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...a well-executed dissection of a particularly complicated male friendship.
- Michael Tully, Hammer to Nail
...Brilliance shows that you can be creative and revolutionary in your filmmaking approach without throwing out all the rules of simple drama.
- Mark Bell, Film Threat
The performances by Sean Nelson and Basil Harris seem deceptively casual and understated, but beneath the surface a very real tension exists between the two that simmers without ever erupting and exploding into a contrived denouement.
- Dan Nuxoll, Rooftop Films
The sense of improvisation is so strong and the film so gorgeously shot that you’ll feel like you’re tagging along on Eric’s weekend in the country.
- James McNally, Toronto Screenshots
For a film with virtually zero action, Shelton is able to create a sometimes remarkable volume of visual comedy...it’s a nicely rendered, novella-esque character study with some impressive naturalistic performances.
- Karina Longworth, spout.com
the film:
"Two ex-buddies and an enigmatic third wheel spend an awkward weekend chopping wood, matching wits and ultimately embarking on a late-night, booze-soaked cougar hunt."
Writing in collaboration with the film’s performers, Sean Nelson ( Harvey Danger ), Basil Harris ( We Go Way Back , Awesome ) and Calvin Reeder (Little Farm, June & July), director Lynn Shelton takes a cinema verite approach to this, her second narrative feature. The deftly improvised performances create a nuanced portrait of the unspoken intricacies of male friendship.
the director:
After a dozen years spent acting for the stage, and a decade more learning the ins and outs of cinema as an experimental and documentary filmmaker (The Clouds That Touch Us Out of Clear Skies, The Fruits of Our Labors) and as an editor (Outpatient, Hedda Gabler, Measure), Shelton wrote and directed her first feature-length film upon invitation from The Film Company, a nonprofit film studio. The result, We Go Way Back , premiered at the SLAMDANCE Film Festival in 2006 where it picked up the Grand Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature and the Kodak Vision Award for Best Cinematography. It won those same awards at the Polish Torun Film Festival TOFFI, where it was also granted the Award for Best Director.
the cast and crew:
To create a performance-friendly on-set atmosphere, Shelton condensed her crew down to three key artistic collaborators: the cinematographer and sound designer from We Go Way Back, Benjamin Kasulke and Vinny Smith, and talented production designer Jasminka Vukcevic . (Mascot, camera operator and P2 wrangler Nate M. Miller kept the set interesting.) Rather than writing a script and then searching for the right actors to fill the predetermined roles, the characters and plotline of MY EFFORTLESS BRILLIANCE were custom-built around its stars. Mark Price and Ted Speaker round out the team as co-producer and composer, respectively.
for sales and festivals, contact:
lynn shelton at [email protected]
