Oscilloscope Laboratories acquired the SXSW Film
Festival sensation, Saint Frances,
last August. It was a major score, so
many awards, so much promise. An indie
film that was going to make some very big waves … it may still, but the path is
going to be very different.
So what’s the big deal? The film itself, or course, but there is
also the writing, the direction, the acting and the technical aspects of the
production … the whole package, so to speak.
And, of course the big deal of Covid-19 and how the worldwide pandemic
has impacted the film business.
Word arrived this week that since theatrical venues
are shuttered, Saint Frances will
be passing on any future play dates in favor of a DVD and Blu-ray launch on
June 16. That is very good news for
anyone who may have missed the film’s limited theatrical run or the numerous
festival screenings.
Saint Frances is
written by Kelly O’Sullivan, who also stars as Bridget, a thirty-something, who
is adrift and questioning where she stands in the world … more on that in a
moment. It is O’Sullivan’s first
script, will she write more, who knows, but this first stab at it shows plenty
of talent.
Her main calling is that of an actor, having been
featured as Valentina “Voodoo” Dunacci in the two-season run of Sirens
(2014/2015), plus a series of roles in indie films — Sleep
With Me, Olympia and Not
Welcome. So, unless you were a fan of Sirens, it
is unlikely that Kelly O’Sullivan is familiar to you. Saint Frances
could be your introduction … you will not be disappointed.
Parallel to O’Sullivan’s acting and screenwriting is the direction of Alex Thompson, who had made a series short films (Calumet, Irene & Marie, Big Bad Wolf, etc.), but nothing feature-length.
This debut effort pick up both the Audience Award
(Narrative Feature Competition) and the Special Jury Award at South by
Southwest in March of last year, and then Saint
Frances marched out to the festival
circuit and claimed wins at the Chicago Critics Film Festival, Champs-Élysées
Film Festival, and the American Film Festival … plus O’Sullivan picked up
writing awards at the Traverse City Film Festival and the Tallgrass
International Film Festival.
By August Oscilloscope had locked up the
distribution rights for theatrical and home entertainment. That theatrical release, well, it happened
and then we all know what followed. The
buzz was great, the audience reception was solid and the strong reviews just
kept pouring in … and there you have it (you get your chance on June 16 to find
out what the big deal is with the arrival of DVD and Blu-ray viewing options).
As to the story itself, which was filmed in the Chicago
area by DePaul film school alumni Alex Thompson, we are introduced to Bridget (O’Sullivan),
who has sort of coasted through life and suddenly finds herself in her early
30s, waiting tables and wondering what’s next.
Family, nope. Career, nope. The clock is ticking.
It is at this point that she catches a break and
lands a solid job as a nanny to a precocious (meaning: pain-in-the-butt)
six-year old by the name of Frances (Ramona Edith Williams in her film
debut). Take care of the kid, get on
your feet financially and things will start to look up … that’s the plan.
Of course, life doesn’t work that way. Saint Frances
takes some life-changing turns — call them ups and downs — as Bridget has to
deal with some pretty tough issues and she ultimately finds grounding from
unexpected sources, including from the “sweet” little monster that she is
charged with caring for.
Tech aspects are solid, with some nice cinematography
work by Nate Hurtsellers, plus there are some terrific supporting acting turns
by newcomer Max Lipchitz as Jace, Bridget more-than-understanding “boyfriend,”
and Charin Alvarez (Signature Move) as Maya,
one of Bridget’s mothers.
As to bonus goodies, there is a commentary option
from director Alex Thompson and writer/star Kelly O’Sullivan, who are joined by
the aforementioned Nate Hurtsellers, plus there is a blooper reel and both
deleted and extended scenes.
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