ORPHANS

Orphansmovie.com
"...A strong drama of heartache with two lead performances that are honest, blemishes and all…"Orphans" is the start of a promising directing career for Russo-Young, a true discovery…”
-IndieWIRE
"…an evocative, character-driven feature…”
-The Daily Texan

"A striking...first film that simultaneously summons the spirits of Bergman's "Cries and Whispers" and Brian De Palma's "Sisters."…”
-Salon.com
"These two young women are living life without a net, without equilibrium. As we grow up, we often wonder what things would be like had we not been put into the families we were put into. Often we might even wish our parents had not existed, thereby leaving us the apparent autonomy to fend for ourselves. As we grow up, these feelings may even become stronger. With Russo-Young’s film, we are shown this dynamic and we are shown the remaining components of broken lives.
As such, Orphans is an immensely powerful film.
It is arresting in its beauty, stirring in its simplicity, and engaging in its capacity to provoke. The performances are graceful and sturdy, with both Wheelwright and Flynn creating splendid characters and providing a deep bond on screen. Russo-Young’s direction is faultless, too, resonating with straightforwardness and sophistication. She has composed a gorgeous, poetic, lingering film that is well worth a look."
-Jordan Richardson
Blogcritics.org
"There is an artistry at work here that recalls European cinema from the 1970s or early 1980s. Which is interesting, for that works in conjunction with Russo-Young’s main goal: to contemplate how the past continues to reverberate in the present. Watching the film, an interesting question arises: was Russo-Young influenced by her own childhood or by films from that era? The answer appears to be both. In the best way possible, she and her actresses have found a way to cloak the emotions of their own past histories in an artificially constructed story. The resulting atmosphere is difficult to describe. Rooted in the present, tormented by the past, Orphans takes place in its own mysterious universe, the universe of its characters mourning minds."
-Michael Tully
Hammer to Nail
SYNOPSIS
A feature film. Two estranged sisters reunite for a birthday celebration at an isolated farmhouse in the dead of winter. When the party takes a surprising turn, the sisters must revisit their painful past.
CREDITS
Sonia
James Katharine Flynn
Rosie
Lily Wheelwright
Director Ry Russo-Young
Producer Amir Naderi
Cinematography Ku-Ling Siegel
Editors Amir Naderi, Ry Russo-Young, John Walter
Sound Dahna Abourahme
Assistant camera Judi Stroh
Orphans is dedicated to the memory of Lily Wheelwright 1982-2007
Orphans trailer

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