It’s been a while since these pages delved into the heated waters of local film activity, but everything from features to web series, documentaries to bountiful shorts is getting released constantly by the RI film community. Here’s some of what’s coming up this fall.
The most talked-about larger production will be in pre-production through the winter. That’s The Vault, the story of a famous bonded vault heist that took place in RI back in 1975. Woodhaven Productions will be casting this fall. Tom DeNucci of Woodhaven Productions (Almost Mercy, Arlo: The Burping Pig), directed Saving Christmas/The Santa Files, starring Ed Asner, which will be released this Christmas. Even sooner, Woodhaven’s documentary, Man in Red Bandana, about a 9-11 citizen-hero, narrated by Gwyneth Paltrow, will release at the Providence Place Showcase Cinemas on Sep 11.
Scorpio Film Releasing (scorpiofilmreleasing.squarespace.com) – the cult movie powerhouse led by Richard Marr-Griffin and Ted Griffin-Marr has released the trailer for Strapped for Danger, a feature-length raunchy comedy that will premiere locally on Nov 5 at the Route One Cinema Pub, 652 E Washington St, North Attleboro, Mass. 17+.
BC Films (bryancaseyfilms.com), the unstoppable production engine known for moody, often straight-from-the-Twilight-Zone shorts, has a number of projects in the works. They’ll be wrapping the shorts “Qualm & Lament,” and “Out With It” (a dramedy about a recently divorced woman forced to come out after being caught in the act by her young daughter, directed by Shevon Young and starring Trinity Rep’s Mia Ellis) in September, and “In Waiting” in October. “Se bet ou ye” should wrap in February, and features, including Chance and The Wanderer’s Game, are in pre-production, along with a few music videos. Other films such as “Late,” “Shine,” “This Time Each Year,” “Tribulation” and “Quiet” are slowly but surely making their way through post production. A fall highlight for producer Bryan Casey has been working with Enku Gubaie and Trinity Rep’s Joe Wilson Jr. on “Waiting,” a short about a woman dealing with infertility as a result of childhood sexual abuse and its effects on her marriage. It’s being directed by Carol Conley, whose directorial debut, the short “Penitence,” is still out at film festivals racking up laurels.
Nathan Suher of IM Filmworks wrapped principal photography on their first feature film, a surreal thriller that seems to connect Kafka and Hollywood, called Higher Methods (highermethods.com). It’s now exploring the exciting world of post-production.
And local stand-up comic / scriptwriting instructor / essayist Jenn Dlugos has returned for season two of “Magicland” (magiclandthemepark.com), a web-based sitcom set at a decaying amusement park.
The Providence 48 Hour Film Project recently wrapped its 12th year, with the overall victory going to Root Beer Studio’s “Homestead.” The team, headed by Brian Bouyea, will represent RI at the international competition in Paris, France. Bon Chance! You can see the short here: youtube.com/watch?v=55gSknIklIE
Remember that local filmmakers can still be found regularly at monthly networking meetings of the RI Film Collaborative (rifcfilms.com), which convenes on the second Tuesday each month at the Wild Colonial Tavern, 250 S. Water St, PVD at 7:30pm, and at Rhodywood’s monthly critique nights at 7pm on the first Thursday (rhodywood.com), 270 Douglas Ave, PVD.