A modern tragedy of male pride plays out in this low-key character study from Johan Carlsen (co-written with Micah Magee), which charts the microsteps to isolation of its central character Kurt (Zack Mulligan) - a Midwest family man whose inability to swallow his ego sees him slip from the moorings of his life.
Kurt is a willing labourer, happy to turn his hand to farm jobs big or small. While that counts for a lot in a place like this, where being a hard worker is something that is viewed with respect, the ingrained cultural importance of being able to graft for your family proves to be a double-edged sword as work starts to dry up. Helping hands are extended but Kurt just can't seem to find it in himself to take any of them because it somehow conflicts with his need to be the breadwinner.
Respect - or the lack of it -.
Kurt is a willing labourer, happy to turn his hand to farm jobs big or small. While that counts for a lot in a place like this, where being a hard worker is something that is viewed with respect, the ingrained cultural importance of being able to graft for your family proves to be a double-edged sword as work starts to dry up. Helping hands are extended but Kurt just can't seem to find it in himself to take any of them because it somehow conflicts with his need to be the breadwinner.
Respect - or the lack of it -.
- 6/7/2021
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
There’s a question looming above the entirety of Death on the Streets, European Johan Carlsen’s film about a self-destroyed American man: Is Kurt a failure? To anyone who sees his life with wife Sarah (Katie Folger), two young sons, and an expansive (albeit intrusive) support system, the answer is a resounding “No.” To Kurt, however, there’s zero wiggle room for believing the opposite. He’s allowed that belief. He’s allowed the depression, anger, and anxiety created by unemployment as he further distances himself from the people who love him. There’s an interesting story within those emotions—especially today. Unfortunately, Carlsen and Micah Magee’s script comes up short.
Some of that truth is a product of the budget. This is a shoestring production utilizing non-actors who often arrive onscreen, hit their mark, and deliver their lines before abruptly leaving. A large portion of the runtime...
Some of that truth is a product of the budget. This is a shoestring production utilizing non-actors who often arrive onscreen, hit their mark, and deliver their lines before abruptly leaving. A large portion of the runtime...
- 6/7/2021
- by Jared Mobarak
- The Film Stage
Favorably compared by Variety to fellow Texas filmmakers Terrence Malick and Rick Linklater, San Antonio-raised Micah Magee has been based in Europe for over a decade. But despite having made several shorts there, when it came time to direct her first feature her heart returned to the Lone Star state. Petting Zoo, shot in San Antonio and cast primarily with locals with little acting experience, is a deeply felt coming-of-age story that captures what its like to be young in Texas as perhaps no film has before. Based on Magee’s own experiences of teenage pregnancy, Petting Zoo follows Layla (in […]...
- 2/22/2017
- by David Barker
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Icelandic feature Rams and Colombian rural drama Land and Shade take top prizes at Greek festival.Scroll down for full list of winners
Icelandic director Grimur Hakonarson’s Rams (Hrutar) has been named best film at the 56th Thessaloniki International Film Festival (Nov 6-15) winning the Golden Alexander.
It beat competition from 13 other first and second films screened in this year’s particularly strong international competition section.
The film, awarded the Un Certain Regard top prize earlier this year in Cannes, deals with two brothers, who haven’t spoken to each other for over 40 years though living in neighbouring farms in a remote valley in Iceland raising sheep.
World sales are handled by Polish outfit New Europe Film Sales. It will be released in Greece by Ama Films.
Following a long tradition of Latin American productions sweeping the Thessaloniki awards, features from Colombia, Argentina, Mexico and Venezuela shared the majority of the other official and side awards...
Icelandic director Grimur Hakonarson’s Rams (Hrutar) has been named best film at the 56th Thessaloniki International Film Festival (Nov 6-15) winning the Golden Alexander.
It beat competition from 13 other first and second films screened in this year’s particularly strong international competition section.
The film, awarded the Un Certain Regard top prize earlier this year in Cannes, deals with two brothers, who haven’t spoken to each other for over 40 years though living in neighbouring farms in a remote valley in Iceland raising sheep.
