INNOVATIVE BOSTON FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS 38th SEASON OF BOLD AND TRANFORMATIVE CINEMA WITH THREE WORLD PREMIERES AND THREE U.S. PREMIERES
Festival (September 22-26) Focuses on Environmental and Wildlife Challenges Along with World Premieres “Bromates” (from executive producer Snoop Dogg), “The Wind & the Reckoning” and “Always, Lola”; Includes U.S. Premieres of “American Murderer,” “The Temptation of Trees” and “The Power of Activism”
Also Opening Night Feature Is “Don’t Worry Darling” from Producer-Director-Star Olivia Wilde
BOSTON – September 9, 2022 – The 38th edition of the Boston Film Festival (or BFF, from September 22-26) accents social issues of environmental wildlife challenges and global warming while expanding for a showcase night of comedy screenings. Likewise, the celebration will include three world premieres — “Bromates” (from executive producer Snoop Dogg), “The Wind & the Reckoning,” and “Always, Lola” – plus the U.S. premieres of “American Murderer” (starring Ryan Philippe and Idina Menzel) and “The Temptation of Trees.”
Mystery-thriller “Don’t Worry Darling” comes from star, director and co-producer Olivia Wilde, and stars singer Harry Styles and Florence Pugh. The film will launch the BFF on Opening Night, September 22 and then is released nationwide the next day (September 23).
The dramatic film “Always, Lola” provides some local New England color with star Roxy Striar, who is a native of Newton, MA. In addition, Court Crandall – the co-writer and director of “Bromates” – also is a native of Massachusetts and as graduate of the University of New Hampshire.
Question-and-answer sessions with film creative representatives will follow all live premieres.
In the 2022-23 programmatic year, the Boston Public Library will dedicate its focus to threats on environmental and global issues, including climate change, social justice and activism. Other key areas include engagement of youth, work-force development and civic learning. Some of these themes are depicted in “The Temptation of Trees” and “The Power of Activism,” which will be screened there.
For the first time, the BFF also will feature a night of comedy films on September 23 at the Wilbur Theater with “Bromates.” Three short programs will be included in the virtual program schedule on the Eventive platform and the participants will be announced on social media at Bostonfilmfestival.org.
Actors, directors and writers expected to attend include Jessica Lowe (“Bromates”), Asif Ali (“Bromates,” “Don’t Worry Darling”), Roxy Striar (a Newton, MA native, “Always Lola”), Court Crandall (a Massachusetts native, “Bromates”) and Sheldon White (“Always, Lola”), Collin Compana (“Always Lola”), Jason Scott Lee, Lindsay Anuhea Watson and Henry Ian Cusick (“The Wind and the Reckoning”).
The BFF will kick off with Warner Bros’ “Don’t Worry Darling” on September 22 at 7 p.m. from director Olivia Wilde (“The Lazarus Effect”). The mystery-thriller centers on Alice (Florence Pugh, “Little Women”) and Jack (Harry Styles, “Dunkirk”) who are fortunate to be living in Victory — an experimental company town housing the men who work for the top-secret Victory Project and their families. Life seems to be perfect, with every resident’s needs met by the company. All they ask in return is unquestioning commitment to the Victory cause. But cracks appear in Alice’s idyllic life, exposing flashes of something much more sinister lurking beneath the attractive façade. Alice can’t help questioning what they’re doing in Victory as she ponders just how much she is willing to lose to expose what’s really going on in paradise. The stars also include Wilde (who also co-produces), Chris Pine (“Star Trek Beyond”), Gemma Chan (“Captain Marvel”), KiKi Layne (“Coming 2 America”) and Asif Ali (“Bromates”). Katie Silberman (“Booksmart”), Carey Van Dyke and Shane Van Dyke (both for “Chernobyl Diaries”) are the writers. The film will be shown at the Regal Fenway Cinema.
Humor is the focus of the BFF’s first Comedy Night with world premiere of the buddy comedy “Bromates” – featuring Snoop Dogg as executive producer and co-star – on September 23 at 7:30 p.m. The feature stars Lil Rel Howery (“Get Out”) and Josh Brener (“Silicon Valley”) a Harvard University graduate. Jonesie (Howery) and Sid (Brener) are best friends and polar opposites who break up with their girlfriends at the same time and then decide to move in with each other. Events move quickly and soon include heartbreak, hilarity – and even life and death. The movie, which is due for an October 7 release, is directed by Court Crandall (“Old School”) – a Massachusetts native and a graduate of the University of New Hampshire — and co-written by Chris Kemper and Crandall. The cast also include Marla Gibbs (“227”), Jesse Luken (“Snowfall”), Taryn Manning (“Orange Is the New Black”), Asif Ali (“Don’t Worry Darling”) and Jessica Lowe (“The Righteous Gemstones,” “Minx”). It will be screened at the Wilbur Theater and an expected raucous Q&A will follow with Crandall, Kemper and cast members Ali and Lowe.
