
The festival’s complete lineup will be announced in early July. In the meantime, Fantasia reveals a selected second wave of titles and happenings. From the press release:
Red Rooms
Coming to christen Fantasia’s 27th edition days after its Karlovy-Vary competition debut, Red Rooms (Les chambres rouges) is the haunting third feature from celebrated Quebec filmmaker Pascal Plante. The high-profile case of serial killer Ludovic Chevalier has just gone to trial, and Kelly-Anne is obsessed.
The festival’s second wave of programming is here, bringing with it announcements of the opening film, serial killer thriller Red Rooms, the Canadian premiere of Talk to Me, and a slew of new world premieres and festival screenings.
The festival’s complete lineup will be announced in early July. In the meantime, Fantasia reveals a selected second wave of titles and happenings. From the press release:
Red Rooms
Coming to christen Fantasia’s 27th edition days after its Karlovy-Vary competition debut, Red Rooms (Les chambres rouges) is the haunting third feature from celebrated Quebec filmmaker Pascal Plante. The high-profile case of serial killer Ludovic Chevalier has just gone to trial, and Kelly-Anne is obsessed.
- 6/8/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
Montreal fest runs July 20-August 9.
The 27th edition of Fantasia International Film Festival (July 20-August 9) in Montreal will open with the North American premiere of Pascal Plante’s cyber thriller Red Rooms (Chambres Rouges).
The film will get its world premiere in Karlovy Vary and follows a tech-savvy overachiever who becomes obsessed with the high-profile trial of a serial killer.
As reality blurs with her morbid fantasies, she goes down a dark path in search of the final piece in the puzzle, the missing video of a murdered 13-year-old girl. Sphere Films International recently launched sales in Cannes.
Second wave...
The 27th edition of Fantasia International Film Festival (July 20-August 9) in Montreal will open with the North American premiere of Pascal Plante’s cyber thriller Red Rooms (Chambres Rouges).
The film will get its world premiere in Karlovy Vary and follows a tech-savvy overachiever who becomes obsessed with the high-profile trial of a serial killer.
As reality blurs with her morbid fantasies, she goes down a dark path in search of the final piece in the puzzle, the missing video of a murdered 13-year-old girl. Sphere Films International recently launched sales in Cannes.
Second wave...
- 6/8/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Canada’s Fantasia International Film Festival has announced the opening film of its 27th edition: Pascal Plante’s “Red Rooms,” about a high-profile case of a serial killer and the woman (Juliette Gariépy) obsessed with him.
“It’s a film of enormous emotional force, unbelievably controlled and smart, with a staggering performance from Gariépy. Pascal is one of the greatest talents of his generation in Quebec cinema and among the strongest filmmakers in the country right now,” says festival’s artistic director Mitch Davis.
“In a sense, it’s an unconventionally grim note to open a festival on. It’s a profoundly disturbing film. But I know the audience is going to be left completely breathless by it.”
“As a Montrealer, I have been a regular festival goer of Fantasia for years now, but it’s the first time one of my features will be screened in their lineup. I...
“It’s a film of enormous emotional force, unbelievably controlled and smart, with a staggering performance from Gariépy. Pascal is one of the greatest talents of his generation in Quebec cinema and among the strongest filmmakers in the country right now,” says festival’s artistic director Mitch Davis.
“In a sense, it’s an unconventionally grim note to open a festival on. It’s a profoundly disturbing film. But I know the audience is going to be left completely breathless by it.”
“As a Montrealer, I have been a regular festival goer of Fantasia for years now, but it’s the first time one of my features will be screened in their lineup. I...
- 6/8/2023
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Quebec’s Fantasia International Film Festival will open its 27th edition with the North American premiere of Pascal Plante’s latest pic Red Rooms (Les chambres rouges).
Plante will bring the pic to his native Quebec following a Competition bow at Karlovy Vary in June. The film, Plante’s third, follows the high-profile case of serial killer Ludovic Chevalier, which has just gone to trial, and Kelly-Anne is obsessed. When reality blurs with her morbid fantasies, she goes down a dark path to seek the final piece of the case’s puzzle.
The Nicolas Cage-starrer Sympathy for the Devil will have its international premiere at Fantasia. Written by Luke Paradise, the pic follows “The Driver” (Joel Kinnaman), who finds himself in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse after being forced to drive a mysterious man, “The Passenger” (Cage). As their white-knuckle ride progresses, it becomes clear that...
Plante will bring the pic to his native Quebec following a Competition bow at Karlovy Vary in June. The film, Plante’s third, follows the high-profile case of serial killer Ludovic Chevalier, which has just gone to trial, and Kelly-Anne is obsessed. When reality blurs with her morbid fantasies, she goes down a dark path to seek the final piece of the case’s puzzle.
The Nicolas Cage-starrer Sympathy for the Devil will have its international premiere at Fantasia. Written by Luke Paradise, the pic follows “The Driver” (Joel Kinnaman), who finds himself in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse after being forced to drive a mysterious man, “The Passenger” (Cage). As their white-knuckle ride progresses, it becomes clear that...
- 6/8/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Horror Feature “My (Best Friend’S) Head Exploded” to Premiere in June: "Writer/Director Scott Bryan’s puppet-filled existential horror feature, “My (Best Friend’S) Head Exploded,” will have its two-weekend world premiere this June.
