Don’t Miss Indies: What to Watch in October
Spooky season is thickly up on us, and this month’s batch of indie film releases highlights a range of spine-tingling titles – from psychological to supernatural to dystopian, with some family drama for good measure. Dig in, you just never know what independent minds will make up next.
LURKER
When You Can Watch: October 10
Where You Can Watch: MUBI / Film Independent Presents
Writer/Director: Alex Russell
Cast: Théodore Pellerin, Archie Madekwe, Sunny Suljic
Why We’re Excited: Alex Russell (a writer on The Bear) set his psychological thriller in the world of Instagram fame and up-and-coming music talent. Playing on social dynamics and paranoia, Lurker spotlights Matthew (Théodore Pellerin, Spirit Award nominee Never Rarely Sometimes Always), a too-intense loner working retail in Los Angeles. Meeting indie musician Oliver (Archie Madekwe, Gran Turismo) puts Matthew in a position of social climber, elbowing his way into the entourage of a rising star who is just as eager to secure his own popularity with the public. As each of them pursue their sometimes intertwined aims, the tension builds between art, commerce, friendship and who will get what they want – and at whose expense.
MY FATHER’S SHADOW
Where You Can Watch: Our Programmers’ Picks screening at the Film Independent Theater
Director: Akinola Davies Jr.
Cast: Sope Dirisu, Godwin Egbo, Chibuike Marvelous Egbo
Why We’re Excited: In Nigeria’s first Official Selection at Cannes, this semi-autobiographical coming of age drama is seen through the eyes of two boys (actual brothers Godwin and Chibuike Marvelous Egbo) who spend a day with their estranged father in 1993 – the time of Nigeria’s historic presidential election. From the relative calm of their rural village to the vibrancy and bewilderment of Lagos, brothers Aki and Remi get their first glimpse at the romanticized life of their father Fola (Sope Dirisu, Gangs of London). Co-written by Akinola Davies and his brother Wale, Davies told The Observer, “…it was also about us trying to understand and mine a bunch of emotions on what it means to be men in an African context, and grieve a relationship that we never really had.”
ORWELL: 2 + 2 = 5
When You Can Watch: October 3
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Director: Raoul Peck
Cast: Damian Lewis
Why We’re Excited: In a spare composition, Spirit Award nominee Raoul Peck (I Am Not Your Negro) examines the life, work, and relevance of George Orwell’s writing – specifically his dystopian novel, 1984. Knitted together with gravitas from narration by Emmy winner Damian Lewis (Homeland), the documentary connects archival footage, diary excerpts, and global contemporary events to follow Orwell’s path from imperial officer to prophetic critic of authoritarianism, sprinkling details of his personal life among his writings. Peck, commissioned by the Orwell estate, spoke with Filmmaker Magazine on finding his connection with Orwell: “What people have made of Orwell over the years was to put him in this little tunnel of anti-Sovietism, anti-Stalinism…Any power is subject to becoming authoritarian.”
ANEMONE
When You Can Watch: October 3
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Director: Ronan Day-Lewis
Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sean Bean, Samuel Bottomley
Why We’re Excited: Co-written with his dad, Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln), this art-house family drama is a feature debut for Ronan Day-Lewis. Day-Lewis’s distinctive visual style shines in the film’s Northern England setting of misty forests, as Jem (Sean Bean, Game of Thrones) braves estrangement and traumatic history to visit his hermit brother Ray (Daniel Day-Lewis) and encourage him to return to civilization. The film title (pronounced Uh-NEM-uh-nee) refers to a key story that unfolds as Jem and Ray catch up on life – as only two men with lots of secrets and buried emotions would – because even though some things are impossible to talk about, the bond of family demands that we do. Produced by Film Independent members Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner.
GOOD BOY
When You Can Watch: October 3
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Director: Ben Leonberg
Cast: Indy, Shane Jensen, Arielle Friedman
Why We’re Excited: Finally! A ghost story from the dog’s perspective. Titular good boy Indy takes the cake as the dog, who in real life belongs to director Ben Leonberg. Leonberg and his wife (producer Kari Fischer) worked for three years to prep Indy for the role in their first feature. “I worked with my own dog,” he told Variety, “and I think by necessity, the movie’s gonna be unique because his performance is so unlike other performances a person or even another dog actor would give.” The story of a loyal dog who moves into a remote cabin with his owner was first imagined for a short film contest, in which Indy won Best Actor. And the unique genius of Indy’s quirks and dog sense shine as he bravely battles the dark forces threatening his best friend – a man named Todd (Shane Jensen, Four).
