After discussing the year’s breakthrough directors, it’s time to traverse to the other side of the camera. Whether it’s their very first performances or a talent who’s been seen in a variety of features, yet, for whatever reason, hadn’t been allowed to command the screen, this year’s breakthrough actors are an eclectic group. Ranging from Hollywood offerings to minuscule independent dramas, check out our rundown.
Michael Barbieri and Theo Taplitz (Little Men)
Taking the concept of “Parents Just Don’t Understand” and conveying it through the economic realities of gentrification, Ira Sachs‘ Little Men is an affecting look at what happens when a friendship can fracture due to external pressures. Playing the two friends at the center, Michael Barbieri and Theo Taplitz honestly communicate the experience of an innocent relationship as they both explore what they want out of their teenage life. Barbieri, in particular,...
Michael Barbieri and Theo Taplitz (Little Men)
Taking the concept of “Parents Just Don’t Understand” and conveying it through the economic realities of gentrification, Ira Sachs‘ Little Men is an affecting look at what happens when a friendship can fracture due to external pressures. Playing the two friends at the center, Michael Barbieri and Theo Taplitz honestly communicate the experience of an innocent relationship as they both explore what they want out of their teenage life. Barbieri, in particular,...
- 12/22/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
Each year one of our awards traditions is to help fellow Bfca members choose more wisely when it comes to the "Young Performer" category by sharing an eligibility list. The lazy nominations each year prove that help is needed. Here's the thing: it can be difficult to even think of who is eligible when you're filling out a ballot because you don't get a list of choices and it's not a category people campaign for or one that the internet talks about. So we solve that problem right here. Our other belief, which is why we do this, is that if you actually pay attention there are enough worthy performances each year to divvy this category up into male and female as the other acting categories are divvied up. But, yes, you have to be paying attention beyond 5 or 6 movies and leading roles to notice the truly special work.
Ballots...
Ballots...
- 11/17/2016
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
One of our favorite films of the summer, Chad Hartigan‘s Morris From America is a sweet, stylistic, and affecting look at growing up as an outsider. With the film now arriving on Blu-ray today — complete with an audio commentary, casting tapes, bloopers, deleted scenes, and a making of featurette — we’re pleased to debut an exclusive clip from the special features, which details the discovery of star Markees Christmas as told by the director and the star himself.
I said in my review, Coming to Sundance with his tender character study This is Martin Bonner a few years back, director Chad Hartigan triumphantly returns with the coming-of-age comedy Morris From America, a stylistic leap forward that still retains a keen sense of humanity. Telling the story of our title character attempting to keep his identity while making friends in the foreign land of Germany, it’s also an acutely...
I said in my review, Coming to Sundance with his tender character study This is Martin Bonner a few years back, director Chad Hartigan triumphantly returns with the coming-of-age comedy Morris From America, a stylistic leap forward that still retains a keen sense of humanity. Telling the story of our title character attempting to keep his identity while making friends in the foreign land of Germany, it’s also an acutely...
- 11/8/2016
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Craig Robinson and newcomer Markees Christmas star in the heartwarming coming-of-age comedy Morris From America, arriving on Blu-ray (plus Digital HD) and DVD (plus Digital) on November 8 from Lionsgate. Released theatrically by A24, the film won two awards at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival including the Special Jury Award for Individual Performance – Craig Robinson, and The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award – Chad Hartigan. The home entertainment release of Morris From America includes a behind-the-scenes featurette, bloopers, deleted scenes, casting tapes and an audio commentary with director Chad Hartigan and actors Craig Robinson and Markees Christmas. The Morris From America Blu-ray and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $24.99 and $19.98, respectively.
A heartwarming and crowd-pleasing coming-of-age comedy with a unique spin, Morris From America centers on Morris Gentry (Christmas) a 13-year-old who has just relocated with his single father, Curtis (Robinson) to Heidelberg, Germany. Morris, who fancies himself the next Notorious B.I.G.,...
A heartwarming and crowd-pleasing coming-of-age comedy with a unique spin, Morris From America centers on Morris Gentry (Christmas) a 13-year-old who has just relocated with his single father, Curtis (Robinson) to Heidelberg, Germany. Morris, who fancies himself the next Notorious B.I.G.,...
- 10/27/2016
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Enter here for your chance to win Roe (run of engagement) passes to see the new film Morris From America starring Craig Robinson and Markees Christmas.
For your chance to receive two (2) Roe passes to see the new film Morris From America at the State Theater in Ann Arbor, Michigan starting Tuesday, September 6th throughout the run of the film’s engagement, just look for the “Enter the Contest” box further down on this page. But hurry because the contest ends at 12:00 pm on Tuesday, September 6th!
About The Film
Morris From America: A smash hit at this year’s Sundance Film Festival (where it won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award and star Craig Robinson received a Special Jury Award for Acting for his touching and nuanced performance in his first dramatic role), Morris from America centers on Morris Gentry (Markees Christmas, in an incredible breakout performance) a...
For your chance to receive two (2) Roe passes to see the new film Morris From America at the State Theater in Ann Arbor, Michigan starting Tuesday, September 6th throughout the run of the film’s engagement, just look for the “Enter the Contest” box further down on this page. But hurry because the contest ends at 12:00 pm on Tuesday, September 6th!
About The Film
Morris From America: A smash hit at this year’s Sundance Film Festival (where it won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award and star Craig Robinson received a Special Jury Award for Acting for his touching and nuanced performance in his first dramatic role), Morris from America centers on Morris Gentry (Markees Christmas, in an incredible breakout performance) a...
- 9/4/2016
- by Administrator
- CinemaNerdz
Morris from America is about xenophobia and stereotypes, bullying, living as expatriates and mourning the death of a wife and mother, but mostly it is about the tenacity carried out with a striking tenderness by Curtis (Craig Robinson), a newly single dad taking care of his teenage boy, Morris (Markees Christmas) in Heidelberg, Germany, where they are, as he puts it to his son, “the only two brothers” here. For Morris this looks like, at his school and youth center, being treated with a partly fetishized fascination by one of his classmates, Katrin (Lina Keller) and with racial slurs by another, and being accused by the teacher of using marijuana before the other kids are considered. Curtis’s world in Germany is professional soccer coaching, the job that relocated them from the States. Curtis’s wife (an absolutely love-of-my-life type of love) has passed away, leaving him with lonely nights...
- 9/2/2016
- by Dina Paulson
- CinemaNerdz
Review by Stephen Tronicek
A father and son argue about music to the point that both figures become children in the conversation, as the camera, amusingly poppy, hard cuts in a hilarious way as if to yell “Sit Down” every single time a new angle is shown. Then suddenly in a surge of hilarity, one of the “children” grounds the other one for “liking terrible music.” The grounded child makes his way up to his room as the father sits lonely at a table staring into space. Isolated. Suddenly, the father gets up and ungrounds the kid and they go get ice cream. Think about what type of emotions inform a scene like that. First, you have the two leads, headstrong both of them, trying to win the argument through their bouts of witty dialogue. Then you have the sudden punchline coming in as the childish father takes the control by being even more childish.
A father and son argue about music to the point that both figures become children in the conversation, as the camera, amusingly poppy, hard cuts in a hilarious way as if to yell “Sit Down” every single time a new angle is shown. Then suddenly in a surge of hilarity, one of the “children” grounds the other one for “liking terrible music.” The grounded child makes his way up to his room as the father sits lonely at a table staring into space. Isolated. Suddenly, the father gets up and ungrounds the kid and they go get ice cream. Think about what type of emotions inform a scene like that. First, you have the two leads, headstrong both of them, trying to win the argument through their bouts of witty dialogue. Then you have the sudden punchline coming in as the childish father takes the control by being even more childish.
- 9/2/2016
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
It doesn’t take too much convincing to get filmmaker Chad Hartigan to start ticking off the similarities between himself and the charismatic young character at the heart of his latest film, the Sundance crowdpleaser “Morris From America.” While the eponymous Morris — played by breakout young star Markees Christmas — faces his own unique challenges in the film, which follows the teen and his father (a revelatory Craig Robinson) after they move from the U.S. to Germany, the feature grew out of Hartigan’s own awkward adolescence.
“It actually started on the set of ‘This Is Martin Bonner,'” Hartigan recently told IndieWire. “I told the crew a story from my real life, where I put clothes on my pillow to dance with it and then hump it, and the reaction that that story got made me think it could be a funny scene in a movie.”
Read More: ‘Morris from America...
“It actually started on the set of ‘This Is Martin Bonner,'” Hartigan recently told IndieWire. “I told the crew a story from my real life, where I put clothes on my pillow to dance with it and then hump it, and the reaction that that story got made me think it could be a funny scene in a movie.”
Read More: ‘Morris from America...
- 8/23/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Chicago – When a 13 year old African American teenager is suddenly put into the atmosphere of Germany – specifically Old Heidelberg – then a whole new adventure awaits for “Morris from America.” Craig Robinson (“The Office”) portrays the title character’s father, and the film is directed by Chad Hartigan.