“My (Best Friend’s) Head Exploded” is a rebellious, existential, terrifyingly messy puppet feature made out of material things by actual people. It tells the story of Lydia, a coming-of-ageless vampire forced to deal with the loss of her best friend, Sam, after the pair conjures a moment of complete clarity which causes Sam’s head to explode.
In the aftermath, Lydia must contend with old ghosts, generational trauma, oppressive authority figures, and the confusing fear of infinity to set reality right and save her own sanity.
“I love making weird stuff that a studio would be afraid of and a computer couldn’t replicate,” Bryan said.
The film will show at the Salem Witch Board Museum in Salem,...
“My (Best Friend’s) Head Exploded” is a rebellious, existential, terrifyingly messy puppet feature made out of material things by actual people. It tells the story of Lydia, a coming-of-ageless vampire forced to deal with the loss of her best friend, Sam, after the pair conjures a moment of complete clarity which causes Sam’s head to explode.
In the aftermath, Lydia must contend with old ghosts, generational trauma, oppressive authority figures, and the confusing fear of infinity to set reality right and save her own sanity.
“I love making weird stuff that a studio would be afraid of and a computer couldn’t replicate,” Bryan said.
The film will show at the Salem Witch Board Museum in Salem,...
- 5/22/2023
- by Jonathan James
- DailyDead
The genre-bending comedy features a voice performance from Sparks’ Russell Mael.
Yellow Veil Pictures has acquired worldwide rights to Zach Clark’s The Becomers and will launch the genre-bending comedy at this week’s Cannes market.
Clark wrote, directed and edited the film, which tells the story of a body-snatching alien who comes to Earth, reconnects with their partner and tries to find their way in modern America.
Molly Plunk, Mike Lopez, Frank V Ross, Isabel Alamin and Keith Kelly star and Sparks lead singer Russell Mael has a voice role.
Clark said: “During the pandemic, I binged the original...
Yellow Veil Pictures has acquired worldwide rights to Zach Clark’s The Becomers and will launch the genre-bending comedy at this week’s Cannes market.
Clark wrote, directed and edited the film, which tells the story of a body-snatching alien who comes to Earth, reconnects with their partner and tries to find their way in modern America.
Molly Plunk, Mike Lopez, Frank V Ross, Isabel Alamin and Keith Kelly star and Sparks lead singer Russell Mael has a voice role.
Clark said: “During the pandemic, I binged the original...
- 5/18/2023
- by John Hazelton
- ScreenDaily
Yellow Veil Pictures has acquired worldwide rights to “The Becomers,” a genre-bending comedy written and directed by Zach Clark. The company will launch the film at the Marche Du Film in Cannes this week. “The Becomer” tells the story of a body-snatching alien who comes to Earth, reconnects with their partner, and tries to find their way in modern America.
“During the pandemic, I binged the original ‘Star Trek’ series for the first time and then I made this movie” Clark said about his latest film. “It felt like life as we knew it was ending, but then again, it also felt like that might not be the worst thing either. ‘The Becomers’ is a story of love, longing, and alienation. A kitsch-soaked, pathos-laden melodrama about our sad, sad planet. It’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever made and I can’t think of anyone better than Yellow Veil...
“During the pandemic, I binged the original ‘Star Trek’ series for the first time and then I made this movie” Clark said about his latest film. “It felt like life as we knew it was ending, but then again, it also felt like that might not be the worst thing either. ‘The Becomers’ is a story of love, longing, and alienation. A kitsch-soaked, pathos-laden melodrama about our sad, sad planet. It’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever made and I can’t think of anyone better than Yellow Veil...
- 5/18/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Whether you’re looking for stocking stuffers for others or a nice little gift for yourself, we’ve got a roundup of some of the best new Blu-rays and DVDs for the holidays.
Christmas Favorites
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment offers up four of their holiday favorites in 4K for the first time this holiday season: “Elf,” “A Christmas Story,” “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” and “The Polar Express” all get shined up for your library. Whether you’re giving (or getting) a 4K system this Christmas or already have one ready to go, this quartet of titles represent the apex of holiday classics for a wide audience. (Whether or not the sequel “A Christmas Story Christmas” will eventually merit its own schmancy physical release remains to be seen.)
Also available:
“The Apartment” (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): Billy Wilder’s bittersweet, Oscar-winning holiday tale made its 4K debut earlier this year.
Christmas Favorites
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment offers up four of their holiday favorites in 4K for the first time this holiday season: “Elf,” “A Christmas Story,” “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” and “The Polar Express” all get shined up for your library. Whether you’re giving (or getting) a 4K system this Christmas or already have one ready to go, this quartet of titles represent the apex of holiday classics for a wide audience. (Whether or not the sequel “A Christmas Story Christmas” will eventually merit its own schmancy physical release remains to be seen.)
Also available:
“The Apartment” (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): Billy Wilder’s bittersweet, Oscar-winning holiday tale made its 4K debut earlier this year.
- 11/21/2022
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Director Marie Alice Wolfszahn’s Mother Superior has taken best feature in the main competition at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival with the abortion-focused anthology Give Me An A garnering the Gold Audience Award during the seventh edition of the festival.
Other main competition jury prize winners at Bhff, which ran from Oct. 13-20 with events held in Williamsburg and Prospect Park, included Wolfszahn for best director, Megalomaniac’s Eline Schumacher for best performance and a special jury mention for the Paolo Strippoli-directed Flowing.
