Savanah Leaf’s ‘Earth Mama’, Sundance Prize Winner ‘Mutt’ To Bookend New Directors/New Films
28.02.2023 - 19:47
/ deadline.com
Film at Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art have set Savanah Leaf’s Earth Mama and Vuk Lungulov-Klotz’s Sundance Special Jury Award winner Mutt, both debut features, as opening and closing film at the 52st edition of their collaboration, New Directors/New Films, running March 29–April 9 in NYC.
The festival will introduce will showcase 27 features and 11 shorts from 41 directors at theaters in both venues.
Mutt star Lio Mehial was awarded a U.S. Special Jury Award for acting at Sundance Film festival for his portrayal of Feña, a twentysomething trans man contending with an onslaught of aggravation, surprise encounters and emotional choices over the course of a single hectic day in New York City. “We were charmed, seduced, and compelled by this fresh new performer as we watched them navigating the intimate complexities of their everyday life and relationships in his search for acceptance,” the jury citation said. Deadline review here.
A24’s Earth Mama, which also premiered at Sundance, isa devastating and evocative portrait of motherhood refracted through the prisms of race and class. It stars Tia Nomore as Gia, a young mother fighting for her children.
Selections also include coming of age drama Metronom, which wonBest Director for Alexandru Belc at Cannes, Un Certain Regard. Portuguese filmmaker Carlos Conceição’s drama of the Angolan War of Independence, Tommy Guns, won the Europa Cinemas Label as Best European film at the Locarno Film Festival. Joyland by Saim Sadiq took the Queer Palm and Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at Cannes.
As is usual for ND/NF, the lineup showcases work from a broad geographic range, with films from Angola, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Croatia,