World sales are handled by Polish outfit New Europe Film Sales. It will be released in Greece by Ama Films.
Following a long tradition of Latin American productions sweeping the Thessaloniki awards, features from Colombia, Argentina, Mexico and Venezuela shared the majority of the other official and side awards...
- 11/16/2015
- by alexisgrivas@yahoo.com (Alexis Grivas)
- ScreenDaily
The 65th Thessaloniki International Film Festival (November 6-14) offers busy industry programme including works in progress and Crossroads co-production strand.The 56th Thessaloniki International Film Festival kicks off today with the Berlin prizewinner Victoria by Sebastian Schipper.
The festival closes Nov 14 with the Cannes awarded My Golden Days (Trois souvenirs de ma jeunesse) by Arnaud Desplechin, who receives an homage, enjoys a full retrospective of his films and will deliver a masterclass.
Also receiving homages are veteran Romanian director Mircea Daneliuc and Greek master cinematographer Nikos Kavoukidis, accompanied by tributes to the 70 years of Greek animation and to the recent Austrian cinema.The late Belgian director Chantal.Akerman is receiving a special homage with the presentation of her 2011 film Almayer’s Folly (La folie Almayer).
The competition program includes 15 first and second films (the full list is below). The five members of the international jury set to award the Golden, Silver and Bronze...
The festival closes Nov 14 with the Cannes awarded My Golden Days (Trois souvenirs de ma jeunesse) by Arnaud Desplechin, who receives an homage, enjoys a full retrospective of his films and will deliver a masterclass.
Also receiving homages are veteran Romanian director Mircea Daneliuc and Greek master cinematographer Nikos Kavoukidis, accompanied by tributes to the 70 years of Greek animation and to the recent Austrian cinema.The late Belgian director Chantal.Akerman is receiving a special homage with the presentation of her 2011 film Almayer’s Folly (La folie Almayer).
The competition program includes 15 first and second films (the full list is below). The five members of the international jury set to award the Golden, Silver and Bronze...
- 11/6/2015
- by alexisgrivas@yahoo.com (Alexis Grivas)
- ScreenDaily
Read More: SXSW Exclusive: Austin Is Cool In Clip From 'Petting Zoo' The BendFilm Festival, an annual celebration of independent film, has announced the winners of 11 award categories from this year's outing. The film "Petting Zoo," directed by Micah Magee, which also played at the Berlin International Film Festival, was awarded the Best in Show Award as well as an award for Best Narrative Feature. The full list of award recipients is as follows: Best in Show - "Petting Zoo," directed by Micah Magee Best Directing - "Birth of Sake," directed by Eric Shirai Best Narrative Feature - "Petting Zoo," directed by Micah Magee Best Documentary Feature - "Birth of Sake," directed by Eric Shirai Best Narrative Short - "Hole," directed by Martin Edralin Best Documentary Short - "The Many Sad Fates of Mr. Toledano," directed by Joshua Seftel Best Student Short - "Take With Water," directed by Tara.
- 10/12/2015
- by Ryan Anielski
- Indiewire
The 44th edition of the Festival du Nouveau Cinema has just announced their entire lineup and it’s pretty insane! The festival which takes place in Montreal from October 7 to 18 is screening nearly 400 films and events in only 11 days. This includes 151 feature films and 203 short films from 68 countries – 49 world premieres, 38 North American premieres and 60 Canadian premieres. Give credit to the team of programmers: Claude Chamberlan, Dimitri Eipides Julien Fonfrède, Philippe Gajan, Karolewicz Daniel, Marie-Hélène Brousseau, Katayoun Dibamehr and Gabrielle Tougas-Frechette.
Below is the lineup. There’s a lot to process so take your sweet time!
Opening and closing
The whole New Testament directed by Jaco Van Dormael (Toto the Hero, Mr Nobody, The Eighth Day), will kick off this 44th edition.
After its world premiere at the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes last May, the new opus unconventional Belgian director, starring Benoît Poelvoorde (Three Hearts, Ransom of Glory), Yolande Moreau (Mammuth,...