The main competition jury, which was comprised of filmmaker Zach Clark, HuffPost Senior Culture Editor Candice Frederick and author Kate Robertson, lauded Mother Superior — a directorial debut from the Austrian Wolfszahn — as “a thoughtfully crafted folk story exploring the völkisch occult with a captivating aesthetic indebted to the gothic tradition and tight editing, each frame carefully considered.”
The...
Director Marie Alice Wolfszahn’s Mother Superior has taken best feature in the main competition at the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival with the abortion-focused anthology Give Me An A garnering the Gold Audience Award during the seventh edition of the festival.
Other main competition jury prize winners at Bhff, which ran from Oct. 13-20 with events held in Williamsburg and Prospect Park, included Wolfszahn for best director, Megalomaniac’s Eline Schumacher for best performance and a special jury mention for the Paolo Strippoli-directed Flowing.
The main competition jury, which was comprised of filmmaker Zach Clark, HuffPost Senior Culture Editor Candice Frederick and author Kate Robertson, lauded Mother Superior — a directorial debut from the Austrian Wolfszahn — as “a thoughtfully crafted folk story exploring the völkisch occult with a captivating aesthetic indebted to the gothic tradition and tight editing, each frame carefully considered.”
The...
- 10/25/2022
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Buoyed by the reception at Fantasia of his feature debut, “All Jacked Up and Full of Worms,” one of the fest’s buzz titles, Chicago-based writer-director Alex Phillips has set his follow-up, “Anything That Moves.”
The announcement comes just after “Worms” won a special mention at the 2022 Fantasia Awards, unveiled July 25.
Slated to shoot in Feb. 2023, in another fillip for Phillips’ burgeoning career, “Anything That Moves” is produced by Eddie Linker, a seminal figure on Chicago’s film scene who has executive or associate produced notable work from high-profile independent directors.
These take in Joe Swanberg; Alex Ross Perry; Josephine Decker and Zach Clark (2016 SXSW hit “Little Sister”).
Described by Phillips as “another adventurous low-budget project,” “Anything That Moves” turns on a beautiful and innocent food delivery boy who bikes through Chicago having sex for money until he gets caught up in a string of murders that traces back to someone in his bed.
The announcement comes just after “Worms” won a special mention at the 2022 Fantasia Awards, unveiled July 25.
Slated to shoot in Feb. 2023, in another fillip for Phillips’ burgeoning career, “Anything That Moves” is produced by Eddie Linker, a seminal figure on Chicago’s film scene who has executive or associate produced notable work from high-profile independent directors.
These take in Joe Swanberg; Alex Ross Perry; Josephine Decker and Zach Clark (2016 SXSW hit “Little Sister”).
Described by Phillips as “another adventurous low-budget project,” “Anything That Moves” turns on a beautiful and innocent food delivery boy who bikes through Chicago having sex for money until he gets caught up in a string of murders that traces back to someone in his bed.
- 7/27/2022
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Don’t Leave Home has an opening composition reminiscent of a postcard and a closing moment like a strange dream. Between these moments is a film that turns idyllic natural beauty into an ominous force, and ventures into nightmare territory before reaching its catharsis. Writer and director Michael Tully prefers an economical narrative language, and Don’t Leave Home is an 86-minute film that lives on the brevity of images. Tully shows these images and then imprints meaning over time; take for example the dioramas which serve as the opening credits before the viewer is introduced to them in a more traditional narrative sense. The viewer is already open to ideas of process via the crisply cut prologue with a painter (shot gorgeously in 4:3), so notions of creating and shrinking things from lifesize scale to canvas is already elemental to the film’s aesthetic. This reliance on pure imagery...
- 9/14/2018
- by Mike Mazzanti
- The Film Stage
There is, perhaps, no actor at the moment more synonymous with New York indie filmmaking than Keith Poulson. His uncanny comedic sensibilities first caught my attention in Bob Byington’s Somebody Up There Likes Me. He’s since honed his mastery of the low-key “throwaway” in dozens of low budget gems and appeared in nearly everything made recently by the prolific Brooklyn filmmakers Alex Ross Perry and Nathan Silver. He got to stretch his wings a bit in Zach Clark’s Little Sister, where he played a severely disfigured Iraq War veteran. We talk about the incestuous world of independent film acting in […]...
- 7/3/2018
- by Peter Rinaldi
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
There is, perhaps, no actor at the moment more synonymous with New York indie filmmaking than Keith Poulson. His uncanny comedic sensibilities first caught my attention in Bob Byington’s Somebody Up There Likes Me. He’s since honed his mastery of the low-key “throwaway” in dozens of low budget gems and appeared in nearly everything made recently by the prolific Brooklyn filmmakers Alex Ross Perry and Nathan Silver. He got to stretch his wings a bit in Zach Clark’s Little Sister, where he played a severely disfigured Iraq War veteran. We talk about the incestuous world of independent film acting in […]...
- 7/3/2018
- by Peter Rinaldi
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
“Not even the movies are like the movies any more,” observes a character in “Izzy Gets the F— Across Town,” a restless, roughshod woman-on-the-verge-of-a-nervous-breakdown comedy that sets out to prove precisely that point — ducking and diving to dodge tidy character arcs and simple happy endings. At once freewheeling and missing a couple of wheels, Christian Papierniak’s shoestring debut is likeably sketchy in all senses of the word, skipping through eccentric episodes as its hot-mess protagonist traverses Los Angeles in desperate pursuit of her ex and, more to the point, herself. It’s uneven practically by design, with a tone that slides all the way from kooky farce to anguished psychological study, just about held together by Mackenzie Davis’s lively, spiky turn in the lead. A host of noteworthy names in fleeting support will attract further eyeballs to Izzy’s journey, as she crosses (with fewer complications this time) from theaters to VOD screens.