Hartigan is doing his third feature film, after the recent “This is Martin Bonner” (2013). “Morris from America” is slightly autobiographical, as his Irish father and American mother were missionaries, and he had problems fitting in wherever they moved (see story below). The film was shot on location in Old Heidelberg, and was financed in part through Germany.
Craig Robinson Portrays Curtis in ‘Morris from America’
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
Craig Robinson is familiar to fans of the TV series “The Office,” in his portrayal of Darryl. He was born in Chicago, and graduated from Illinois State University.
Hartigan is doing his third feature film, after the recent “This is Martin Bonner” (2013). “Morris from America” is slightly autobiographical, as his Irish father and American mother were missionaries, and he had problems fitting in wherever they moved (see story below). The film was shot on location in Old Heidelberg, and was financed in part through Germany.
Craig Robinson Portrays Curtis in ‘Morris from America’
Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com
Craig Robinson is familiar to fans of the TV series “The Office,” in his portrayal of Darryl. He was born in Chicago, and graduated from Illinois State University.
- 8/22/2016
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Audiences love a good coming-of-age story, thanks to the heady nostalgia that fills our empty, adult-life cups. Take Chad Hartigan’s Morris From America, for example. We’ve seen pre-pubescent characters reach maturation epiphanies before, but what about a gangster-rapping 13-year-old who’s forced to live out his NYC street dreams in a small German town? Same principles, same arcs, but Hartigan mines a funky-fresh new delivery that’s worth each dope rhyme and awkward embrace, unique in setup, yet familiar in comfort. The hallmarks of a stylish coming-of-age story worth your time and tears.
The driving force of Hartigan’s real-talk family piece is the father/son relationship established between Craig Robinson and little man Markees Christmas. Robinson plays Curtis Gentry, a European soccer coach currently working in Heidelberg, while Christmas acts as his son – Morris – who’s forced to navigate childhood in a completely foreign land. Morris’ German tutor,...
The driving force of Hartigan’s real-talk family piece is the father/son relationship established between Craig Robinson and little man Markees Christmas. Robinson plays Curtis Gentry, a European soccer coach currently working in Heidelberg, while Christmas acts as his son – Morris – who’s forced to navigate childhood in a completely foreign land. Morris’ German tutor,...
- 8/20/2016
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
This is a reprint of our review from the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. In a week dominated by the conversation around diversity at the Oscars and Charlotte Rampling‘s subsequent (and very troubling) comments on the issue, “Morris From America”— led by comedy veteran Craig Robinson and newcomer Markees Christmas — is precisely the respite audiences need […]
The post ‘Morris From America’ Is Well-Intentioned, But One-Dimensional [Review] appeared first on The Playlist.
The post ‘Morris From America’ Is Well-Intentioned, But One-Dimensional [Review] appeared first on The Playlist.
- 8/19/2016
- by Sam Fragoso
- The Playlist
“A unique perspective.” That’s how single dad Curtis (Craig Robinson) spins the tough move he’s put his 13-year-old son through. As fatherly silver linings go, it’s right up there with “builds character.” Curtis, you see, hasn’t just dragged Morris (newcomer Markees Christmas) across the country. He’s relocated his boy from the Bronx all the way to Heidelberg, Germany, where he’s accepted a position coaching soccer. Morris, who aspires to hip-hop superstardom, is a shy black kid in an overwhelmingly white city. He can take solace only in the promise of autobiographical pay dirt—that special something to distinguish his life experiences from those of his fellow budding MCs. Morris From America reaps the same benefit. How many coming-of-age stories, after all, focus on an African-American expat in a European city?
It’s a lonely summer for Morris, whose only real friend, beyond his gregarious...
It’s a lonely summer for Morris, whose only real friend, beyond his gregarious...
- 8/18/2016
- by A.A. Dowd
- avclub.com
Late summer is an odd time in the moviegoing calendar, when the last gasps of blockbuster season share cineplex marquees with left-of-center indies and slightly off-beat studio projects. August brings a varied slate of new releases, from a fantastical children's stop-motion wonder to a true story dramatized as a wartime bro-out to a comedy showcase for the cream of the sitcom crop. Pretty much every taste can find something worth investigating this month, so read on for a full briefing on what's to come:
Suicide Squad (8/5)
It's good to be...
Suicide Squad (8/5)
It's good to be...
- 8/2/2016
- Rollingstone.com
Remember the name Markees Christmas. Sundance audiences sure did when “Morris from America” premiered there back in January, and folks at SXSW did the same.
Christmas is the young star of Chad Hartigan’s latest film, the tale of a teenager and his father (Craig Robinson) adjusting to life in Germany. Between Christmas, Hartigan (2013’s “This is Martin Bonner”), Robinson and co-star Carla Juri (almost unrecognizable from her “Wetlands” role a few years ago), the cast and crew have all been notable, recent breakouts.
Read More: Sundance Review: ‘Morris From America’ Puts a Fresh Spin on Familiar Ingredients
For the youngster’s part, you can see why in the film clip below of Morris and Inka (Juri). He doesn’t say much, but Christmas already has the quiet confidence of a screen vet. “This is Martin Bonner” was able to take a quiet, confident protagonist and build one of the...
Christmas is the young star of Chad Hartigan’s latest film, the tale of a teenager and his father (Craig Robinson) adjusting to life in Germany. Between Christmas, Hartigan (2013’s “This is Martin Bonner”), Robinson and co-star Carla Juri (almost unrecognizable from her “Wetlands” role a few years ago), the cast and crew have all been notable, recent breakouts.
Read More: Sundance Review: ‘Morris From America’ Puts a Fresh Spin on Familiar Ingredients
For the youngster’s part, you can see why in the film clip below of Morris and Inka (Juri). He doesn’t say much, but Christmas already has the quiet confidence of a screen vet. “This is Martin Bonner” was able to take a quiet, confident protagonist and build one of the...
- 7/15/2016
- by Steve Greene
- Indiewire
"I don't need friends, I'm gangsta." A24 has revealed the first fantastic trailer for one of my favorite films out of Sundance this year, Morris From America, directed by Chad Hartigan. Newcomer Markees Christmas stars as a 13-year-old African-American boy named Morris who lives with his father, played by Craig Robinson, in Heidelberg, Germany. It's a sweet and funny coming-of-age story about his first love (more like infatuation with a young German girl played by Lina Keller) and figuring out how to be himself in a town where he doesn't fit in. I wrote in my review from Sundance: "I found myself enjoying this film so much because it is so refreshingly original." This is a stellar trailer - editing is spot on, the music is perfect. Here's the first official trailer for Chad Hartigan's Morris From America, direct from A24's YouTube: The romantic and coming-of-age misadventures of an American living in Germany.
- 6/14/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Chad Hartigan’s “Morris From America” earned high praise at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, winning the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. The film follows Morris Gentry (Markees Christmas), a 13-year-old who just relocated with his father (Craig Robinson) to Heidelberg, Germany. Morris is a fish out of water in his new home as he struggles to fit in with other kids, but when his German tutor (Carla Juri) insists he spend more time with his peers, he falls for Katrin (Lina Keller), a fellow classmate. He tries to impress her with his nascent rap skills while Morris’ dad attempts to acclimate himself and his son to their new life, but both of them will slowly learn that the best strategy is just to be themselves. Ahead of its theatrical release later this summer, A24 and DirecTV have released the film’s trailer, which features the new song by DJ Shadow and Run the Jewels “Nobody Speak.”
Read More: Sundance Review: ‘Morris From America’ Puts a Fresh Spin on Familiar Ingredients
“Morris From America” is Hartigan’s third feature film. His second film “This Is Martin Bonner,” about a man in his 50s who relocated to Reno, Nevada for a new job and forms an unlikely friendship, also premiered at Sundance in 2013 and won the Audience Award for Best of Next. Star Craig Robinson is best known for playing Darryl Philbin on “The Office,” along with his performances in “Pineapple Express,” “Hot Tub Time Machine,” and “This Is The End.” He will also be featured in the new animated film “Sausage Party” and James Franco’s latest “Zeroville.” Robinson won a Special Jury Award for Acting for his performance in “Morris From America.”
“Morris from America” will be available exclusively on DirecTV starting July 7 and open theatrically in select cities on August 19. Check out a poster for the film below.
Read More: A24 Makes First Sundance Deal With Crowdpleaser ‘Morris From America’
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Related storiesSXSW Review: 'Sausage Party' Starring The Voices Of Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Michael Cera, Edward Norton, And MoreSundance: Amazon Studios Sundance Institute Producers Awards Honor 'Morris From America' Duo'Birth Of A Nation' And Beyond: 25 Filmmakers & Actors That Broke Through At The 2016 Sundance Film Festival...
Read More: Sundance Review: ‘Morris From America’ Puts a Fresh Spin on Familiar Ingredients
“Morris From America” is Hartigan’s third feature film. His second film “This Is Martin Bonner,” about a man in his 50s who relocated to Reno, Nevada for a new job and forms an unlikely friendship, also premiered at Sundance in 2013 and won the Audience Award for Best of Next. Star Craig Robinson is best known for playing Darryl Philbin on “The Office,” along with his performances in “Pineapple Express,” “Hot Tub Time Machine,” and “This Is The End.” He will also be featured in the new animated film “Sausage Party” and James Franco’s latest “Zeroville.” Robinson won a Special Jury Award for Acting for his performance in “Morris From America.”