Below is the lineup. There’s a lot to process so take your sweet time!
Opening and closing
The whole New Testament directed by Jaco Van Dormael (Toto the Hero, Mr Nobody, The Eighth Day), will kick off this 44th edition.
After its world premiere at the Directors’ Fortnight at Cannes last May, the new opus unconventional Belgian director, starring Benoît Poelvoorde (Three Hearts, Ransom of Glory), Yolande Moreau (Mammuth,...
- 9/29/2015
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Layla (newcomer Devon Keller) is a high-school senior shacking up with her dropout boyfriend Danny (Kiowa Tucker). An honor student, she gets a scholarship to Ut Austin and then finds out she's pregnant. Given her predicament, what can she do? Petting Zoo, from director Micah Magee (see my interview with her), thrusts the viewer into several months of Layla's life.
One notable facet to the main character is that she is working poor. Layla refuses to live with her financially stable but abusive father, so has to move in with her elderly grandmother (Adrienne Harrell, Zero Charisma) and share a bed. Magee perfectly conveys the utter vulnerability of her situation. We see Layla sleeping many times -- through loud parties in Danny's apartment, in a friend's car after seeing Girl in a Coma, on her grandmother's couch after hearing bad news. Such sequences illustrate the precariousness of her life, and...
One notable facet to the main character is that she is working poor. Layla refuses to live with her financially stable but abusive father, so has to move in with her elderly grandmother (Adrienne Harrell, Zero Charisma) and share a bed. Magee perfectly conveys the utter vulnerability of her situation. We see Layla sleeping many times -- through loud parties in Danny's apartment, in a friend's car after seeing Girl in a Coma, on her grandmother's couch after hearing bad news. Such sequences illustrate the precariousness of her life, and...
- 3/18/2015
- by Elizabeth Stoddard
- Slackerwood
SXSW 2015: ‘Petting Zoo’ documents the transition from adolescence to adulthood with intimate detail
Petting Zoo
Written and directed by Micah Magee
USA/Germany/Greece, 2015
“I’m everywhere now, the way is a vow to the wind of each breath by and by.” Johnny Flynn’s “The Water” is prominently featured twice in Micah Magee’s Petting Zoo, serving to remind the audience of life’s unpredictable nature. People may make plans for the future, but in reality there is no telling how the road before them will unfold. Protagonist Layla (Devon Keller) experiences a number of difficult transitions throughout Petting Zoo. Over the course of several months, she progresses from adolescence to maturity, and Magee’s camera is there to document her growth in poignant, intimate detail.
Layla’s story begins on a high note. An honor roll student and hard-working individual, she secures a full-ride scholarship to the University of Texas. She lives primarily with her congenial grandmother, apparently having a strained relationship with her parents.
Written and directed by Micah Magee
USA/Germany/Greece, 2015
“I’m everywhere now, the way is a vow to the wind of each breath by and by.” Johnny Flynn’s “The Water” is prominently featured twice in Micah Magee’s Petting Zoo, serving to remind the audience of life’s unpredictable nature. People may make plans for the future, but in reality there is no telling how the road before them will unfold. Protagonist Layla (Devon Keller) experiences a number of difficult transitions throughout Petting Zoo. Over the course of several months, she progresses from adolescence to maturity, and Magee’s camera is there to document her growth in poignant, intimate detail.
Layla’s story begins on a high note. An honor roll student and hard-working individual, she secures a full-ride scholarship to the University of Texas. She lives primarily with her congenial grandmother, apparently having a strained relationship with her parents.
- 3/16/2015
- by Jacob Carter
- SoundOnSight
Teen pregnancy in film is nothing new, but for filmmaker Micah Magee, she approaches the subject in her debut feature, "Petting Zoo," from a personal and observational place that's without judgment, and based on her own experiences as a young mother. The story follows Layla, who, on the cusp of high school graduation, becomes unexpectedly pregnant. She faces the expectations thrust upon her from her family and friends in small-town Texas, set against a brewing romance and desire for more. Magee understands how much it is to handle. "Like how present are your parents, and how present you need to be, when do you need to start working, when is it financially necessary for you to start working, do you pay rent to your parents to live there because they need you to? Stuff like that which I think varies a lot from family to family and income level to income level,...
