Share (film)

Share

Official South by Southwest poster
Directed by Pippa Bianco
Produced by
  • Tyler Byrne
  • Andrew Kelly
  • Danielle Oexmann
Written by Pippa Bianco
Starring
Cinematography Ava Berkofsky
Edited by Oliver Harwood
Distributed by American Film Institute
Release dates
  • March 14, 2015 (SXSW)
  • May 2015 (Cannes)
Running time
 12 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $25,000 (approx)[1]

Share is a 2015 American short drama film written and directed by Pippa Bianco, and starring Taissa Farmiga, Keir Gilchrist, Andre Royo and Madisen Beaty.[2] It follows a 15-year-old girl as she returns to school after an explicit video of her goes viral online.

The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest Film Festival on March 14, 2015, where it won the Special Jury Recognition Award for Narrative Short.[3] It has been selected as the only American short film in the 2015 Cannes Film Festival official program, screening in the Cinéfondation section.

Plot

On her first day back at school, 15-year-old Krystal (Taissa Farmiga) attempts to restore her privacy after a sexually explicit video of her goes viral on the Internet, from a night she doesn't remember.[4]

Cast

Production

Development

Pippa Bianco wrote a screenplay for Share, which was then selected as one of eight short films for the 2014 American Film Institute's Directing Workshop for Women.[5] The annual program requires all of its participants to complete a short film within the year of selection.[6] Bianco collaborated with producers Tyler Byrne (Blue Ruin), Andrew Kelly and Danielle Oexmann to produce the short film.[7] Carly Hugo (The War Boys, Higher Ground) also served as an executive producer. The budget of the film was partially funded from donations through the crowdfunding website Indiegogo. Part of the money donated was given to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) because of the subject matter involved in the film.[8]

Casting

On August 27, 2014, director Pippa Bianco officially confirmed the principal cast members of the film and their subsequent roles through the film's Indiegogo page. Taissa Farmiga portrays Krystal, the film's lead character and the victim of sexual assault; Keir Gilchrist plays the role of Krystal's boyfriend Dylan, the boy who made the video; Madisen Beaty portrays Krystal's best friend; and Andre Royo portrays Krystal's concerned teacher.[2]

Filming

Principal photography for the film occurred over four days – beginning on July 28, 2014 – and took place in various locations around Los Angeles County, including Ramona Convent Secondary School in Alhambra, California and South Gate Middle School in South Gate, California.[9][10][11] Filming concluded for the project on July 31, 2014.[12][13]

Marketing and release

On October 21, 2014, a compilation of shots from the film was released in a trailer format by cinematographer Ava Berkofsky.[14] On March 13, 2015, the film's official poster was released.[15] The film had its world premiere on March 14, 2015 at South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas, as a selection in the Narrative Shorts section.[16][3] It also screened at the Sarasota Film Festival on April 13, 2015,[17] and the Nashville Film Festival on April 17, 2015.[18]

The film is expected to screen at the Maryland Film Festival on May 6, 2015,[19] the Directors Guild of America Theater, Los Angeles for the Directing Workshop for Women on May 14, 2015,[20] and the Seattle International Film Festival on May 24, 2015.[21] On April 15, 2015, it was announced that Share would screen at the 68th Cannes Film Festival in May 2015 as the only American short film selected for the official program.[22]

Reception

Critical response

Mason Walker of Loser City gave Share a positive review, writing: "From that opening shot, the film, for the most part, stays the course; it rarely lets us out of Krystal's shoes. By manipulating sound and image, Bianco shows us how the trauma of sexual assault and public humiliation can make a mundane school day come horribly alive." Walker added of Farmiga's performance: "Oliver Harwood's editing lingers just long enough to catch some of Taissa Farmiga's most chilling facial expressions. Farmiga's performance has many good qualities, but it's even more notable for what it lacks – namely, artifice. She never overplays Krystal's trauma. Instead, she understands that, like many a high school girl, Krystal is trying to hide it – even if the hiding only makes it shine through with terrible transparency."[23]

Accolades

Year Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref
2015 South by Southwest Film Festival Special Jury Award for Narrative Short Share (Pippa Bianco) Won [24]
Grand Jury Award for Narrative Short Nominated

References

  1. ↑ "American Film Institute Program-at-a-Glance". AFI.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Bianco, Pippa (August 27, 2014). "Share Updates". Indiegogo. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Share – SXSW Official Schedule". South by Southwest. Retrieved February 10, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Share". Indiegogo. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
  5. ↑ American Film Institute. "Directing Workshop for Women 2014 Participants". AFI. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
  6. ↑ Kilday, Gregg (March 27, 2014). "Kimberly Peirce to Deliver Keynote at AFI Directing Workshop for Women Showcase". The Hollywood Reporter.
  7. ↑ Indiewire (May 8, 2014). "Project of the Day: 'Share'". Indiewire. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  8. ↑ Cohen, Robyn (May 9, 2014). "Let's Help SHARE Reach their Goal!". Women On It. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  9. ↑ Byrne, Tyler (July 31, 2014). "Summer School #ShareFilm". Instagram. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  10. ↑ "'Share' Casting Call". Backstage. July 2014.
  11. ↑ "Share (Short Movie) Behind the Scenes". So Sugary. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
  12. ↑ Wheelock, Michael (August 1, 2014). "Yesterday (Thursday) was the last day of filming #SHARETheFilm". Instagram. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  13. ↑ TaissaJFarmiga.co.vu (July 31, 2014). "Share Behind the Scenes". Tumblr. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  14. ↑ Berkofsky, Ava (October 21, 2014). "SHARE selects". Vimeo. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  15. ↑ Byrne, Tyler (March 13, 2015). "SHARE premieres at SXSW this weekend!". Instagram.
  16. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 10, 2015). "SXSW 2015 Announces Midnighters Lineup Keeping Fest's Tradition For The Twisted". Deadline.
  17. ↑ "2015 Sarasota Film Festival Schedule" (PDF). Sarasota Film Festival. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  18. ↑ "Nashville Film Festival - Share". Nashville Film Festival. March 19, 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  19. ↑ "Maryland Film Festival Announces Complete 2015 Lineup, Including Opening Night Shorts and Closing Night Film 'The Wolfpack'". Maryland Film Fest. April 27, 2015.
  20. ↑ Lattanzio, Ryan (April 16, 2015). "'Transparent' Creator Jill Soloway to Deliver AFI Keynote". Indiewire.
  21. ↑ "Share – SIFF 2015". Seattle International Film Festival. April 29, 2015. Retrieved May 1, 2015.
  22. ↑ Gilman, Greg (April 15, 2015). "Cannes Film Festival Unveils Short Film Competition Lineup, Cinéfondation Selection". The Wrap. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  23. ↑ Walker, Mason (March 23, 2015). "The Best (and Worst) of Youth: SXSW Shorts Edition". Loser City.
  24. ↑ Chang, Justin (March 17, 2015). "SXSW: 'Krisha,' 'Peace Officer' Win Grand Jury Prizes". Variety.

External links