News

In the final hours of the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival a group of filmmakers and I confiscated the Gallery screening room at Treasure Mountain Inn, made an impromptu circle and tossed a chair in the middle for my digital recorder and iPhone. We then settled in for a spirited talk on all things Slamdance. Joining me were Harry Patramanis and Eleni Asvesta, director and producer of the minimalist thriller Fynbos, Kimberly Culotta, cinematographer for Kate Mark's short film Pearl Was Here, Jan Eilhardt and Sanna Akehurst, the filmmakers behind the dazzling The Court Of Shards, J.R. Hughto director of the La noir Diamond on Vinyl, from the New York noir Joy de V. director Nadia Szold and editor Kristen Swanbeck, the directing/writing/producing pair behind the...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Pearl (Miana Abramson) is one of those seven-year-old kids who makes those of us without children feel very damn lucky. You know the type -- those bratty little hellions who throw ear-splitting tantrums that make The Tasmanian Devil look like a cuddly little teddy bear. Of course, more often than not these "bad" kids are the bi-product of bad parenting; but more about that in a bit... Writer-director Kate Marks' Pearl Was Here takes place on a fateful day that Pearl and her mother (Sharon Eisman) visit a convenience store. While separated from her mother, Pearl discovers one of those claw machines filled with colorful stuffed animals; but Pearl does not want to just play the game, she wants to climb inside of it. Once inside the machine, Pearl is perfectly happy. This is heaven for her, surrounded by cheerful and friendly toys. There is no whining or screaming,...