
Welcome to the Larry411.com Guest Columnists! April 27, 2013
In my travels to the best film festivals in…
On Wednesday, March 13, 2013 I attended the gala World Premiere of Coldwater at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The sold-out screening was held at the legendary Alamo Ritz. The film was a selection in the Narrative Spotlight section.
In director/co-writer/producer Vincent Grashaw's Coldwater, Brad Lunders (promising newcomer PJ Boudousqué) is a troubled teen hauled off at the behest of his parents to what they believe is essentially a "tough love" camp, a promising facility in a last gasp effort at rehabilitation before incarceration becomes the only option.
He arrives at this anti-resort to the marching orders of retired Marine Colonel Frank Reichert (James C. Burns), at first glance the typical confident commander and drill sergeant one expects. But you very quickly discover that you really haven't seen this before, and before realizing it you're on the edge of your seat, having no idea where the plot is headed after all. You've arrived at the intersection of art and commerce, and are about to take the road less traveled -- the one that truly defines what can be achieved in cinema when the filmmakers are calling the shots.
For continuing in the proud cinematic tradition of a tried and true genre while boldly staking out new territory that's as fresh as it is devastatingly genuine, I gave Coldwater five stars and a place on my 2013 SXSW Film Festival Top 8 Narratives.
See my full-length review and Q&A photos.
After the World Premiere screening I sat down with stars PJ Boudousqué, James C. Burns, and director/co-writer Vincent Grashaw for an in-depth discussion about the film. There may be some spoilers in these interviews. Videos shot by Jason Whyte.
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In my travels to the best film festivals in…
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