“Morris from America” will be available exclusively on DirecTV starting July 7 and open theatrically in select cities on August 19. Check out a poster for the film below.
Read More: A24 Makes First Sundance Deal With Crowdpleaser ‘Morris From America’
Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
Related storiesSXSW Review: 'Sausage Party' Starring The Voices Of Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Michael Cera, Edward Norton, And MoreSundance: Amazon Studios Sundance Institute Producers Awards Honor 'Morris From America' Duo'Birth Of A Nation' And Beyond: 25 Filmmakers & Actors That Broke Through At The 2016 Sundance Film Festival...
- 6/14/2016
- by Michael Nordine
- Indiewire
One of the most charming films at this year’s Sundance was Morris From America, Chad Hartigan‘s follow-up This is Martin Bonner. The film follows Morris (Markees Christmas) and his father Curtis (Craig Robinson, who won a Special Jury Award at Sundance for his performance) who now live in Heidelberg, Germany, with the latter working as a coach for a local soccer team and the former trying to acquaint himself as a stranger in a strange land. Also starring Carla Juri and Lina Keller, A24 picked up the infectious coming-of-age / father-and-son dramedy following its premiere and now the first trailer has landed.
As I said in my review, “Coming to Sundance with his tender character study This is Martin Bonner a few years back, director Chad Hartigan triumphantly returns with the coming-of-age comedy Morris From America, a stylistic leap forward that still retains a keen sense of humanity. Telling the story of our title character attempting to keep his identity while making friends in the foreign land of Germany, it’s also an acutely funny testament to single parenting and the specific bond it fosters when both sides put in their all.”
Check out the trailer below and our interview with the director and cast here.
A heartwarming and crowd-pleasing coming-of-age comedy with a unique spin, Morris from America centers on Morris Gentry (Markees Christmas, in an incredible breakout performance) a 13-year-old who has just relocated with his single father, Curtis (Craig Robinson) to Heidelberg, Germany. Morris, who fancies himself the next Notorious B.I.G., is a complete fish-out-of-water—a budding hip-hop star in an Edm world. To complicate matters further, Morris quickly falls hard for his cool, rebellious, 15-year-old classmate Katrin. Morris sets out against all odds to take the hip-hop world by storm and win the girl of his dreams.
Written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Chad Hartigan (This is Martin Bonner), Morris from America won two prizes at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award and a Special Jury Award for Robinson, who has been receiving tremendous praise for his touching and nuanced performance in his first dramatic role. Poignant and funny in equal measure, Morris from America is a delightfully original take on growing up, following your dreams, and finding your voice.
Morris From America screens at BAMCinemafest and hits theaters on August 19th and Direct TV on July 7th.
As I said in my review, “Coming to Sundance with his tender character study This is Martin Bonner a few years back, director Chad Hartigan triumphantly returns with the coming-of-age comedy Morris From America, a stylistic leap forward that still retains a keen sense of humanity. Telling the story of our title character attempting to keep his identity while making friends in the foreign land of Germany, it’s also an acutely funny testament to single parenting and the specific bond it fosters when both sides put in their all.”
Check out the trailer below and our interview with the director and cast here.
A heartwarming and crowd-pleasing coming-of-age comedy with a unique spin, Morris from America centers on Morris Gentry (Markees Christmas, in an incredible breakout performance) a 13-year-old who has just relocated with his single father, Curtis (Craig Robinson) to Heidelberg, Germany. Morris, who fancies himself the next Notorious B.I.G., is a complete fish-out-of-water—a budding hip-hop star in an Edm world. To complicate matters further, Morris quickly falls hard for his cool, rebellious, 15-year-old classmate Katrin. Morris sets out against all odds to take the hip-hop world by storm and win the girl of his dreams.
Written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Chad Hartigan (This is Martin Bonner), Morris from America won two prizes at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award and a Special Jury Award for Robinson, who has been receiving tremendous praise for his touching and nuanced performance in his first dramatic role. Poignant and funny in equal measure, Morris from America is a delightfully original take on growing up, following your dreams, and finding your voice.
Morris From America screens at BAMCinemafest and hits theaters on August 19th and Direct TV on July 7th.
- 6/14/2016
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
This month, Brooklyn plays home to the annual BAMCinemaFest, featuring both some tried and true festival favorites (imagine if Sundance just happened to take place in New York City in the summer) and some brand-new standouts. Here’s the best of what’s on offer, as curated and culled by the IndieWire film team.
“Little Men” New York City-centric filmmaker Ira Sachs has long used his keen observational eye to track the worlds of the city’s adult denizens with features like “Love is Strange” and “Keep the Lights On,” but he’s going for a younger set of stars (and troubles) in his moving new feature, “Little Men.” The new film debuted at Sundance earlier this year, where it pulled plenty of heartstrings (including mine) with its gentle, deeply human story of two seemingly different young teens (Theo Taplitz as the worldly Jake, Michael Barbieri as the more rough and tumble Tony) who quickly bond when one of them moves into the other’s Brooklyn neighborhood. Jake and Tony become fast friends, but their relationship is threatened by drama brewing between their parents, as Jake’s parents own the small store that Tony’s mom operates below the family’s apartment.When Jake’s parents (Greg Kinnear and Jennifer Ehle) are bothered by looming money troubles, they turn to Tony’s mom (Paulina García) and ask her to pay a higher rent, a seemingly reasonable query that has heart-breaking consequences for both families and both boys. It’s a small story that hits hard, thanks to wonderful performances and the kind of emotion that’s hard to fake. – Kate Erbland “Kate Plays Christine”
It’s usually easy enough to find common themes cropping up at various film festivals, but few people could have anticipated that this year’s Sundance would play home to two stories about Christine Chubbuck, a tragic tale that had been previously unknown by most of the population (the other Chubbuck story to crop up at Sundance was Antonio Campos’ closely observed narrative “Christine,” a winner in its own right). In 1974, Chubbuck — a television reporter for a local Sarasota, Florida TV station — killed herself live on air after a series of disappointing events and a lifetime of mental unhappiness. Robert Greene’s “Kate Plays Christine” takes an ambitious angle on Chubbuck’s story, mixing fact and fiction to present a story of an actress (Kate Lyn Sheil) grappling with her preparations to play Chubbuck in a narrative feature that doesn’t exist. Sheil is tasked with playing a mostly real version of herself, a heightened version of herself as the story winds on and even Chubbuck in a series of re-enactments. The concept is complex, but it pays off, and “Kate Plays Christine” is easily one of the year’s most ambitious and fascinating documentaries. – Ke
“Suited”
This eye-opening documentary focuses on Brooklyn-based tailoring company Bindle & Keep, which designs clothes for transgender and gender fluid clients. Produced by Lena Dunham and her “Girls” producer Jenni Konner, the HBO Documentary looks at fashion through the eyes of several people across the gender identity spectrum, including a transitioning teen in need of a suit for his Bar Mitzvah and a transgender man buying a tuxedo for his wedding. The film has a deep personal connection to Dunham, whose gender nonconforming sister Grace has been a vocal activist within the transgender community. “Suited” is the first solo-directing effort from Jason Benjamin, who previously co-directed the 2002 documentary “Carnival Roots,” about Trinidad & Tobago’s annual music festival. – Graham Winfrey
“Wiener-Dog”
Todd Solondz’s first directorial effort since 2011’s “Dark Horse” is literally about an animal this time. “Wiener-Dog” follows a dachshund that goes from one strange owner to the next, serving as a central character in four stories that bring out the pointlessness of human existence. The offbeat comedy’s stellar cast includes Greta Gerwig, Danny DeVito, Julie Delpy and “Girls’” Zosia Mamet. Amazon nabbed all domestic media rights to the film at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, while IFC Films is handling the theatrical release. Financed by Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures and produced by Christine Vachon’s Killer Films, the film marked Solondz’s first movie to play at Sundance since 1995’s “Welcome to the Dollhouse.” – Gw
“Last Night at the Alamo”
Eagle Pennell has become lost to film history, despite making two of the most important films of the modern indie era. His 1978 film “The Whole Shootin’ Match” inspired Robert Redford to start Sundance and his 1984 classic “Last Night at the Alamo” has been championed by Tarantino and Linklater, who along with IFC Films and SXSW founder Louis Black is responsible for the restoration that will be playing at Bam. “Alamo,” which tells the story of a cowboy’s last ditch effort to save a local watering hole, is credited for having given birth to the Austin film scene and for laying the groundwork for the rebirth of the American indie that came later in the decade. Pennell’s career was cut short by alcoholism, but “Alamo” stands tribute to his incredible talent, pioneering spirit and the influence he’s had on so many great filmmakers. – Chris O’Falt