- 6/20/2018
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
Zach Clark is a familiar name on this site for his work as a director; he’s also a full-time editor. In this brief Q&A, Clark discusses his work on Hannah Fiddell’s The Long Dumb Road, a road movie and buddy comedy that winds from Texas to Los Angeles. Click here for more from Dp Andrew Droz Palermo on the film’s production. Filmmaker: How and why did you wind up being the editor of your film? What were the factors and attributes that led to your being hired for this job? Clark: Hannah and I have been pals for years. She asked me if […]...
- 1/30/2018
- by Filmmaker Staff
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Featured in Heather Wixson's holiday gift guide, the new book Yuletide Terror: Christmas Horror on Film and Television could be the perfect stocking stuffer for the horror fan in your life this holiday season, but Spectacular Optical is giving you the chance to take your gift one step further with their interactive book tour this December that includes screenings, lectures, and other live celebrations tied to the book's seasonal themes:
Press Release: For many, Christmas is an annual celebration of goodwill and joy, but for others, it’s a time to curl up on the couch in the dead of winter for a good old-fashioned fright. The festive holiday season has always included a more somber side, and scary tales of child-stealing demons to ghost stories told ‘round the fireplace go back to pre-Christian celebrations. These long-standing traditions have found modern expression in the Christmas horror film, a unique...
Press Release: For many, Christmas is an annual celebration of goodwill and joy, but for others, it’s a time to curl up on the couch in the dead of winter for a good old-fashioned fright. The festive holiday season has always included a more somber side, and scary tales of child-stealing demons to ghost stories told ‘round the fireplace go back to pre-Christian celebrations. These long-standing traditions have found modern expression in the Christmas horror film, a unique...
- 12/4/2017
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
For many, Christmas is an annual celebration of goodwill and joy, but for others, it’s a time to curl up on the couch in the dead of winter for a good old fashioned fright. The festive holiday season has always included a more somber side, and scary tales of child-stealing demons to ghost stories told ‘round the fireplace go back to pre-Christian celebrations. These long-standing traditions have found modern expression in Christmas horror film and television shows, a unique and sometimes controversial subgenre that cheerfully drives a stake of holly through the heart of cherished Christmas customs.
Yuletide Terror: Christmas Horror on Film and Television, the latest book by Canadian micro-publisher Spectacular Optical, offers a definitive, in-depth exploration of the history of these subversive film and television presentations that allow viewers to engage in different ways with the complicated cultural history of the Christmas season.
From the press release:...
Yuletide Terror: Christmas Horror on Film and Television, the latest book by Canadian micro-publisher Spectacular Optical, offers a definitive, in-depth exploration of the history of these subversive film and television presentations that allow viewers to engage in different ways with the complicated cultural history of the Christmas season.
From the press release:...
- 9/7/2017
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more seminal year in movie-going history than 1977, which unspooled such game-changers and genre-benders as “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Saturday Night Fever,” “Airport ’77,” “Sorcerer,” and many, many more.
In honor of the fortieth anniversary of one of the wildest years in recent cinema history, The Film Society of Lincoln Center has programmed their ambitious ’77, a 33-film series surveying the sweeping cinematic landscape of a prolific year in cinema, in the United States and around the world.
Read MoreHow ‘Jaws’ Forever Changed the Modern Day Blockbuster — And What Today’s Examples Could Learn From It
While the debut of George Lucas’ original “Star Wars” is likely the most notable name in a long list of ’77 titles, the year also played home to “Jubilee,” “Eraserhead,” “Hausu,” “Wizard,” and “Smokey and the Bandit.” That startling breadth of film options speaks to the changing times — both...
In honor of the fortieth anniversary of one of the wildest years in recent cinema history, The Film Society of Lincoln Center has programmed their ambitious ’77, a 33-film series surveying the sweeping cinematic landscape of a prolific year in cinema, in the United States and around the world.
Read MoreHow ‘Jaws’ Forever Changed the Modern Day Blockbuster — And What Today’s Examples Could Learn From It
While the debut of George Lucas’ original “Star Wars” is likely the most notable name in a long list of ’77 titles, the year also played home to “Jubilee,” “Eraserhead,” “Hausu,” “Wizard,” and “Smokey and the Bandit.” That startling breadth of film options speaks to the changing times — both...
- 7/31/2017
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
“Krisha” was the big winner at the inaugural American Independent Film Awards, taking home the prizes for Best Film, Director (Trey Edward Shults), Original Screenplay (Shults) and Lead Performance (Krisha Fairchild). Anna Rose Holmer’s “The Fits” was the Best Film runner-up and was nominated in 12 different categories, while Robert Greene won two different awards for “Kate Plays Christine.”
The Aifa’s voting body consists of festival programmers and film critics, who cast their ballots in 14 different categories online. Full results below.
Read More: ‘It Comes at Night’ Teaser Trailer: The Director of ‘Krisha’ Returns with More Psychological Madness
Best Film
10) “White Girl” (Elizabeth Wood)
09) “Always Shine” (Sophia Takal)
08) “The Other Side” (Roberto Minervini)
07) “Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party” (Stephen Cone)
06) “The Eyes of My Mother” (Nicolas Pesce)
05) “Little Sister” (Zach Clark)
04) “The Invitation” (Karyn Kusama)
03) “Kate Plays Christine” (Robert Greene)
02) “The Fits” (Anna Rose Holmer)
01) “Krisha” (Trey Edward Shults)
Best Director
Trey Edward Shults,...