- 3/14/2015
- by Kevin Jagernauth
- The Playlist
Copenhagen’s Cph Pix (April 9-22) will be bookended by films from two Danish directors shooting in the UK – Jeppe Ronde’s Welsh teen suicide drama Bridgend [pictured] and Thomas Vinterberg’s Thomas Hardy adaptation, Far From The Madding Crowd.
The audience-focused Cph Pix will show 130 feature films during 420 screenings and events.
Festival director Jacob Neiiendam said: “Artistically it’s a strong year for Danish cinema.”
Indeed, three Danish debut features will screen at Pix. “The first features from Thomas Daneskov [The Elite], Anna Sofie Hartmann [Limbo] and Jeppe Rønde showcase a diversity and nerve we have been missing in our fiction films, and they are just the tip of the iceberg,” added Neiiendam.
“We always wanted the festival to be a platform for local films which wouldn’t play well with regular releases, and this year we’ve been flooded with films produced outside the standard support system - and they are good films.”
Opening night will also...
The audience-focused Cph Pix will show 130 feature films during 420 screenings and events.
Festival director Jacob Neiiendam said: “Artistically it’s a strong year for Danish cinema.”
Indeed, three Danish debut features will screen at Pix. “The first features from Thomas Daneskov [The Elite], Anna Sofie Hartmann [Limbo] and Jeppe Rønde showcase a diversity and nerve we have been missing in our fiction films, and they are just the tip of the iceberg,” added Neiiendam.
“We always wanted the festival to be a platform for local films which wouldn’t play well with regular releases, and this year we’ve been flooded with films produced outside the standard support system - and they are good films.”
Opening night will also...
- 3/12/2015
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Writer/director Micah Magee may not live in Texas full-time now, but she has strong connections to the Lone Star State. She graduated from Ut (dual degree Plan II Honors and Radio-tv-Film) and worked as programming director for Cinematexas International Short Film Festival. Most recently, she filmed her feature Petting Zoo in San Antonio.
In Magee's film, Layla (young actress Devon Keller) is a teenager living on the edges of poverty whose plans to attend college are subverted by an unexpected pregnancy. Petting Zoo played as part of the Panorama Special programming at Berlinale in February, and has its North American premiere at SXSW later this month.
In these hectic days before the festival begins, Magee answered questions for us via email interview.
Slackerwood: What drew you to tell this story?
Micah Magee: Petting Zoo was shot in San Antonio, Texas. It was filmed in the places of my childhood,...
In Magee's film, Layla (young actress Devon Keller) is a teenager living on the edges of poverty whose plans to attend college are subverted by an unexpected pregnancy. Petting Zoo played as part of the Panorama Special programming at Berlinale in February, and has its North American premiere at SXSW later this month.
In these hectic days before the festival begins, Magee answered questions for us via email interview.
Slackerwood: What drew you to tell this story?
Micah Magee: Petting Zoo was shot in San Antonio, Texas. It was filmed in the places of my childhood,...
- 3/5/2015
- by Elizabeth Stoddard
- Slackerwood
Exclusive: Us, UK, France among major market deals on slate.
German indie powerhouse The Match Factory scored a slew of deals in major markets during Berlin’s European Film Market (Efm) (Feb 5-13).
Among titles to sell around the world were competition winners 45 Years and Victoria.
Andrew Haigh’s 45 Years, which won Silver Bears for stars Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay, has sold in 30 markets, with deals closing in Us / Canada (IFC / Sundance Selects), Germany (Piffl Medien), France (Ad Vitam), Australia /New Zealand (Madman), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Austria (Filmladen), BeNeLux (Cinemien), Japan (AyaPro), Scandinavia (Future Film), Spain (Golem), Italy (Teodora) and Poland (Solopan).