IF I HAD LEGS I’D KICK YOU
When You Can Watch: October 10
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Director: Mary Bronstein
Cast: Rose Byrne, Conan O’Brien, A$AP Rocky
Why We’re Excited: Linda has a lot going on. As a therapist (Rose Byrne, Spy) with a mysteriously ill daughter and absent husband, Linda spirals from frazzled to unraveled and descending. Sharing her struggles with a dismissive therapist (the surprisingly perfect Conan O’Brien, The Lego Batman Movie) and her relentlessly positive hotel neighbor, James (A$AP Rocky, Dope). The rising panic is palpable, and the hole in Linda’s ceiling seems to parallel other things in her life that come crashing down. This is the second film from director Mary Bronstein (Yeast), bringing dark humor to visceral emotion as mounting pressures in Linda’s life – from within and without – take her on a messy search for meaning and identity.
FAIRYLAND
When You Can Watch: October 5
Where You Can Watch: Landmark Sunset, Film Independent Presents
Director: Andrew Durham
Cast: Emilia Jones, Scoot McNairy, Nessa Dougherty
Why We’re Excited: Andrew Durham adapted the script for his first feature from Alysia Abbott’s memoir with the same name. In an interview with Solstice, Alysia talked about the ten-year journey from page to screen, watching Durham dramatize her childhood memories of life in San Francisco with her gay dad – played by Scoot McNairy (Spirit Award winner In Search of a Midnight Kiss). “I felt he really respected me as the author of this story,” Abbott said. “And in turn I trusted him to make the movie he wanted to make.” Durham’s movie starts with the catalyst for the big move to San Francisco – the death of young Alysia’s mother in a car accident. Ignoring advice from relatives, the family of two sets off for new experiences in a defining era for the gay community. Film Independent member Elizabeth Woodward served as Executive Producer.
THE MASTERMIND
When You Can Watch: October 17
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Director: Kelly Reichardt
Cast: Josh O’Connor, Sterling Thompson, Ronnie Gibson
Why We’re Excited: Spirit Award winner Kelly Reichart (Showing Up) has always loved heists. When she happened on an article reporting the 50th anniversary of an art heist in Massachusetts, it sparked the idea for her own modest art heist set in New England. Rather than pilfering Rembrandts, Reichardt’s James Mooney (Josh O’Connor, God’s Own Country) channels his detachment from the state of the world in the 1970s into a scheme to make off with a few small works by Arthur Dove. But as Reichardt’s films tend to do, Mastermind challenges Mooney’s assumptions of independence as he is forced to reckon with society, his judge father (Bill Camp, Sound of Freedom) and his ragtag crew.
BUGONIA
When You Can Watch: October 31
Where You Can Watch: Theaters
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Cast: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis
Why We’re Excited: Yorgos Lanthimos (Spirit Award nominated The Favourite) was drawn to this script because of the timeliness and relevance of its concept – two conspiracy theorists kidnapping the protective CEO of a big pharmaceutical company. “I felt it was so funny and entertaining but also extremely impactful and made you really think about things deeply,” Lanthimos told THR. Spirit Award nominee Jesse Plemons (Other People) plays the beekeeper who believes Michelle – Emma Stone (Spirit Award nominated Fantasmas) – is actually an alien planning to destroy the earth. So naturally he gets his cousin to help stash Michelle in the basement until they can coerce her to reverse her plans for total annihilation. The battle of wits that ensues is both entertaining, chilling and potentially insightful.
PROGRAMMER’S PICK: HEDDA
When You Can Watch: September 25
Where You Can Watch: The London West Hollywood, Film Independent Presents
Writer/Director: Nia DaCosta
Cast: Tessa Thompson, Nina Hoss, Imogen Poots
Why We’re Excited: From Senior Programmer Jenn Wilson–Hedda Gabler is one of the most complex characters ever written for the theater, and director Nia DaCosta delivers a powerhouse adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s play, one that will most likely leave you breathless. Tessa Thompson stars as the title character, Hedda. Brooding and bored with her lot in life, she decides to throw a grand party for her husband who is seemingly soon to be named to a coveted new job at the university, but when Hedda’s ex-lover, Eileen Lovborg shows up at the party with a new girlfriend and also vying for her husband’s position, Hedda shifts into a revenge mode for the ages. Whose side is she on, though? In one moment she seems to be helping someone that she later turns on, begging the question of whether she actually knows what she wants or not. Helping Tessa Thompson buoy this chaos is an amazingly powerful performance from Hedda’s rival Lovborg played by German actress, Nina Hoss. Throughout, the film’s production and sound design and restless cinematography style, are all beautiful to behold and create a stunning visual framework for this wild story of a woman on the edge, fighting for freedom in the only way she knows how.
KEY
Film Independent Fellow or Member
Film Independent Presents Screening, Q&A
Microbudget
Filmmaker or Lead Characters of Color
Film Independent Spirit Award Winner or Nominee
Female Filmmaker
LGBT Filmmaker or Lead LGBT Characters
First-time Filmmaker
LA Film Festival Winner or Nominee
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