The Aifa’s voting body consists of festival programmers and film critics, who cast their ballots in 14 different categories online. Full results below.
Read More: ‘It Comes at Night’ Teaser Trailer: The Director of ‘Krisha’ Returns with More Psychological Madness
Best Film
10) “White Girl” (Elizabeth Wood)
09) “Always Shine” (Sophia Takal)
08) “The Other Side” (Roberto Minervini)
07) “Henry Gamble’s Birthday Party” (Stephen Cone)
06) “The Eyes of My Mother” (Nicolas Pesce)
05) “Little Sister” (Zach Clark)
04) “The Invitation” (Karyn Kusama)
03) “Kate Plays Christine” (Robert Greene)
02) “The Fits” (Anna Rose Holmer)
01) “Krisha” (Trey Edward Shults)
Best Director
Trey Edward Shults,...
- 2/20/2017
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
As the definition of an independent film has shifted with the ever-expanding budget divide in American filmmaking — particularly Hollywood cutting back on its mid-range projects — when it comes time for awards season, it’s often only the highest profile of “indie films” that get recognized. While we do our best to recognize the films that often get unfortunately, a new awards has launched that honors the best of truly independent American cinema, featuring films all under a $1 million budget.
Aptly titled the American Independent Film Awards (aka AIFAs), they were voted on by international film festival programmers, U.S. based film festival programmers, and North American film critics (including yours truly.) “First and foremost, we would like to thank all film producers and distribution companies who helped us identify qualifying films and outline the categories. We’d also like to thank the international and American based film festival programmers, and...
Aptly titled the American Independent Film Awards (aka AIFAs), they were voted on by international film festival programmers, U.S. based film festival programmers, and North American film critics (including yours truly.) “First and foremost, we would like to thank all film producers and distribution companies who helped us identify qualifying films and outline the categories. We’d also like to thank the international and American based film festival programmers, and...
- 2/20/2017
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
Closet Monster (Stephen Dunn)
Writer/director Stephen Dunn’s feature debut Closet Monster cares little about convention to tell the story of Oscar Madly (Connor Jessup) growing up with a psychological revulsion to his sexual urges, all thanks to an extremely disturbing event witnessed as a child. This prologue glimpse at his youth (played by Jack Fulton) is a mash-up of tough coming-of-age-dramatics and a dark-edged imaginative whimsy that intrigues to draw you closer.
Closet Monster (Stephen Dunn)
Writer/director Stephen Dunn’s feature debut Closet Monster cares little about convention to tell the story of Oscar Madly (Connor Jessup) growing up with a psychological revulsion to his sexual urges, all thanks to an extremely disturbing event witnessed as a child. This prologue glimpse at his youth (played by Jack Fulton) is a mash-up of tough coming-of-age-dramatics and a dark-edged imaginative whimsy that intrigues to draw you closer.
- 1/20/2017
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Find out what made our top 10 films of 2016 - and which films feature on Team Screen’s overall top 10.Scroll down for Screen’s overall top 10
Screen’s esteemed critics have had their turn. Now, Screen staff, contributors and correspondents reveal their favourite films seen in 2016. Festival premieres and UK/Us theatrical releases are deemed eligible.
Matt Mueller (editor)
Moonlight (dir. Barry Jenkins)La La Land (dir. Damien Chazelle)Aquarius (dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho)Mustang (dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven)Hell Or High Water (dir. David Mackenzie)Embrace Of The Serpent (dir. Ciro Guerra)Little Men (dir. Ira Sachs)Suntan (dir. Argyris Papadimitropoulos)Love & Friendship (dir. Whit Stillman)Nocturnal Animals (dir Tom Ford)Jeremy Kay (Us editor)
Manchester By The Sea (dir. Kenneth Lonergan)Neruda (dir. Pablo Larrain)Aquarius (dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho)Deadpool (dir Tim Miller)Fire At Sea (dir. Gianfranco Rosi)Moonlight (dir. Barry Jenkins)Oj: Made In America (dir. Ezra Edelman)[link=tt...
Screen’s esteemed critics have had their turn. Now, Screen staff, contributors and correspondents reveal their favourite films seen in 2016. Festival premieres and UK/Us theatrical releases are deemed eligible.
Matt Mueller (editor)
Moonlight (dir. Barry Jenkins)La La Land (dir. Damien Chazelle)Aquarius (dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho)Mustang (dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven)Hell Or High Water (dir. David Mackenzie)Embrace Of The Serpent (dir. Ciro Guerra)Little Men (dir. Ira Sachs)Suntan (dir. Argyris Papadimitropoulos)Love & Friendship (dir. Whit Stillman)Nocturnal Animals (dir Tom Ford)Jeremy Kay (Us editor)
Manchester By The Sea (dir. Kenneth Lonergan)Neruda (dir. Pablo Larrain)Aquarius (dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho)Deadpool (dir Tim Miller)Fire At Sea (dir. Gianfranco Rosi)Moonlight (dir. Barry Jenkins)Oj: Made In America (dir. Ezra Edelman)[link=tt...