Read More: Indie Legend Who Inspired Sundance, ‘Reservoir Dogs’ And More Will Have Classic Films Restored
“Author: The J.T. LeRoy Story”
J.T. Leroy was an literary and pop culture sensation, until it was revealed that the HIV-positive, ex-male-prostitute teenage author was actually the creation of a 40 year old mother by the name Laura Albert. Jeff Feuerzeig’s documentary, starring Albert and featuring her recorded phone calls from the hoax, is the best yarn of 2016. You will not believe the twist-and-turns of the behind the scenes story of how Albert pulled off the hoax and cultivated close relationships (with her sister-in-law posing at Jt) with celebrities like filmmaker Gus Van Sant and Smashing Pumpkins’ Bill Corgan, both of whom play key supporting roles in this stranger-than-fiction film. Trust us, “Author” will be one of the most entertaining films you see this summer. – Co
“Dark Night”
Loosely based on the 2012 shooting in Aurora, Colorado during a multiplex screening of “The Dark Knight,” Tim Sutton’s elegantly designed “Dark Night” contains a fascinating, enigmatic agenda. In its opening moments, Maica Armata’s mournful score plays out as we watch a traumatized face lit up by the red-blue glow of a nearby police car. Mirroring the media image of tragedy divorced from the lives affected by it, the ensuing movie fills in those details. Like Gus Van Sant’s “Elephant,” Sutton’s ambitious project dissects the moments surrounding the infamous event with a perceptive eye that avoids passing judgement. While some viewers may find this disaffected approach infuriating — the divisive Sundance reaction suggested as much — there’s no doubting the topicality of Sutton’s technique, which delves into the malaise of daily lives that surrounds every horrific event of this type with a keen eye. It may not change the gun control debate, but it adds a gorgeous and provocative footnote to the conversation. – Eric Kohn
“A Stray”
Musa Syeed’s tender look at a Somali refugee community in Minneapolis puts a human face on the immigration crisis through the exploits of Adan (Barkhad Abdirahman), a young man adrift in his solitary world. Kicked out by his mother and unwelcome at the local mosque where he tries to crash, Adan meets his only source of companionship in a stray dog he finds wandering the streets. Alternating between social outings and job prospects, Adan’s struggles never strain credibility, even when an FBI agent tries to wrestle control of his situation to turn him into a spy. Shot with near-documentary realism, Syed’s insightful portrait of his forlorn character’s life recalls the earlier films of Ramin Bahrani (“Man Push Cart,” “Chop Shop”), which also capture an oft-ignored side of modern America. With immigration stories all too frequently coopted for political fuel, “A Stray” provides a refreshingly intimate alternative, which should appeal to audiences curious about the bigger picture — or those who can relate to it. – Ek
“Goat”
After making a blistering impression at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Andrew Neel’s fraternity psychodrama “Goat” comes to Bam with great acclaim and sky high anticipation. Starring breakout Ben Schnetzer and Nick Jonas, the film centers around a 19-year-old college student who pledges the same fraternity as his older brother, only to realize the world of hazing and endless parties is darker than he could ever imagine. In lesser hands, “Goat” would be a one-note takedown of hedonistic bro culture, but Neel’s slick direction brings you to the core of animalistic behavior and forces you to weigh the clashing egos of masculinity. By cutting underneath the layers of machismo, Neel creates a drama of insecurities buried beneath the war between predator and prey. It’s an intense and intelligent study of a world the movies have always been obsessed with. – Zack Sharf
Read More: Sundance: How Robert Greene and Kate Lyn Sheil Made the Festival’s Most Fascinating Documentary
“The Childhood of a Leader”
Brady Corbet has been one of the most reliable supporting actors in films like “Funny Games,” “Force Majeure,” “Clouds of Sils Maria” and more, and he even broke through as a lead in the great indie “Simon Killer,” but it turns out Corbet’s real skills are behind the camera. In his directorial debut, “The Childhood of a Leader,” the actor creates an unnerving period psychodrama that evokes shades of “The Omen” by way of Hitchcock. Set in Europe after Wwi, the movie follows a young boy as he develops a terrifying ego after witnessing the creation of the Treaty of Versailles. Cast members Robert Pattinson and Berenice Bejo deliver reliably strong turns, but it’s Corbet’s impressive control that makes the film a tightly-wound skin-crawler. His ambition is alive in every frame and detail, resulting in a commanding debut that announces him as a major filmmaker to watch. – Zs
“The Love Witch”
Meet your new obsession: A spellbinding homage to old pulp paperbacks and the Technicolor melodramas of the 1960s, Anna Biller’s “The Love Witch” is a throwback that’s told with the kind of perverse conviction and studied expertise that would make Quentin Tarantino blush. Shot in velvety 35mm, the film follows a beautiful, sociopathic, love-starved young witch named Elaine (Samantha Robinson, absolutely unforgettable in a demented breakthrough performance) as she blows into a coastal Californian town in desperate search of a replacement for her dead husband. Sex, death, Satanic rituals, God-level costume design, and cinema’s greatest tampon joke ensue, as Biller spins an arch but hyper-sincere story about the true price of patriarchy. – David Ehrlich
“Morris From America”
Coming-of-age movies are a dime a dozen (and the going rate is even cheaper at Sundance), but Chad Hartigan’s absurdly charming follow-up to “This Is Martin Bonner” puts a fresh spin on a tired genre. Played by lovable newcomer Markees Christmas, Morris is a 13-year-old New Yorker who’s forced to move to the suburbs of Germany when his widower dad (a note-perfect Craig Robinson) accepts a job as the coach of a Heidelberg soccer team. It’s tough being a teen, but Morris — as the only black kid in a foreign town that still has one foot stuck in the old world — has it way harder than most. But there’s a whole lot of joy here, as Hartigan’s sweet and sensitive fish out of water story leverages a handful of killer performances into a great little movie about becoming your own man. – De
BAMCinemaFest 2016 runs from June 15 – 26.
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Related storiesChristine Chubbuck: Video Exists of Reporter's On-Air Suicide That Inspired Two Sundance Films'Wiener-Dog' Trailer: Greta Gerwig Befriends a Dachshund in Todd Solondz's Dark Sundance Comedy'Little Men,' 'Wiener-Dog' and More Set for BAMcinemaFest 2016 -- Indiewire's Tuesday Rundown...
“Little Men” New York City-centric filmmaker Ira Sachs has long used his keen observational eye to track the worlds of the city’s adult denizens with features like “Love is Strange” and “Keep the Lights On,” but he’s going for a younger set of stars (and troubles) in his moving new feature, “Little Men.” The new film debuted at Sundance earlier this year, where it pulled plenty of heartstrings (including mine) with its gentle, deeply human story of two seemingly different young teens (Theo Taplitz as the worldly Jake, Michael Barbieri as the more rough and tumble Tony) who quickly bond when one of them moves into the other’s Brooklyn neighborhood. Jake and Tony become fast friends, but their relationship is threatened by drama brewing between their parents, as Jake’s parents own the small store that Tony’s mom operates below the family’s apartment.When Jake’s parents (Greg Kinnear and Jennifer Ehle) are bothered by looming money troubles, they turn to Tony’s mom (Paulina García) and ask her to pay a higher rent, a seemingly reasonable query that has heart-breaking consequences for both families and both boys. It’s a small story that hits hard, thanks to wonderful performances and the kind of emotion that’s hard to fake. – Kate Erbland “Kate Plays Christine”
It’s usually easy enough to find common themes cropping up at various film festivals, but few people could have anticipated that this year’s Sundance would play home to two stories about Christine Chubbuck, a tragic tale that had been previously unknown by most of the population (the other Chubbuck story to crop up at Sundance was Antonio Campos’ closely observed narrative “Christine,” a winner in its own right). In 1974, Chubbuck — a television reporter for a local Sarasota, Florida TV station — killed herself live on air after a series of disappointing events and a lifetime of mental unhappiness. Robert Greene’s “Kate Plays Christine” takes an ambitious angle on Chubbuck’s story, mixing fact and fiction to present a story of an actress (Kate Lyn Sheil) grappling with her preparations to play Chubbuck in a narrative feature that doesn’t exist. Sheil is tasked with playing a mostly real version of herself, a heightened version of herself as the story winds on and even Chubbuck in a series of re-enactments. The concept is complex, but it pays off, and “Kate Plays Christine” is easily one of the year’s most ambitious and fascinating documentaries. – Ke
“Suited”
This eye-opening documentary focuses on Brooklyn-based tailoring company Bindle & Keep, which designs clothes for transgender and gender fluid clients. Produced by Lena Dunham and her “Girls” producer Jenni Konner, the HBO Documentary looks at fashion through the eyes of several people across the gender identity spectrum, including a transitioning teen in need of a suit for his Bar Mitzvah and a transgender man buying a tuxedo for his wedding. The film has a deep personal connection to Dunham, whose gender nonconforming sister Grace has been a vocal activist within the transgender community. “Suited” is the first solo-directing effort from Jason Benjamin, who previously co-directed the 2002 documentary “Carnival Roots,” about Trinidad & Tobago’s annual music festival. – Graham Winfrey
“Wiener-Dog”
