Guests on this episode of Filmwax Radio include the creative team behind the new comedy “Lucky Them”, director Megan Griffiths & producer/screenwriter Emily Wachtel; the creative team behind “Emoticon ;)” including director/actress Livia De Paolis & producer/actress Danelle Eliav; and director of the film “David”, Joel Fendelman.
“Lucky Them” is the latest feature film from Megan Griffiths (“The Off Hours”, “Eden”) and stars Toni Collette, Thomas Haden Church and Oliver Platt. More interested in partying and flirting with young musicians than work, veteran rock journalist Ellie Klug (Collette) has one last chance to prove her value to her magazine’s editor (Platt): a no-stone-unturned search to discover what really happened to long lost rock god Matthew Smith, who also happens to be her ex-boyfriend. Teaming up with an eccentric amateur documentary filmmaker (Church in a delightful performance), Ellie hits the road in search of answers. “Lucky Them” opens theatrically and digitally on Friday, May 30th thanks to IFC Films.
“Emoticon 😉” is the feature film debut for actress Livia De Paolis. Elena Gallenti (De Paolis) is an anthropology graduate student struggling to complete her thesis on ‘modern means of communication.’ All that changes when she meets her new boyfriend’s (Michael Cristofer) teenage kids who are going through their own journeys of self-discovery. Through these relationships and the help of her PhD advisor (Carol Kane), Elena comes to a better understanding of how to navigate love and intimacy in the digital age. Emoticon 😉 hits theaters on Friday, May 30th. Livia is joined by producer Danelle Eliav.
Joel Fendelman has been traveling the film festival circuit with his ethnic Brooklyn-based film, “David” (aka “Daud”), for the past couple of years. The film is about the young son of an Imam of a Brooklyn mosque, who has to juggle the high expectations of his Father and his feelings of isolation and difference– even from his peers in the Muslim community. In our conversation we discuss his experiences making that film and getting it in front of audiences. David is currently making a follow up feature which was filmed in the Philippines and in Singapore.