Deals also finalised for Portugal (Alambique), Greece (Seven), Turkey (Bir Film), South Korea (Pancinema), Israel (Lev Films), Baltics (Must Kasi), Ex-Yugoslavian territories (McF Megacom), Hong Kong (Edko Films), Austria (Filmladen), Hungary (Cirko Film).
Further territories, including Latin America, are under negotiation.
Sebastian Schipper’s heist thriller Victoria, which won the Silver Bear for cinematographer [link=nm...
German indie powerhouse The Match Factory scored a slew of deals in major markets during Berlin’s European Film Market (Efm) (Feb 5-13).
Among titles to sell around the world were competition winners 45 Years and Victoria.
Andrew Haigh’s 45 Years, which won Silver Bears for stars Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay, has sold in 30 markets, with deals closing in Us / Canada (IFC / Sundance Selects), Germany (Piffl Medien), France (Ad Vitam), Australia /New Zealand (Madman), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Austria (Filmladen), BeNeLux (Cinemien), Japan (AyaPro), Scandinavia (Future Film), Spain (Golem), Italy (Teodora) and Poland (Solopan).
Deals also finalised for Portugal (Alambique), Greece (Seven), Turkey (Bir Film), South Korea (Pancinema), Israel (Lev Films), Baltics (Must Kasi), Ex-Yugoslavian territories (McF Megacom), Hong Kong (Edko Films), Austria (Filmladen), Hungary (Cirko Film).
Further territories, including Latin America, are under negotiation.
Sebastian Schipper’s heist thriller Victoria, which won the Silver Bear for cinematographer [link=nm...
- 2/17/2015
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: German indie powerhouse signs slew of deals.
German sales outfit The Match Factory will be at the Berlinale with a typically strong line-up, which has already piqued plenty of buyer interest.
Four of the company’s titles compete for the Golden Bear, two will premiere in Panorama and one in Forum.
45 Years, the Golden Bear contender starring Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay by Weekend director Andrew Haigh has recently sold to Benelux (ABC Cinemien), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Australia/ New Zealand (Madman) and Germany (Piffl Medien).
The Match Factory previously secured a deal for the UK (Artificial Eye).
Competition title As We Were Dreaming, which continues The Match Factory’s relationship with director Andreas Dresen and producer Peter Rommel, has been sold to France (Sophie Dulac), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Greece (Ama Films) and ex-Yugoslavia (McF Megacom).
Pandora Film Verleih will release the drama in Germany after its Berlinale premiere.
Meanwhile, Laura Bispuri’ s debut film Sworn Virgin, also in competition...
German sales outfit The Match Factory will be at the Berlinale with a typically strong line-up, which has already piqued plenty of buyer interest.
Four of the company’s titles compete for the Golden Bear, two will premiere in Panorama and one in Forum.
45 Years, the Golden Bear contender starring Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay by Weekend director Andrew Haigh has recently sold to Benelux (ABC Cinemien), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Australia/ New Zealand (Madman) and Germany (Piffl Medien).
The Match Factory previously secured a deal for the UK (Artificial Eye).
Competition title As We Were Dreaming, which continues The Match Factory’s relationship with director Andreas Dresen and producer Peter Rommel, has been sold to France (Sophie Dulac), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Greece (Ama Films) and ex-Yugoslavia (McF Megacom).
Pandora Film Verleih will release the drama in Germany after its Berlinale premiere.
Meanwhile, Laura Bispuri’ s debut film Sworn Virgin, also in competition...
- 2/5/2015
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: German indie powerhouse signs slew of deals.
German sales outfit The Match Factory will be at the Berlinale with a typically strong line-up, which has already piqued plenty of buyer interest.
Four of the company’s titles compete for the Golden Bear, two will premiere in Panorama and one in Forum.
45 Years, the Golden Bear contender starring Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay by Weekend director Andrew Haigh has recently sold to Benelux (ABC Cinemien), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Australia/ New Zealand (Madman) and Germany (Piffl Medien).
The Match Factory previously secured a deal for the UK (Artificial Eye).