Todd Solondz’s first directorial effort since 2011’s “Dark Horse” is literally about an animal this time. “Wiener-Dog” follows a dachshund that goes from one strange owner to the next, serving as a central character in four stories that bring out the pointlessness of human existence. The offbeat comedy’s stellar cast includes Greta Gerwig, Danny DeVito, Julie Delpy and “Girls’” Zosia Mamet. Amazon nabbed all domestic media rights to the film at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, while IFC Films is handling the theatrical release. Financed by Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures and produced by Christine Vachon’s Killer Films, the film marked Solondz’s first movie to play at Sundance since 1995’s “Welcome to the Dollhouse.” – Gw
“Last Night at the Alamo”
Eagle Pennell has become lost to film history, despite making two of the most important films of the modern indie era. His 1978 film “The Whole Shootin’ Match” inspired Robert Redford to start Sundance and his 1984 classic “Last Night at the Alamo” has been championed by Tarantino and Linklater, who along with IFC Films and SXSW founder Louis Black is responsible for the restoration that will be playing at Bam. “Alamo,” which tells the story of a cowboy’s last ditch effort to save a local watering hole, is credited for having given birth to the Austin film scene and for laying the groundwork for the rebirth of the American indie that came later in the decade. Pennell’s career was cut short by alcoholism, but “Alamo” stands tribute to his incredible talent, pioneering spirit and the influence he’s had on so many great filmmakers. – Chris O’Falt
Read More: Indie Legend Who Inspired Sundance, ‘Reservoir Dogs’ And More Will Have Classic Films Restored
“Author: The J.T. LeRoy Story”
J.T. Leroy was an literary and pop culture sensation, until it was revealed that the HIV-positive, ex-male-prostitute teenage author was actually the creation of a 40 year old mother by the name Laura Albert. Jeff Feuerzeig’s documentary, starring Albert and featuring her recorded phone calls from the hoax, is the best yarn of 2016. You will not believe the twist-and-turns of the behind the scenes story of how Albert pulled off the hoax and cultivated close relationships (with her sister-in-law posing at Jt) with celebrities like filmmaker Gus Van Sant and Smashing Pumpkins’ Bill Corgan, both of whom play key supporting roles in this stranger-than-fiction film. Trust us, “Author” will be one of the most entertaining films you see this summer. – Co
“Dark Night”
Loosely based on the 2012 shooting in Aurora, Colorado during a multiplex screening of “The Dark Knight,” Tim Sutton’s elegantly designed “Dark Night” contains a fascinating, enigmatic agenda. In its opening moments, Maica Armata’s mournful score plays out as we watch a traumatized face lit up by the red-blue glow of a nearby police car. Mirroring the media image of tragedy divorced from the lives affected by it, the ensuing movie fills in those details. Like Gus Van Sant’s “Elephant,” Sutton’s ambitious project dissects the moments surrounding the infamous event with a perceptive eye that avoids passing judgement. While some viewers may find this disaffected approach infuriating — the divisive Sundance reaction suggested as much — there’s no doubting the topicality of Sutton’s technique, which delves into the malaise of daily lives that surrounds every horrific event of this type with a keen eye. It may not change the gun control debate, but it adds a gorgeous and provocative footnote to the conversation. – Eric Kohn
“A Stray”
Musa Syeed’s tender look at a Somali refugee community in Minneapolis puts a human face on the immigration crisis through the exploits of Adan (Barkhad Abdirahman), a young man adrift in his solitary world. Kicked out by his mother and unwelcome at the local mosque where he tries to crash, Adan meets his only source of companionship in a stray dog he finds wandering the streets. Alternating between social outings and job prospects, Adan’s struggles never strain credibility, even when an FBI agent tries to wrestle control of his situation to turn him into a spy. Shot with near-documentary realism, Syed’s insightful portrait of his forlorn character’s life recalls the earlier films of Ramin Bahrani (“Man Push Cart,” “Chop Shop”), which also capture an oft-ignored side of modern America. With immigration stories all too frequently coopted for political fuel, “A Stray” provides a refreshingly intimate alternative, which should appeal to audiences curious about the bigger picture — or those who can relate to it. – Ek
“Goat”
After making a blistering impression at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, Andrew Neel’s fraternity psychodrama “Goat” comes to Bam with great acclaim and sky high anticipation. Starring breakout Ben Schnetzer and Nick Jonas, the film centers around a 19-year-old college student who pledges the same fraternity as his older brother, only to realize the world of hazing and endless parties is darker than he could ever imagine. In lesser hands, “Goat” would be a one-note takedown of hedonistic bro culture, but Neel’s slick direction brings you to the core of animalistic behavior and forces you to weigh the clashing egos of masculinity. By cutting underneath the layers of machismo, Neel creates a drama of insecurities buried beneath the war between predator and prey. It’s an intense and intelligent study of a world the movies have always been obsessed with. – Zack Sharf
Read More: Sundance: How Robert Greene and Kate Lyn Sheil Made the Festival’s Most Fascinating Documentary
“The Childhood of a Leader”
Brady Corbet has been one of the most reliable supporting actors in films like “Funny Games,” “Force Majeure,” “Clouds of Sils Maria” and more, and he even broke through as a lead in the great indie “Simon Killer,” but it turns out Corbet’s real skills are behind the camera. In his directorial debut, “The Childhood of a Leader,” the actor creates an unnerving period psychodrama that evokes shades of “The Omen” by way of Hitchcock. Set in Europe after Wwi, the movie follows a young boy as he develops a terrifying ego after witnessing the creation of the Treaty of Versailles. Cast members Robert Pattinson and Berenice Bejo deliver reliably strong turns, but it’s Corbet’s impressive control that makes the film a tightly-wound skin-crawler. His ambition is alive in every frame and detail, resulting in a commanding debut that announces him as a major filmmaker to watch. – Zs
“The Love Witch”
Meet your new obsession: A spellbinding homage to old pulp paperbacks and the Technicolor melodramas of the 1960s, Anna Biller’s “The Love Witch” is a throwback that’s told with the kind of perverse conviction and studied expertise that would make Quentin Tarantino blush. Shot in velvety 35mm, the film follows a beautiful, sociopathic, love-starved young witch named Elaine (Samantha Robinson, absolutely unforgettable in a demented breakthrough performance) as she blows into a coastal Californian town in desperate search of a replacement for her dead husband. Sex, death, Satanic rituals, God-level costume design, and cinema’s greatest tampon joke ensue, as Biller spins an arch but hyper-sincere story about the true price of patriarchy. – David Ehrlich
“Morris From America”
Coming-of-age movies are a dime a dozen (and the going rate is even cheaper at Sundance), but Chad Hartigan’s absurdly charming follow-up to “This Is Martin Bonner” puts a fresh spin on a tired genre. Played by lovable newcomer Markees Christmas, Morris is a 13-year-old New Yorker who’s forced to move to the suburbs of Germany when his widower dad (a note-perfect Craig Robinson) accepts a job as the coach of a Heidelberg soccer team. It’s tough being a teen, but Morris — as the only black kid in a foreign town that still has one foot stuck in the old world — has it way harder than most. But there’s a whole lot of joy here, as Hartigan’s sweet and sensitive fish out of water story leverages a handful of killer performances into a great little movie about becoming your own man. – De
BAMCinemaFest 2016 runs from June 15 – 26.
Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Festivals newsletter here.
Related storiesChristine Chubbuck: Video Exists of Reporter's On-Air Suicide That Inspired Two Sundance Films'Wiener-Dog' Trailer: Greta Gerwig Befriends a Dachshund in Todd Solondz's Dark Sundance Comedy'Little Men,' 'Wiener-Dog' and More Set for BAMcinemaFest 2016 -- Indiewire's Tuesday Rundown...
- 6/13/2016
- by Kate Erbland, Eric Kohn, David Ehrlich, Zack Sharf, Chris O'Falt and Graham Winfrey
- Indiewire
After his second feature This Is Martin Bonner was met with critical acclaim at Sundance back in 2013, Chad Hartigan is back with another outsider character study in Morris From America. This time the focus is on the trials and tribulations of Morris (Markees Christmas), a 13-year-old African-American teenager who is finding life in Heidelberg, […]
The post Sundance Film Festival: London 2016 – Morris From America Review appeared first on HeyUGuys.
The post Sundance Film Festival: London 2016 – Morris From America Review appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 6/4/2016
- by Guest
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Chicago – Exclusive! Free festival 7-packs! In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film, we have 50 pairs of guaranteed festival 7-packs up for grabs to the fourth-annual 2016 Chicago Critics Film Festival at the Music Box Theatre from the Chicago Film Critics Association!
Michael Peña and other stars will be in attendance at Q&As!
The festival runs from Friday, May 20, 2016 to Thursday, May 26, 2016 at the Music Box Theatre. Created by the Chicago Film Critics Association in 2013, the Ccff offers a selection of films comprised of recent festival favorites. It also features as-yet-undistributed works from a wide variety of filmmakers ranging from award winners to talented newcomers chosen by members of the organization. The Ccff is the only current example of a major film critics group hosting its own festival. It brings together an eclectic array of films ranging from raucous comedies and foreign-made dramas to thought-provoking documentaries, midnight genre films and shorts programs.
Michael Peña and other stars will be in attendance at Q&As!