- 12/20/2016
- ScreenDaily
In an age of mass shootings when the debate over gun control rages on, some recent films, such as Jessica Chastain’s new film “Miss Sloane” tackle the subject head on. Another new film “Sins of Our Youth” also explores this topic, capturing the intersection of gun culture and foolish adolescence. The film follows four teenagers who accidentally murder a younger boy while shooting off assault weapons recreationally, and the perilous decisions they make in the aftermath of the murder. In a moment of desperation and fear, the four teenagers drunkenly construct a plan reminiscent of a video-game plot, but it’s only a catalyst for more confusion and pain. Watch an exclusive clip from the film below.
Read More: Film Acquisition Rundown: IFC Picks Up ‘Queen of the Desert,’ The Orchard Grabs ‘Carrie Pilby’ and More
The film is directed by Gary Entin and written by his twin brother Edmund Entin,...
Read More: Film Acquisition Rundown: IFC Picks Up ‘Queen of the Desert,’ The Orchard Grabs ‘Carrie Pilby’ and More
The film is directed by Gary Entin and written by his twin brother Edmund Entin,...
- 11/15/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
In Zach Clark’s Little Sister, Colleen (Addison Timlin), a former goth girl turned nun, returns home to her dysfunctional family for the first time in years after learning that her brother Jacob (Keith Poulson) is back from fighting the war in Iraq. To cope with her passive father, Bill (Peter Hedges), her bipolar, pot-smoking mother, Joani (Ally Sheedy), and her depressed, disfigured brother, Colleen resurrects her goth persona in hopes of livening things up. Set in 2008, against the backdrop of President Obama’s election, the dark family comedy manages to be both tender and pointed. In a review of the film in Filmmaker, Howard Feinstein called Little Sister “an unaffected masterpiece,” […]...
- 10/28/2016
- by Paula Bernstein
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Joe Swanberg has been cranking out movies for over decade, and his micro-budget character studies quickly became the paradigm for the current state of American independent film. While Swanberg’s profile has grown — he recently launched the Netflix series “Easy” — he remains tethered to his roots, and now he’s expanding them: With the Chicago-based production company Forager Films, Swanberg has quietly launched an effort to support the work of other filmmakers operating on the same scale he embraced early on.
Read More: ‘Easy’ Review: Grading Every Episode of Joe Swanberg’s Profound New Netflix Series
The company, which Swanberg co-founded with Eddie Linker and Peter Gilbert, has churned out a series of diverse projects over the past year and a half: “Unexpected,” the sleeper Sundance hit directed by Swanberg’s wife Kris, follows an inner-city high school teacher who bonds with one of her students when they both get...
Read More: ‘Easy’ Review: Grading Every Episode of Joe Swanberg’s Profound New Netflix Series
The company, which Swanberg co-founded with Eddie Linker and Peter Gilbert, has churned out a series of diverse projects over the past year and a half: “Unexpected,” the sleeper Sundance hit directed by Swanberg’s wife Kris, follows an inner-city high school teacher who bonds with one of her students when they both get...
- 10/27/2016
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Going back home is never easy, but it’s particularly difficult if you’ve become a completely different person since you’ve left. That’s the spark that lights Zach Clark‘s buzzworthy indie “Little Sister.” And today we have an exclusive peek at the unique and distinctive comedy.
Set in the fall of 2008, and starring Addison Timlin, Ally Sheedy, Peter Hedges, and Keith Poulson, the story follows Colleen, a young nun who returns to her hometown to see her family, when her brother returns from the Iraq war.
Continue reading Exclusive: Chickens Are Cannibals In Clip From ‘Little Sister’ Plus Director Zach Clark Shares His 5 Favorite Nun Movies at The Playlist.
Set in the fall of 2008, and starring Addison Timlin, Ally Sheedy, Peter Hedges, and Keith Poulson, the story follows Colleen, a young nun who returns to her hometown to see her family, when her brother returns from the Iraq war.
Continue reading Exclusive: Chickens Are Cannibals In Clip From ‘Little Sister’ Plus Director Zach Clark Shares His 5 Favorite Nun Movies at The Playlist.
- 10/19/2016
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
Zach Clark has directed a sad comedy about a dysfunctional family for what he calls "the little goth girl in all of us." Thanks, we needed it. In Little Sister, a skillful blend of humor and heartbreak (minus sappy sentiment), Clark takes us to places and head spaces we don't see coming. The wonderful Addison Timlin shines as Colleen Lunsford, the little goth girl who is now a novitiate at a New York convent. She's just short of taking her final vows, though Mother Superior (Barbara Crampton) has her doubts.
- 10/12/2016
- Rollingstone.com
A stunted, emotionally lost twenty-something returns to his or her childhood home in search of some meaning. You have probably seen this movie a million times before, perhaps most memorably in Zach Braff’s “Garden State,” and while the new indie “Little Sister” adheres to the formula, it breathes new life into ever convention that it makes this tired story seem bracingly new.
Read More: Review: ‘Little Sister’ Is a Better Version of ‘Garden State’
The fifth feature from Zach Clark, “Little Sister” stars rising actress Addison Timlin as a young nun who heads back to her North Carlina home following word that her brother has returned from serving in the war in Iraq. Her trip back opens old wounds with her family and finds her rediscovering the surprising person she used to be. Ally Sheedy, Keith Poulson, Peter Hedges and Barbara Crampton co-star.
In his B+ review, IndieWire Senior...