Competition title As We Were Dreaming, which continues The Match Factory’s relationship with director Andreas Dresen and producer Peter Rommel, has been sold to France (Sophie Dulac), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Greece (Ama Films) and ex-Yugoslavia (McF Megacom).
Pandora Film Verleih will release the drama in Germany after its Berlinale premiere.
Meanwhile, Laura Bispuri’ s debut film Sworn Virgin, also in competition...
German sales outfit The Match Factory will be at the Berlinale with a typically strong line-up, which has already piqued plenty of buyer interest.
Four of the company’s titles compete for the Golden Bear, two will premiere in Panorama and one in Forum.
45 Years, the Golden Bear contender starring Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay by Weekend director Andrew Haigh has recently sold to Benelux (ABC Cinemien), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Australia/ New Zealand (Madman) and Germany (Piffl Medien).
The Match Factory previously secured a deal for the UK (Artificial Eye).
Competition title As We Were Dreaming, which continues The Match Factory’s relationship with director Andreas Dresen and producer Peter Rommel, has been sold to France (Sophie Dulac), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), Greece (Ama Films) and ex-Yugoslavia (McF Megacom).
Pandora Film Verleih will release the drama in Germany after its Berlinale premiere.
Meanwhile, Laura Bispuri’ s debut film Sworn Virgin, also in competition...
- 2/5/2015
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Amy Schumer and Bill Hader in TrainwreckPhoto: Universal Pictures With Sundance just wrapping up and Berlin starting up in a few days, we are now immersed in the year-long barrage of film festivals. One such festival in South By Southwest. A few weeks back they announced the first seven films of their program, including the opening night film Brand: A Second Coming. Today, they have revealed the rest of the features to be shown in March (except for the midnight program), and some of it has me very excited. The bigger titles announced do not do much for me. Paul Feig's Spy, starring Melissa McCarthy, and the Will Ferrell/Kevin Hart starrer Get Hard leave a lot to be desired in terms of anticipation, as does a work in progress cut of Judd Apatow's latest film Trainwreck. I'm guessing an Apatow work in progress is probably around three and a half hours.
- 2/3/2015
- by Mike Shutt
- Rope of Silicon
South by Southwest, the multi-faceted film, music and technology festival held annually in Austin, TX will feature such upcoming films as Paul Feig’s Spy, David Gordon Green’s Manglehorn, Alex Gibney’s documentary Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine, and Ondi Timoner’s Russell Brand profile Brand: A Second Coming as headliners in this year’s film festival lineup.
SXSW runs from March 13 to 21 in Austin and is now in its 22nd year. Variety has details of the 145 films and 100 world premieres bowing at this year’s festival. Brand, as previously reported, will be the festival’s opening night film.
Other notable titles on the list are the Will Ferrell/Kevin Hart comedy Get Hard, a rough cut of Judd Apatow’s Trainwreck, the directorial debut of 28 Days Later screenwriter Alex Garland, Ex Machina, and a new comedy by Michael Showalter, Hello, My Name is Doris.
On the small screen,...
SXSW runs from March 13 to 21 in Austin and is now in its 22nd year. Variety has details of the 145 films and 100 world premieres bowing at this year’s festival. Brand, as previously reported, will be the festival’s opening night film.
Other notable titles on the list are the Will Ferrell/Kevin Hart comedy Get Hard, a rough cut of Judd Apatow’s Trainwreck, the directorial debut of 28 Days Later screenwriter Alex Garland, Ex Machina, and a new comedy by Michael Showalter, Hello, My Name is Doris.
On the small screen,...
- 2/3/2015
- by Brian Welk
- SoundOnSight
The 18th annual San Antonio Film Festival will run for a solid week, June 18-24, at several locations around the city and will feature, as it always does, an expansive and impressive lineup of documentaries, thrillers, dramas and a ton of short films.
The fest kicks off on the 18th with the Canadian culture clash comedy French Immersion, directed by Kevin Tierney, followed by a block of homegrown short films from all over the great state of Texas. The next night’s programming, the 19th, pays tribute to San Antonio’s neighbors to the south with two feature films from Mexico, the drama Burros by Odin Salazar Flores and the documentary Die Standing Up by Jacaranda Correa, as well as a block of short films.