The festival runs from Friday, May 20, 2016 to Thursday, May 26, 2016 at the Music Box Theatre. Created by the Chicago Film Critics Association in 2013, the Ccff offers a selection of films comprised of recent festival favorites. It also features as-yet-undistributed works from a wide variety of filmmakers ranging from award winners to talented newcomers chosen by members of the organization. The Ccff is the only current example of a major film critics group hosting its own festival. It brings together an eclectic array of films ranging from raucous comedies and foreign-made dramas to thought-provoking documentaries, midnight genre films and shorts programs.
- 5/7/2016
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Markees Christmas in Morris From America - 13-year-old Morris, a hip-hop loving American, moves to Heidelberg, Germany, with his father. In this completely foreign land, he falls in love with a local girl, befriends his German tutor-turned-confidant, and attempts to navigate the unique trials and tribulations of adolescence. Photo: Sean McElwee Sundance Institute and Picturehouse announced today the programme of feature films, short films and panel discussions for this year's Sundance Film Festival: London, which takes place from 2-5 June.
Films in the line-up include Chad Hartigan's coming-of-age comedy Morris From America, which won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the festival, plus a Special Jury Prize for acting for Craig Robinson, and Us political documentary Weiner - about the scandal-hit New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner - which won the Grand Jury Documentary Prize.
Also featured is Sian Heder's Tallulah - featuring excellent performances from Ellen Paige...
Films in the line-up include Chad Hartigan's coming-of-age comedy Morris From America, which won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at the festival, plus a Special Jury Prize for acting for Craig Robinson, and Us political documentary Weiner - about the scandal-hit New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner - which won the Grand Jury Documentary Prize.
Also featured is Sian Heder's Tallulah - featuring excellent performances from Ellen Paige...
- 4/20/2016
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Chicago – The Chicago Film Critics Association (Ccfa) has announced the first wave of films that will be presented at the 4th Annual Chicago Critics Film Festival (Ccff). The fest dates are May 20th to the 26th, 2016, will it will take place at the historic Music Box Theatre in Chicago.
The 2016 Chicago Critics Film Festival is scheduled for May 20 through May 26, 2016.
Photo credit: Cfca
The Ccff is the first film festival curated by film critics, and features a selection of films comprised of recent festival favorites and as-yet-undistributed works from a wide variety of filmmakers. Passes are now on sale (information below), and the following seven films are just a sampling of over 25 films that will screen during the festival.
Beauty and the Beast: Christophe Gans, the director of such films as “Brotherhood of the Wolf” and “Silent Hill,” unites two of France’s biggest stars, Vincent Cassel and Lea Seydoux,...
The 2016 Chicago Critics Film Festival is scheduled for May 20 through May 26, 2016.
Photo credit: Cfca
The Ccff is the first film festival curated by film critics, and features a selection of films comprised of recent festival favorites and as-yet-undistributed works from a wide variety of filmmakers. Passes are now on sale (information below), and the following seven films are just a sampling of over 25 films that will screen during the festival.
Beauty and the Beast: Christophe Gans, the director of such films as “Brotherhood of the Wolf” and “Silent Hill,” unites two of France’s biggest stars, Vincent Cassel and Lea Seydoux,...
- 3/9/2016
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Exclusive: Markees Christmas, the 16-year-old star of this year’s Sundance Film Festival award winner Morris From America, has signed with Paradigm in a competitive situation. A24 acquired rights to the pic for seven figures during the festival, sparking to the story about a 13-year-old hip-hop-loving American boy who moves to Germany with his father, played by Craig Robinson. The movie won two awards after it premiered at Sundance: a Special Jury Award for Robinson and…...
- 2/23/2016
- Deadline
Simply put, the SXSW Film, Music and Interactive Festival is one of the biggest, most prestigious events in the media calendar. Taking place annually in Austin, Texas, it is beloved by film fans and filmmakers from all over the world, and has reached such heights by building a reputation for showcasing excellent content. This results in a high level of competition, with the Narrative Feature category alone having received 1442 submissions this year, and the documentary feature category having received 1,013.
The 2016 event looks to be particularly exciting, with many world premieres and feature debuts already announced. The Narrative Feature category will include Julia Hart’s Miss Stevens, Debra Eisenstadt’s Before The Sun Explodes, Joey Klein’s The Other Half, and Musa Syeed’s A Stray, among others, while the Headliner category will feature Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some.
The Narrative Spotlight category includes 9 Rides by Matthew A. Cherry; The Waiting...
The 2016 event looks to be particularly exciting, with many world premieres and feature debuts already announced. The Narrative Feature category will include Julia Hart’s Miss Stevens, Debra Eisenstadt’s Before The Sun Explodes, Joey Klein’s The Other Half, and Musa Syeed’s A Stray, among others, while the Headliner category will feature Richard Linklater’s Everybody Wants Some.
The Narrative Spotlight category includes 9 Rides by Matthew A. Cherry; The Waiting...
- 2/10/2016
- by Sarah Myles
- We Got This Covered
Yesterday, Nicholas Bell and I issued our Top 10 New Voices, and now we launch into our New Faces. They range in age, amount of screen time, and in this year’s batch of New Faces made memorable turns in supporting or principle character roles. Narrowly breaking into our top ten list we have names such as Sand Storm‘s Lammis Ammar and Spa Night‘s Haerry Kim. Here is our top ten countdown.
#10. Royalty Hightower – The Fits.
Move over Creed. The youngest featured actress to be profiled in our ten set was embraced in Park City as the next “it” personality and for good reason. In Anna Rose Holmer’s debut, Royalty Hightower’s Toni has a lot of volume – she physically inhabits a character who is at odds with her burgeoning teenagehood (a transition that is not always welcomed) in a performance that empathically comes across as non-actingly natural.
#10. Royalty Hightower – The Fits.
Move over Creed. The youngest featured actress to be profiled in our ten set was embraced in Park City as the next “it” personality and for good reason. In Anna Rose Holmer’s debut, Royalty Hightower’s Toni has a lot of volume – she physically inhabits a character who is at odds with her burgeoning teenagehood (a transition that is not always welcomed) in a performance that empathically comes across as non-actingly natural.
- 2/5/2016
- by IONCINEMA.com Contributing Writers
- IONCINEMA.com
Three years after making a splash among indie enthusiasts with his feature This is Martin Bonner, writer-director Chad Hartigan has brought another film to Sundance. But whereas the former was about an old man navigating the barren, grayscale landscape of Sparks, Nevada, Morris from America is aglow with lusty colors and youthful energy. The film centers on young Morris, played by newcomer Markees Christmas, and his difficulty adjusting to life as a black American boy in Heidelberg, Germany. Craig Robinson (of The Office fame) plays Morris’ father, Curtis. At Sundance, we sat down with Hartigan, Robinson, and Christmas to discuss the making of the film and the development of its characters.
The Film Stage: How did you find Markees for the project?
Chad Hartigan: I had friends who were familiar with this YouTube series he was in called Markees Vs. They emailed me about him, telling me to check it out,...
The Film Stage: How did you find Markees for the project?
Chad Hartigan: I had friends who were familiar with this YouTube series he was in called Markees Vs. They emailed me about him, telling me to check it out,...
- 2/1/2016
- by Daniel Schindel
- The Film Stage
Nate Parker's racial drama "The Birth of a Nation" took both the top honors of the grand jury prize and the audience award at this year's Sundance Film Festival which held its ceremony tonight.
The film, a drama about the life of Nat Turner and the slave rebellion he led in antebellum Virginia, made headlines several days ago when it was acquired by Fox Searchlight for a record-shattering $17.5 million.
It also marks the fourth year in a row where one film has taken the top two prizes in U.S. dramatic competition following 2013's "Fruitvale Station," 2014's "Whiplash" and last year's "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl". The U.S. documentary grand jury prize was awarded to "Weiner," a behind-the-scenes portrayal of disgraced politician Anthony Weiner's mayoral campaign.
In the World Cinema dramatic competition the grand jury prize went to Elite Ziker's "Sand Storm" which deals with...
The film, a drama about the life of Nat Turner and the slave rebellion he led in antebellum Virginia, made headlines several days ago when it was acquired by Fox Searchlight for a record-shattering $17.5 million.
It also marks the fourth year in a row where one film has taken the top two prizes in U.S. dramatic competition following 2013's "Fruitvale Station," 2014's "Whiplash" and last year's "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl". The U.S. documentary grand jury prize was awarded to "Weiner," a behind-the-scenes portrayal of disgraced politician Anthony Weiner's mayoral campaign.
In the World Cinema dramatic competition the grand jury prize went to Elite Ziker's "Sand Storm" which deals with...
- 1/31/2016
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
The story of a 13-year-old boy who moves to a new neighborhood and struggles to find his place, "Morris From America" hails from a familiar playbook. But the specifics of that scenario — Morris (extraordinary newcomer Markees Christmas) is African American, and he's living in Heidelberg, Germany — freshen up the formula. The dissonance of character and place in writer-director Chad Hartigan's followup to 2013's similarly low key "This is Martin Bonner" gives this otherwise straightforward, well-acted coming-of-age tale an added cultural weight. It's both sweetly understated and progressive. Read More: The 2016 Indiewire Sundance Bible: All the Reviews, Interviews and News Posted During The Festival From the moment Morris is seen in the opening shot, bobbing his head to a hip hop beat, Hartigan makes it clear whose perspective the movie will adopt. Sent to his room by his father Curtis (Craig Robinson, in his first genuine dramatic turn) for not liking.