Read More: Review: ‘Little Sister’ Is a Better Version of ‘Garden State’
The fifth feature from Zach Clark, “Little Sister” stars rising actress Addison Timlin as a young nun who heads back to her North Carlina home following word that her brother has returned from serving in the war in Iraq. Her trip back opens old wounds with her family and finds her rediscovering the surprising person she used to be. Ally Sheedy, Keith Poulson, Peter Hedges and Barbara Crampton co-star.
In his B+ review, IndieWire Senior...
- 10/12/2016
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Little Sister star Addison Timlin is not an intimidating physical presence. In fact, standing next to her hulking co-star Keith Poulson, who plays her older brother, she seems like a little girl dressed in an oversized cardigan and button-up denim shirt. That image fits her character, Colleen, an ex-Goth in her early 20s who ran away from home to become a nun and has now returned to confront the dysfunction that made her flee in the first place. It fits the movie, too, a slight, sweetly cynical indie dramedy about family and belonging and the ways we cope with life’s disappointments.
As the opening quote from Marilyn Manson flashes onto the screen, one might expect Little Sister to lean a little too heavily on the quirky side of things. And director Zach Clark’s recurring trick of cutting in VHS-style home-video and news clips throughout occasionally does come across...
As the opening quote from Marilyn Manson flashes onto the screen, one might expect Little Sister to lean a little too heavily on the quirky side of things. And director Zach Clark’s recurring trick of cutting in VHS-style home-video and news clips throughout occasionally does come across...
- 10/12/2016
- by Katie Rife
- avclub.com
David Harbour gave an excellent performance as Chief Jim Hopper on “Stranger Things.” But did you know that the actor had originally auditioned for a different role?
In a new Funny or Die sketch, Harbour is seen auditioning for the role of Eleven, a character he was really keen on playing.
“When the Duffer Brothers sent me the script I was really excited. I’m like a hardcore, sci-fi type of guy,” says Harbour, who had high hopes of becoming Eleven. “I mean, so rarely do you connect so deeply with a role. This silent strength, coupled with this vulnerability in seeing this person change over the course of 8 episodes. Clearly I had a very strong vision for this character.”
Read More: ‘Saturday Night Live’ Offers a (Fake) Preview of ‘Stranger Things’ Season 2 — Watch
While the creators of the series never intended for him to take on the role of the supernatural girl,...
In a new Funny or Die sketch, Harbour is seen auditioning for the role of Eleven, a character he was really keen on playing.
“When the Duffer Brothers sent me the script I was really excited. I’m like a hardcore, sci-fi type of guy,” says Harbour, who had high hopes of becoming Eleven. “I mean, so rarely do you connect so deeply with a role. This silent strength, coupled with this vulnerability in seeing this person change over the course of 8 episodes. Clearly I had a very strong vision for this character.”
Read More: ‘Saturday Night Live’ Offers a (Fake) Preview of ‘Stranger Things’ Season 2 — Watch
While the creators of the series never intended for him to take on the role of the supernatural girl,...
- 10/11/2016
- by Liz Calvario
- Indiewire
In the age of Internet stardom, followers and likes are crucial currency to garner social awareness and to build a brand. A million followers on Vine or Instagram could potentially send an everyday citizen to the stratosphere. This is the premise for the new buddy comedy “Fml,” starring comedian and vine star Jason Nash who wants to use social media fame to change his life.
Read More: Vine Star King Bach To Host The 6th Annual Streamy Awards
Nash plays 40-year-old stand-up comic Sam who desperately needs to get to 1 million followers in order to save his crumbling marriage. His best friend teen social media star Henry (Brandon Calvillo) just wants to hook up with an Instagram model (Jessica Serfaty) who lives across the country. Together, they team up on a road trip to collaborate on videos with the best and worst of social media, including the morally bankrupt Mike...
Read More: Vine Star King Bach To Host The 6th Annual Streamy Awards
Nash plays 40-year-old stand-up comic Sam who desperately needs to get to 1 million followers in order to save his crumbling marriage. His best friend teen social media star Henry (Brandon Calvillo) just wants to hook up with an Instagram model (Jessica Serfaty) who lives across the country. Together, they team up on a road trip to collaborate on videos with the best and worst of social media, including the morally bankrupt Mike...
- 10/11/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
"That's the way it is." Forager Films has debuted the first trailer for an indie drama called Little Sister, which premiered at the SXSW Film Festival and also played at BAMcinemaFest this summer. From writer/director Zach Clark, the film is about a young nun who returns home after her brother comes back from Iraq and rediscovers her youth as a goth girl. Addison Timlin stars as Colleen, with a cast including Ally Sheedy, Peter Hedges, Keith Poulson and Barbara Crampton. This eccentric little indie has some comedy to it, although reviews state it's "definitely a drama first: a tough familial drama consisting of broken souls seeking an avenue to mend fences." I'm not sure what to make of this, but it looks good. The description says it's "a schmaltz-free, pathos-drenched, feel good movie for the little goth girl inside us all." Here's the first official trailer for Zach Clark's Little Sister,...
- 9/1/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
After crafting one of our favorite (and most darkly uncomfortable) yuletide favorites over the last few years with White Reindeer, director Zach Clark is back with the new film Little Sister. Executive produced by Joe Swanberg, the film follows a family re-connecting, then things get a little strange. Ahead of a release in October, the first compelling trailer has now arrived.
