Davey needs to win the high school QuizJam to help pay for his girlfriend Lex’s abortion. Habitually oblivious but generally well meaning, he's only a few answers away from the $125 they need. “Más Bowls,” directed by Max Tullio, is a well-drawn coming-of-age drama carried by its subtly affecting performances and well-rounded characterizations. Lex watches as her boyfriend competes in the quiz competition despite the fact that she’s come to detest him for the situation they’ve found themselves in. It’s a clever and unexpected setup centering a story of a splintering couple and their heavy life decision around a high school quiz show. Indeed Tullio’s film (co-written with Z.H. Gill) is crafted from its specificity and detail, and it allows its characters a healthy range of teenage naivety while maintaining vivid feelings of empathy. -KA. Directed by Max Tullio. Grace Durham as Lex. Andrew Greer as Davey. Cinematography by Andrew DeNatale. Edited by Zulema Toledo-Young and Max Tullio. Produced by Genevieve Scott. Associate Producer Paloma Perez. Written by Max Tullio and Z.H. Gill (Story by Z.H. Gill). Original Score by Obstacle.
A young woman tries to embrace her sexuality while beginning to question the intimacy with her best friend. Lucy Blumenfield & Arielle Friedman direct “Countdown,” a tender snapshot that finds two friends at different stages of sexual expression. A bedroom conversation establishes Julia as th...
After a night out in Miami, a young woman reckons with the dwindling chemistry between herself and her ex-boyfriend. Paula Andrea González-Nasser directs “Limestone,” a relationship study that paints a complicated portrait from an ordinary night out in the city. At a club, the woman reunites with...
After witnessing a violent beating on the boardwalk, a 12-year-old boy starts to feel his sleepy coastal town closing in around him. “Sparrow,” directed by Boris Krichevsky and Nikita Zarkh, is a quietly arresting character study rendered with striking images of desolate seaside locales. The boy,...