- 1/30/2016
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Follow all of our Sundance 2016 coverage. As you may recall from when it happened to you or from the many movies you’ve seen on the subject, growing up is hard. That’s especially true for kids with single parents, and for minorities, and for kids living in a foreign country. The boy in Morris from America is all of those things, but don’t expect a lot of high drama. This is a slight, pleasant, coming-of-age comedy offering smiles and warm fuzzies alongside two charming central performances. Morris Gentry (Markees Christmas) is a stout, 13-year-old African American boy living with his dad, Curtis (Craig Robinson), in Heidelberg, Germany, a city not known for its ethnic diversity. Curtis, a former soccer player from New York, has taken a job on a coaching staff here, uprooting Morris from their home. (It’s just the two of them since Mom died.) Morris takes German lessons from a college student...
- 1/25/2016
- by Eric D. Snider
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Read More: Amazon Lands Huge Deal for Sundance Sensation 'Manchester By the Sea' Heading into the Oscars with multiple nominations for "Room" and "Amy" and already boasting an impressive 2016 slate thanks to "The Witch," "Krisha," "De Palma" and more, A24 has been waiting for the right moment to strike at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, and it looks like they finally have with Chad Hartigan's "Morris From America." The coming-of-age crowdpleaser has earned mostly favorable reviews over the weekend. Newcomer and festival breakout Markees Christmas stars as a 13-year-old American living in Germany with his father, played by Craig Robinson. The film deals with the boy's growing pains as he strikes up a romance with a local German girl and navigates his relationship with his father. Carla Juri, Lina Keller, Jakub Gierszał and Levin Henning also star. "Morris From America" is the latest Sundance favorite...
- 1/24/2016
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
A24 has acquired domestic rights to Chad Hartigan’s “Morris From America,” which stars Craig Robinson and newcomer Markees Christmas, an individual familiar with the project has told TheWrap. The nearly seven-figure deal will fall under A24’s pact with DirecTV, which recently released the company’s Garrett Hedlund-Oscar Isaac thriller “Mojave.” “Morris From America” follows Morris (Christmas), a 13-year-old African-American boy and the relationship he has with his father Curtis (Robinson) during the transitional period of adolescence. Complicating matters, they are new residents of Heidelberg, Germany — a city of rich history but little diversity. Morris falls in love with a local German.
- 1/24/2016
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
This coming-of-age story is charming, but like its hero, it’s ultimately unsure of what it wants to say
Morris Gentry (Markees Christmas), a black Richmond teen raised on hip-hop who has recently moved to Germany, tells his new white friend, Katrin (Lina Keller), “I got sick flow. Freestyle shit. Know what I’m saying?”
“I have no idea,” comes the reply. This is essentially the central predicament in Morris From America, the latest feature from Chad Hartigan (I Am Martin Bonner), a slight but likable coming of age story seen through the prism of race.
Continue reading...
Morris Gentry (Markees Christmas), a black Richmond teen raised on hip-hop who has recently moved to Germany, tells his new white friend, Katrin (Lina Keller), “I got sick flow. Freestyle shit. Know what I’m saying?”
“I have no idea,” comes the reply. This is essentially the central predicament in Morris From America, the latest feature from Chad Hartigan (I Am Martin Bonner), a slight but likable coming of age story seen through the prism of race.
Continue reading...
- 1/24/2016
- by Brian Moylan
- The Guardian - Film News
"Chad Hartigan’s This Is Martin Bonner (2013) established him as a subtle, original filmmaking voice attuned to stories of uprooting and dislocation, and he wrings a more accessible and no less specific variation on the same theme with Morris From America, a warm and winsome portrait of an African-American teenager adjusting uneasily to his new life in Heidelberg, Germany." So says Variety's Justin Chang. We're gathering reviews of the Sundance Us Dramatic Competition title starring Craig Robinson and Markees Christmas, plus interviews and more. » - David Hudson...
- 1/24/2016
- Keyframe
"Chad Hartigan’s This Is Martin Bonner (2013) established him as a subtle, original filmmaking voice attuned to stories of uprooting and dislocation, and he wrings a more accessible and no less specific variation on the same theme with Morris From America, a warm and winsome portrait of an African-American teenager adjusting uneasily to his new life in Heidelberg, Germany." So says Variety's Justin Chang. We're gathering reviews of the Sundance Us Dramatic Competition title starring Craig Robinson and Markees Christmas, plus interviews and more. » - David Hudson...
- 1/24/2016
- Fandor: Keyframe
Morris From America is an adolescent coming of age story that centers around a 13-year-old African-American boy named Morris. Morris is going through that awkward puberty stage in life and is in the process of trying to figure out who he is. We've all gone through this stage of life in our own way, but Morris is definitely a unique individual who is faced with some unique challenges.
The thing about Morris is that as he's trying to navigate through life during a transitional period in Heidelberg, Germany, where his father works as a soccer coach. Morris is taking German lessons with a protective college student who encourages him to spend time at the local youth center so that he can make friends and practice his language skills.
This leads to some major complications. It's at this youth center that he starts crushing on a local girl, and he's looking...
The thing about Morris is that as he's trying to navigate through life during a transitional period in Heidelberg, Germany, where his father works as a soccer coach. Morris is taking German lessons with a protective college student who encourages him to spend time at the local youth center so that he can make friends and practice his language skills.
This leads to some major complications. It's at this youth center that he starts crushing on a local girl, and he's looking...
- 1/23/2016
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Near the end of the Sundance movie Morris from America, Craig Robinson gets a Scene, with a capital S. It’s not an ostentatious display of emotion or anything, but it is a monologue, and a tender one at that. He’s driving, talking to his son, and recalling a key moment from his life with the boy’s mom, and how he wound up moving to Germany on a romantic whim. It’s a lovely, heartbreaking scene — and the movie knows it. Writer-director Chad Hartigan (This Is Martin Bonner) keeps the camera mostly fixed on Robinson throughout, giving him the spotlight and the space as the character simultaneously indulges in a fond memory and tries to connect with his teenage son. But despite all that, nothing in this moment feels forced. Both stylistically and emotionally, the movie has earned it.The Morris in Morris from America is Mo (a wonderful Markees Christmas), a portly,...
- 1/23/2016
- by Bilge Ebiri
- Vulture
It would seem easy to fund a documentary about Pulitzer Prize winner and activist Maya Angelou, given her devout and deep-pocketed fans like Oprah Winfrey. Yet filmmakers Rita Coburn Whack and Bob Hercules had an ethical dilemma, they told TheWrap at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, that forbade them from approaching Oprah — a longtime flag-bearer for Angelou’s writing and messages of social justice. While the doc was crowdfunded, the special will air as part of PBS’ “American Masters” series, which must abide by the rules of public television. Also Read: ‘Morris From America’ Star Markees Christmas on Co-Star Craig Robinson: He.
- 1/23/2016
- by Matt Donnelly
- The Wrap
Coming to Sundance with his tender character study This is Martin Bonner a few years back, director Chad Hartigan triumphantly returns with the coming-of-age comedy Morris From America, a stylistic leap forward that still retains a keen sense of humanity. Telling the story of our title character attempting to keep his identity while making friends in the foreign land of Germany, it’s also an acutely funny testament to single parenting and the specific bond it fosters when both sides put in their all.
Originally from Virginia, Morris (Markees Christmas) and his father Curtis (Craig Johnson) now live in Heidelberg, Germany, with the latter working as a coach for a local soccer team and the former trying to acquaint himself as a stranger in a strange land. With a deep love for hip-hop, passed on from his father, he crafts his own rhymes to practice alone in his bedroom.
Outside...
Originally from Virginia, Morris (Markees Christmas) and his father Curtis (Craig Johnson) now live in Heidelberg, Germany, with the latter working as a coach for a local soccer team and the former trying to acquaint himself as a stranger in a strange land. With a deep love for hip-hop, passed on from his father, he crafts his own rhymes to practice alone in his bedroom.
Outside...
- 1/23/2016
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
In a week dominated by the conversation around diversity at the Oscars and Charlotte Rampling's subsequent (and very troubling) comments on the issue, “Morris From America”— led by comedy veteran Craig Robinson and newcomer Markees Christmas — is precisely the respite audiences need right now. At least, it should be. Focused on fetishizing rather than intimately depicting, director Chad Hartigan has produced a warm-hearted yarn that treats its two African-American leading men like props in his white-washed game of chess. Read More: Sundance Exclusive: First Look At 'Morris From America' Starring Craig Robinson And Markees Christmas Well-intentioned at first, the movie tells the story of a father and son who uproot their life and move to Germany. The cross-continent move is an attempt for Curtis (Robinson) and Morris (Christmas) to start anew after the death of their wife/mother. Far away from their home in Richmond, New York,...
- 1/23/2016
- by Sam Fragoso
- The Playlist
Plot: A thirteen-year-old African-American boy (Markees Christmas) living in Heidelberg, Germany with his widowed soccer coach father (Craig Robinson) tries to fit in with the local kids and win over a rebellious classmate. Review: Morris From America is a nice little Sundance sleeper. It's the kind of cute comedy big studios have mostly abandoned in favour of flashier fare, leaving the indie world to... Read More...