The centerpiece spotlight film of the festival is the U.S. premiere of “American Murderer” starring Ryan Philippe and Tony Award winner Idina Menzel on September 24 at 7 p.m. The drama is based on the true story of Jason Derek Brown, a charismatic con man turned party king who bankrolls his luxurious lifestyle through a series of scams. When his funds run low and his past catches up with him, he plots his most elaborate scheme yet – and ultimately, becomes the FBI’s most unlikely and elusive Top 10 fugitive. Matthew Gentile (“Lawman”) is the director and writer. Tom Pelphrey (“Mank”), Philippe (“The Lincoln Lawyer”) and Idina Menzel (“Wicked”) are among the stars. The film will be screened at the Regal Fenway Cinema.
“The Power of Activism” (September 24 at 1:30 p.m.) is a riveting documentary that takes filmgoers on an emotional journey from sacred ground above Byron Bay to Antarctica, Indonesia and Pakistan. The project focuses on six highly spirited female activists as they are put under the microscope to determine the financial impact of their astonishing environmental solutions. From shark conservation to indigenous practices, intensive farming and plastic pollution, their causes fall under the umbrella of “climate change” – but do their answers cost or save taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars? Steven Pasvolsky (“Calibrate”) is the director and writer. The film will be screened at the Boston Public Library’s Rabb Hall.
In “The Wind and the Reckoning” (September 24 at 6:30pm Closing Night) is a historical drama inspired by true events that looks back on an outbreak of leprosy that engulfed colonial Hawaii. From the outset, a small group of native Hawaiians resist the government-mandated exile, as they take a courageous stand against the provisional government. The stars include Henry Ian Cusick (“MacGyver”), Jason Scott Lee (“Mulan”), Lindsay Anuhea Watson (“Finding Ohana”), Johnathan Schaech (“Reprisal”), and Ron Yuan (“Mulan”). David L. Cunningham (“Running for Grace”) is the director and Connecticut native John Fusco (“Thunderheart”) is the writer. It will be presented at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport. Q&A with Cunningham, Fusco, and cast members Lee, Watson and Cusick.
The documentary “The Temptation of Trees” (September 24 at 3 p.m.) explores new studies that reveal the best means of combatting climate change. Growing existing forested lands to capture carbon, preserving biodiversity and protecting water, animals and people are essential in reversing climate damage. Experts in forestry. carbon and timber share scientific methods that can be marshaled to move forward to a better future. Andrea Sparrow (executive producer of The Arctic Arts Project) is the director and writer. The documentary will be screened in Rabb Hall at the Boston Public Library, followed by a Q&A with Sparrow, and environmental experts William Moomaw and Susan Masino, whose commentary is included in the film. Tickets are free but require registration at the Boston Public Library website (bpl.org).
“Always, Lola” is a dramatic film that makes its world premiere on September 24 at 9:15 p.m. In the story, after Lola, a popular high school senior, dies, her five best friends – now in college – reunite on their annual camping trip. However, they discover murky secrets surrounding her death that threaten to unhinge both her memory and their mutual friendship. Newton, MA native Roxy Striar (“Unproductive Table Read”), Sheldon White (“Never Have I Ever”), Collin Compana (“American Crime Story”), Candice Cruz (“James Blondes”), Andrew Ghai (“A Bogota Trip”), and Corinne Mica (“Composure”) star. Jeffrey Crane Graham (“Improv 101”) is the director and writer; Laura Catherine Palmer is the producer. The screening will be held at the Regal Fenway Cinema. Q&A with Jeff Graham and cast members Striar, White, Compana.
“Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of the West” (September 23 at 7:30 p.m.) makes its East Coast debut as a call-to-action documentary that offers an immersive journey into the world of wild horses from director Ashley Avis (“Black Beauty”). Avis and the production’s crew go on a multi-year expedition to uncover the truth of the desperate plight of wild horses in the western United States – with the hope of protecting them before the mustangs disappear. The producers are Avis, Richard Avis and Edward Winters. The venue will be at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, MA. Ashley Avis, Producer Edward Winters, and experts Erik Molvar, Scott Beckstead, Marty Irby and Kimerlee Curyl will participate in a Q&A following the screening.
Information on BFF parties, virtual film premieres and Q&A sessions can be found at the festival’s website.
The sponsors of the Boston Film Festival are: A&E; Omni Hotel Boston at the Seaport; Don’t Tread on Me Entertainment; Boston Light & Sound; Boston Public Library; The Wilbur Theatre; Shalin Liu Performance Center; Firefly and Dream Alley.
Filmgoers and virtual viewers can access www.bostonfilmfestival.org for more details and to obtain tickets. For Facebook: Boston Film Festival; Instagram: Bostonfilmfestival; Twitter: @Bostonfilmfest.
MEDIA CONTACTS: Ashley Sandberg, ashley@triple7pr.com