We said in our review, “Saying Zach Clark‘s Little Sister being called a comedy does a disservice to the film seems like a slight on the genre. I know. But I don’t mean it that way. What this label does — even if it’s clarified with the word “dark” — is build an expectation that’s able to hurt the film’s true appeal. Clark and Melodie Sisk‘s script is definitely a drama first: a tough familial drama consisting of broken souls seeking an avenue to mend...
We said in our review, “Saying Zach Clark‘s Little Sister being called a comedy does a disservice to the film seems like a slight on the genre. I know. But I don’t mean it that way. What this label does — even if it’s clarified with the word “dark” — is build an expectation that’s able to hurt the film’s true appeal. Clark and Melodie Sisk‘s script is definitely a drama first: a tough familial drama consisting of broken souls seeking an avenue to mend...
- 9/1/2016
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
In Zach Clark’s Little Sister, which premiered earlier this year at SXSW, Colleen (Addison Timlin), a young nun and former goth, returns to her childhood home in Asheville, North Carolina where she faces her estranged dysfunctional family. During Colleen’s visit, things intensify with a little help from Halloween, pot cupcakes, and Gwar. The ensemble cast features Ally Sheedy, Peter Hedges, Keith Poulson, Barbara Crampton, and Kristin Slaysman. In a review of the film in Filmmaker, Howard Feinstein called Little Sister “an unaffected masterpiece,” writing that “Clark balances the melancholy with outsized bursts of joy.” Little Sister opens at The Metrograph in New York on October 14th and […]...
- 9/1/2016
- by Paula Bernstein
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Exclusive: Forager Films, the Chicago-based production company toplined by filmmaker Joe Swanberg, is set to release writer-director Zach Clark’s Little Sister theatrically in New York as well as on iTunes and Digital VOD on October 14. It’s the first distribution play for the company, which has produced such films as Kris Swanberg’s Unexpected and Alex Ross Perry’s upcoming Golden Exits. Ally Sheedy, Addison Timlin, Keith Poulson, Kristin Slaysman, Barbara Crampton and…...
- 8/24/2016
- Deadline
Karina Longworth's marvelous podcast, You Must Remember This, returns from a summer break with a new series on Joan Crawford. The first episode (44'18") focuses on the young Lucille LeSueur and swerves off on an entertaining detour for background on Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. More listening: Werner Herzog is impressed by Kanye West's Famous; Joseph McBride discusses Charles Chaplin's City Lights; Sam Fragoso talks with Ira Sachs about Little Men and more; White Reindeer director Zach Clark talks with John Waters about Multiple Maniacs, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Justin Bieber and Terrence Malick; and the latest edition of Illusion Travels By Streetcar is about "The Madness of Busby Berkeley." » - David Hudson...
- 8/15/2016
- Keyframe
Karina Longworth's marvelous podcast, You Must Remember This, returns from a summer break with a new series on Joan Crawford. The first episode (44'18") focuses on the young Lucille LeSueur and swerves off on an entertaining detour for background on Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford. More listening: Werner Herzog is impressed by Kanye West's Famous; Joseph McBride discusses Charles Chaplin's City Lights; Sam Fragoso talks with Ira Sachs about Little Men and more; White Reindeer director Zach Clark talks with John Waters about Multiple Maniacs, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Justin Bieber and Terrence Malick; and the latest edition of Illusion Travels By Streetcar is about "The Madness of Busby Berkeley." » - David Hudson...
- 8/15/2016
- Fandor: Keyframe
Little Sister is writer/director Zach Clark's fifth feature film, and arguably it may be his best yet. It stars a talented young cast (Addision Timlin and Keith Poulson) mixed with seasoned actors such as Barbara Crampton and Ally Sheedy. The result is a delight to watch --- and a very different family drama --- one thankfully not sickingly sweet. Barbara Crampton has made quite the resurgence in horror films lately --- Applecart, Death House Beyond the Gates, Sun Choke, Tales of Halloween, We Are Still Here, You're Next, and Road Games --- to name a few. I caught up with her at the 20th annual Fantasia International Film Festival to discuss Little Sister (where it screened last night to a very receptive crowd) as well as what she's been up to lately, and what's next for...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 7/30/2016
- Screen Anarchy
Saying Zach Clark‘s Little Sister being called a comedy does a disservice to the film seems like a slight on the genre. I know. But I don’t mean it that way. What this label does — even if it’s clarified with the word “dark” — is build an expectation that’s able to hurt the film’s true appeal. Clark and Melodie Sisk‘s script is definitely a drama first: a tough familial drama consisting of broken souls seeking an avenue to mend fences and remember what it was like to be whole. The humor enhances this drive by lightening the weightiness of the Lunsfords’ struggle as well as endearing them as a relatable group not so different from our own families regardless of our personal issues possibly not matching their immense tragedy.
The title dually represents young Colleen (Addison Timlin). She’s the “little sister” of the family,...
The title dually represents young Colleen (Addison Timlin). She’s the “little sister” of the family,...
- 7/29/2016
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Determinism or free will? I’m flummoxed. This is my second successive review of a film about nuns. The first was Zach Clark’s Little Sister, in which meek ex-goth Colleen Lunsford (Addison Timlin) is a novice in a New York City convent whose mother superior, like the newcomer herself, doubts the young woman’s faith and commitment to the order of the Sisters of Mercy. During a trip to the family home in North Carolina — half therapy, half reunion with a brother mutilated from combat — she appropriates the flamboyance and kitsch that had been a substantial part of their youth. […]...
- 6/30/2016
- by Howard Feinstein
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
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