- 1/23/2016
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
One of the first real gems of 2016 Sundance Film Festival is the film Morris From America, the latest feature from filmmaker Chad Hartigan (of This is Martin Bonner previously). Morris, played by Markees Christmas, is a 13-year-old African-American living with his single father, played by Craig Robinson, in the city of Heidelberg, Germany. It's a complete fish-out-of-water story about the "only two brothers" in the town, but it's also a magnificent coming-of-age story that proudly emphasizes a "be yourself" attitude. It has a great soundtrack utilizing a mix of American hip hop and European techno, with impressive performances from Christmas and Robinson, and an amusing, funky vibe that made me so happy I came across this film. This is usually the case with Sundance films, but I've never really seen anything like this film before. There's not much to compare it to, as it's set entirely in Germany but doesn't feel like it's overly European.
- 1/23/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Writer/director Chad Hartigan's last film was the Sundance Audience Award winning "This Is Martin Bonner." Now he returns to Park City for the Sundance Film Festival three years later with "Morris From America," a unique take on the coming-of-age genre. And before it makes its World Premiere on Friday, we've got some exclusive first images from the film. Read More: The 30 Most Anticipated Films Of the 2016 Sundance Film Festival Starring Markees Christmas, Craig Robinson, Carla Juri (who you might remember from her breakout role in "Wetlands"), Lina Keller, Jakub Gierszał and Levin Henning, the film tells the story of a 13 year-old African American teen Morris, who has to deal with rites of growing up in his newly adopted home in Germany. Here's the official synopsis: Morris from America revolves around a 13-year-old African-American boy named Morris and the relationship he has with his father, Curtis, during the transitional.
- 1/20/2016
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
The Sundance Film institute has released the line-up of film for the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Going to Sundance is one of my favorite events of the year. I love going because you never know what kind of movies you're going to see. Sometimes they are great films that amaze and entertain, other times they completely suck ass, but that's all part of the fun of going to the festival. It's an awesome experience for any hardcore movie geek, and if you ever get a chance to go, you need to.
The event takes place in Park City, Utah next year from January 21st to the 31st. It looks like there's a great line-up of movies at next year's event. My favorite portion of the event is the Midnight section because it deals more with geeky genre type movies, but I also enjoy the various sections of other line-ups.
Some of...
The event takes place in Park City, Utah next year from January 21st to the 31st. It looks like there's a great line-up of movies at next year's event. My favorite portion of the event is the Midnight section because it deals more with geeky genre type movies, but I also enjoy the various sections of other line-ups.
Some of...
- 12/6/2015
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
The Sundance Film Festival has today revealed the 65 films which are going to make up the 2016 Us and World Cinema Competition Dramatic and Documentary categories, along with those which make up the out-of-competition Next slate. This is a very diverse and interesting list, and one which Sundance Institute executive director Keri Putnam is clearly very excited to show off next year.
“At a time when big-budget blockbusters and free online content are ubiquitous, independent filmmakers continue to be extraordinarily creative, artful and inventive.”
Sundance 2016 will run from January 21st – 31st in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. Check out the full list of movies below and let us know which of these you’re most looking forward to seeing (even if some will inevitably fail to ever reach cinemas).
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Presenting the world premieres of 16 narrative feature films, the Dramatic Competition offers Festivalgoers a...
“At a time when big-budget blockbusters and free online content are ubiquitous, independent filmmakers continue to be extraordinarily creative, artful and inventive.”
Sundance 2016 will run from January 21st – 31st in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah. Check out the full list of movies below and let us know which of these you’re most looking forward to seeing (even if some will inevitably fail to ever reach cinemas).
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Presenting the world premieres of 16 narrative feature films, the Dramatic Competition offers Festivalgoers a...
- 12/2/2015
- by Josh Wilding
- We Got This Covered
In last year’s selection of sixteen U.S. Dramatic Competition offerings, it was Alfonso Gomez-Rejon’s Me & Earl & the Dying Girl that landed both U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic and Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic awards, it was Rick Famuyiwa’s Dope who landed the richest deal ($7 million range), it was Patrick Brice’s The Overnight that had the most post festival momentum, it was Marielle Heller’s The Diary of a Teenage Girl that received a longer term accolades (Bel Powley won Best Actress at the Gothams) and it might be Robert Eggers’ The Witch that becomes the cult item we reference back in a decade from now. This year we accurately predicted ten of the sixteen items below. Among the more familiar folk, we have established names such as Antonio Campos (Christine – see pic of Rebecca Hall above) and So Yong Kim (Lovesong). We have second...
- 12/2/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
After unexpectedly unveiling their Midnight line-up first, the 2016 Sundance Film Festival have now revealed the 65 films selected for the U.S. Competition, World Competition and out-of-competition Next category. “From diverse backgrounds, places and perspectives, these independent artists are united by the power of their stories and vision. Their films will soon launch onto the global stage, beginning their journeys through our culture. A new year in independent film will start right here—on the mountain—in January,” Robert Redford says.
This year, 120 feature-length films were selected, representing 37 countries and 48 first-time filmmakers, including 28 in competition. These films were selected from 12,793 submissions, including 4,081 feature-length films and 8,712 short films. Of the feature film submissions, 1,972 were from the U.S. and 2,109 were international. 98 feature films at the Festival will be world premieres. Check out the line-up below along with images.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Presenting the world premieres of 16 narrative feature films, the Dramatic...
This year, 120 feature-length films were selected, representing 37 countries and 48 first-time filmmakers, including 28 in competition. These films were selected from 12,793 submissions, including 4,081 feature-length films and 8,712 short films. Of the feature film submissions, 1,972 were from the U.S. and 2,109 were international. 98 feature films at the Festival will be world premieres. Check out the line-up below along with images.
U.S. Dramatic Competition
Presenting the world premieres of 16 narrative feature films, the Dramatic...
- 12/2/2015
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Titles include Tallulah starring Ellen Page and Allison Janney, and Chad Hartigan’s Morris From America (pictured); Next strand also announced.Scroll down for full list
Sundance Institute has announced the 65 films selected for the Us Competition, World Competition and out-of-competition Next categories set to screen at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival (Jan 21-31) in Park City.
Us Dramatic Competition selections include Sian Heder’s Tallulah with Ellen Page and Allison Janney; Antonio Campos’ Christine; Clea DuVall’s feature directorial debut The Intervention; and Richard Tanne’s Southside With You, about Barack Obama’s first date with the First Lady.
Among the Us Documentary Competition selections are: Holy Hell by undisclosed; Jeff Feuerzeig’s Author: The Jt LeRoy Story; and Sara Jordenö’s Kiki.
The World Cinema Dramatic Competition entries include: Belgica (Belgium-France-Netherlands), Felix van Groeningen’s follow-up to The Broken Circle Breakdown; Manolo Cruz and Carlos del Castillo’s Between Sea And Land (Colombia); and Nicolette Krebitz’s Wild...
Sundance Institute has announced the 65 films selected for the Us Competition, World Competition and out-of-competition Next categories set to screen at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival (Jan 21-31) in Park City.
Us Dramatic Competition selections include Sian Heder’s Tallulah with Ellen Page and Allison Janney; Antonio Campos’ Christine; Clea DuVall’s feature directorial debut The Intervention; and Richard Tanne’s Southside With You, about Barack Obama’s first date with the First Lady.
Among the Us Documentary Competition selections are: Holy Hell by undisclosed; Jeff Feuerzeig’s Author: The Jt LeRoy Story; and Sara Jordenö’s Kiki.
The World Cinema Dramatic Competition entries include: Belgica (Belgium-France-Netherlands), Felix van Groeningen’s follow-up to The Broken Circle Breakdown; Manolo Cruz and Carlos del Castillo’s Between Sea And Land (Colombia); and Nicolette Krebitz’s Wild...
- 12/2/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
His sophomore film received a ton of fanfare after premiering at Sundance’s Next section (and the first edition of the Next Weekend event) back in ’13, and there is no reason to think that this comedic schnitzel travelogue wouldn’t follow suit. Chad Hartigan‘s This Is Martin Bonner landed the filmmaker the coveted John Cassavetes Award at the 2013 Indie Spirit Awards, and his follow-up landed a nicely mixed bunch of actors (Craig Robinson, Carla Juri) including a newbie child protag (newcomer Markees Christmas). Production on Morris From America took place in Germany thus summer. This will indeed be ready for Park City.
Hartigan’s Martin Bonner, which premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival
Gist: This is a coming-of-age tale about a 13-year-old hip-hop-loving American boy Morris (Christmas) who moves to Heidelberg with his father (Robinson) and is forced to navigate the trials and tribulations of adolescence in a foreign place.
Hartigan’s Martin Bonner, which premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival
Gist: This is a coming-of-age tale about a 13-year-old hip-hop-loving American boy Morris (Christmas) who moves to Heidelberg with his father (Robinson) and is forced to navigate the trials and tribulations of adolescence in a foreign place.
- 11/25/2015
- by Eric Lavallee
- IONCINEMA.com
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