Some of the feature-length documentaries include Stephanie Hubbard’s Christian theme park quest Bible Storyland (watch the trailer); James Lane’s expose of the Oklahoma...
The fest kicks off on the 18th with the Canadian culture clash comedy French Immersion, directed by Kevin Tierney, followed by a block of homegrown short films from all over the great state of Texas. The next night’s programming, the 19th, pays tribute to San Antonio’s neighbors to the south with two feature films from Mexico, the drama Burros by Odin Salazar Flores and the documentary Die Standing Up by Jacaranda Correa, as well as a block of short films.
Some of the feature-length documentaries include Stephanie Hubbard’s Christian theme park quest Bible Storyland (watch the trailer); James Lane’s expose of the Oklahoma...
- 6/18/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
SXSW starts tomorrow, and one of the best parts of the festival is the shorts program, a perennial favorite. I've pre-screened a number of this year's excellent entries, and here is part one of my pre-fest short film coverage.
Tumbleweed! (Texas Shorts)
Wow! Offbeat, whimsical, and completely delightful. Tumbleweed! is an inspirational story of a tumbleweed that refuses to tumble. This seven-minute short is the kind of little nugget that makes the shorts program a must-see. Very loosely set in Texas.
Heimkommen (Narrative Shorts)
A poignant and touching look at sibling tensions in the wake of a tragic accident, Heimkommen (Come Home) tells a story that is simple yet deep. Director Micah Magee is a San Antonio native and Ut Austin grad, and she's also a former Cinematexas co-director.
In the Pines (Narrative Shorts)
In nine minutes, In the Pines managed to re-create the mood I felt after two hours watching Tree of Life.
Tumbleweed! (Texas Shorts)
Wow! Offbeat, whimsical, and completely delightful. Tumbleweed! is an inspirational story of a tumbleweed that refuses to tumble. This seven-minute short is the kind of little nugget that makes the shorts program a must-see. Very loosely set in Texas.
Heimkommen (Narrative Shorts)
A poignant and touching look at sibling tensions in the wake of a tragic accident, Heimkommen (Come Home) tells a story that is simple yet deep. Director Micah Magee is a San Antonio native and Ut Austin grad, and she's also a former Cinematexas co-director.
In the Pines (Narrative Shorts)
In nine minutes, In the Pines managed to re-create the mood I felt after two hours watching Tree of Life.
- 3/8/2012
- by Mike Saulters
- Slackerwood
Robert G. Putka‘s Mouthful and Jared Varava‘s Tumbleweed! are two short films that have been selected to screen at the 2012 SXSW Film Festival, which will run in Austin, TX on March 9-17.
Mouthful is Putka’s second short film, a verbally raunchy comedy starring Eilis Cahill and Conor Casey as a young couple whose relationship becomes strained thanks to an overly frank discussion about their sexual histories. The film was recently reviewed on Bad Lit: The Journal of Underground Film saying “one shouldn’t assume too much how the premise of a young man and woman discussing [male] anatomy will play out.”
Putka has also mounted an IndieGoGo campaign to help fund his filmmaking team’s trip to SXSW and for marketing material, such as posters, T-shirts, press kits and such. If you want to help out, please visit the Mouthful IndieGoGo page.
Tumbleweed! is the latest collaboration between...
Mouthful is Putka’s second short film, a verbally raunchy comedy starring Eilis Cahill and Conor Casey as a young couple whose relationship becomes strained thanks to an overly frank discussion about their sexual histories. The film was recently reviewed on Bad Lit: The Journal of Underground Film saying “one shouldn’t assume too much how the premise of a young man and woman discussing [male] anatomy will play out.”
Putka has also mounted an IndieGoGo campaign to help fund his filmmaking team’s trip to SXSW and for marketing material, such as posters, T-shirts, press kits and such. If you want to help out, please visit the Mouthful IndieGoGo page.
Tumbleweed! is the latest collaboration between...
- 2/10/2012
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
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