Brutal Season
| Brutal Season | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Theatrical Release Poster | |
| Directed by | Gavin Fields |
| Written by | Gavin Fields |
| Produced by | Shelby Grady
Roger M. Mayer
Gavin Fields |
| Starring | Colleen Madden
James Ridge
Markwood Fields
Shelby Grady
Houston Settle
Moses Jones |
| Cinematography | Steven Carmona |
| Edited by | James T. Cernero |
| Music by | Andrew Burke |
Production company | Lil Cowboy Films |
| Distributed by | 1091 Pictures |
Release date | September 22, 2022 (Fantastic Fest)
October 10, 2023 (United States) |
Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Budget | $130,000 est. |
Brutal Season is a 2022 independent neo-noir suspense thriller written, and directed by Gavin Fields. It's ensemble cast stars Colleen Madden, Houston Settle, Markwood Fields, Shelby Grady, James Ridge, and Shuler Hensley. Produced by Shelby Grady, Roger Mayer, with original music by Andrew Burke and cinematography by Steven Carmona. Set in 1948 Red Hook New York; it's plot follows the Trouth's, a family with little income, few prospects and the hottest summer on record. When their estranged son returns after an absence of many years, the family's fragile dynamic begins to collapse. A sudden death in the family, the promise of a life insurance payout, and the resulting fallout explore each family member's own truth. It is the feature film directorial debut of Gavin Fields.
The film finds its footing in classic American Theater with the entire story taking place in the Trouth's cramped apartment.[1] It can be compared to other classic American Movies like Alfred Hitchcock's, Rope (1948) and Elia Kazan's, A Steetcar Named Desire (1951).
Plot
It's early morning in the Trouth's tiny Red Hook apartment. It is a sweltering day and Gayle Trouth observes from the window the approach of the harbor to the building. Louis Trouth, an unemployed sanitation worker, its at the breakfast table reviewing the daily want ads, his prospects thin. Louis and Gayle are joined by daughter Marianne and Charlie as breakfast comes together. The conversation revolves separately around the job search including the difference between sanitations and maintenance, the heat, the activity in the harbor, Marianne's love life and Charlie's daily visits to the local movie theater. Louis, unable to eat due to stomach pain announces his intent that morning to visit a local watering hole to prospect for job opportunities
Cast
- Colleen Madden as Gayle Trouth
- Houston Settle as Junior Trouth
- Markwood Fields as Charlie Trouth
- Shelby Grady as Marianne Trouth
- James Ridge as Louis Trouth
- Shuler Hensley as Randy Hawkes (insurance investigator)
- Moses Jones as Ivan Barnett (Marianne's love interest)
Production
Development
Confined at home during the Covid Pandemic "we tried the DIY thing, but that just wasn’t working for us, so instead we decided to make a movie,” according to producer, Shelby Grady, Producer[2] The movie, one of a "collection" of films written by Gavin Fields, Brutal Season rose to the top of the list of films to serve as in his directorial debut.[1] Both budgetary challenges and the restrictions of movie production during Covid were important considerations in the selection of Brutal Season as Fields debut feature.[3] “Income capacity —- we thought that we were going to be very limited by our budget. But we were able to say, ‘we are not going to have the budget limitations limit ourselves creatively,” Ms. Grady pointed out. “The film is 101 minutes and I think the limited budget actually heightened the experience rather than detracted while filming.”[3] The movie is, in essence a chamber play, taking place in a single room of the Trouth's apartment[4] Consisting of eight scenes filmed on a single set with a limited cast and crew; the restrictions of Covid protocols and a limited budget were driving forces in the development of the film.[1]
Filming
From build to wrap, the film was shot in 21 days in December 2020 on a sound stage in Chattanooga, TN.[2] Due to University Covid policies, access to the sound stage at Southern Adventist University was only available while the school was closed over Christmas break when virtually all campus staff and students not on campus.
Reception
Critical Response
Upon its completion in late 2021 the movie was submitted to numerous film festivals in the U.S. and made its worldwide debut at FantasticFest Burnt Ends in September 2022.[5] At the Phoenix Film Festival in March, 2023, Brutal Season won "Best Acting Ensemble" in a feature movie.[6] It was also accepted and screened at the 2023 Fargo Film Festival, online at the 2023 Chattanooga Film Festival, and NewFilmmakers LA's May, 2023 InFocus festival where it where it was the selected feature and concluded the festival's programming.[7]
Film Threat Critic Calan Panchoo gave the film a 9/10 score on Rotten Tomatoes and said, "All of these aspects — the cinematography, the characters, the aesthetics — build toward even greater praise: It is an altogether riveting experience."[4]
- ^ a b c NFMLA Stage 5 Filmmaker Interview | Gavin Fields and Shelby Grady, retrieved 2024-02-26
- ^ a b Cobbs, Cathy (October 15, 2022). "Atlanta filmmakers have triumphant debut at Austin festival with 'Brutal Season'". roughdraftatlanta.com.
- ^ a b Thornton, Terrance (March 28, 2023). "Brutal Season explores universal drama of family at Phoenix International Film Festival". arizonadigitalfreepress.com.
- ^ a b Panchoo, Calan (June 1, 2023). "Brutal Season". filmthreat.com.
- ^ Muir, Nathaniel (September 28, 2022). "[Fantastic Fest '22] 'Brutal Season' review: Well written and depressing tale of past regrets". aiptcomics.com.
- ^ Bradshaw, Zach (April 4, 2023). "The Phoenix Film Festival came to a sparking end Sunday..." www.blazeradioonline.com.
- ^ Guevara, Kat (May 15, 2023). "NewFilmmakers LA InFocus festival highlights Asian Cinema in May". thehollywoodtimes.today.