News

The explanatory text that opens “The Wanting Mare,” Nicholas Ashe Bateman’s ambitious, epoch-spanning directing debut, informs us that in the city of Whithren, citizens are desperate to escape by booking passage on the once-a-year transport ship that carries wild horses to the wintry promised land of Levithen. These words, a fantasist’s delight, only barely set the table for what’s to come, a visually enthralling but elliptical and withholding quasi post-apocalyptic drama about three generations of Whithren women who carry with them the burdensome memories of “the world before.”

At times, Bateman’s film feels overstuffed and underexplored, an inconclusive rhetorical argument between a director and his lofty intentions. Otherwise, the Baltimore native announces himself as a top-shelf world-builder-on-a-budget, a painter of luscious digital dreamscapes (and hellscapes).

Indeed, Bateman’s effects are the star here, casting such a vivid and immersive spell that they stoke a strong desire to explore Whithren,...

Oscar-nominated actor Viggo Mortensen makes his feature directorial debut with Falling, which premieres in theaters, digital and on demand today. Mortensen also wrote, starred in and composed the score for Falling to show us that he’s not just a one-trick pony (but was there any doubt?)

Falling follows John (Mortensen) who lives with his partner, Eric (Terry Chen), and their daughter, Mónica (Gabby Velis) in California. This is far from the rural life from his past. His uber-conservative father, Willis (Lance Henriksen), who is facing early stages of dementia, lives alone on the isolated farm where John grew up. When John brings Willis to Los Angeles in an attempt to relocate him closer to family, their relationship begins to unravel as Willis refuses to change his way of life.

The family drama made its world premiere in 2020 at the Sundance Film Festival before screening at Cannes and the Toronto International Film Festival.

"Do you wonder what was before? Before here..." Anmaere Pictures has released an official trailer for The Wanting Mare, which is launching in theaters + on VOD next month. The Wanting Mare is a "technical marvel of digital world-building on the level of Sky Captain and Sin City, having been almost entirely - and unbelievably - shot inside a storage unit in New Jersey. Five years in the making, its hundreds of visual effects seamlessly blend digital landscapes and physical reality, bringing Whithren and its greater world to unbelievable life." Set in Whithren, a line of women pass a single dream through multiple generations. The film follows a group of people making their way in a fantasy world called "Anmaere", equal parts Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, that has evolved into a "modern" setting much like Earth. Starring Jordan Monaghan, Yasmin Keshtkar, Edmond Cofie, Nicholas Ashe Bateman, Josh Clark,...

One of the most highly anticipated undistributed films of 2020 was Nicholas Ashe Bateman’s feature debut “The Wanting Mare,” a VFX-heavy fantasy that spans generations and the cosmos. After festival play and online buzz, the film has finally found a home thanks to Gravitas Ventures, which will launch “Wanting Mare” in available theaters and on VOD February 5. Watch the trailer below.

Director Bateman previously worked behind the scenes contributing digital effects to films like “Free Solo” and “Wendy,” and most recently served as a VFX supervisor on David Lowery’s upcoming “The Green Knight.” Now,he’s taking the directing reins. Bateman also wrote “The Wanting Mare,” billed as the first in a series of films set on the fictional planet of Anmaere.

IndieWire’s Eric Kohn had high praise for the film on IndieWire’s list of the best undistributed films of 2020:

Director Nicholas Ashe’s haunting sci-fi...

It was only a few months ago we learned that Primer and Upstream Color director Shane Carruth would be retiring from filmmaking after his next directorial effort, and while we don’t know what that project may be yet, he’s still working on other films. One project that certainly has a Carruthian touch is The Wanting Mare, a dark fantasy fable he executive produced that is set to make its world premiere at the Chattanooga Film Festival this weekend, which is being presented digitally.

Directed by Nicholas Ashe Bateman, who is making his feature debut but has worked on the visual effects of Wendy and the forthcoming The Green Knight, the story follows a line of women who pass a single dream through multiple generations. Having remarkably been shot almost entirely in a storage unit in New Jersey (!), the first trailer shows off some deeply impressive atmosphere for what was certainly a shoestring budget.

"Can you see it now?" Anmaere Pictures has unveiled a teaser trailer for an indie film titled The Wanting Mare, which is premiering at the Chattanooga Film Festival this month. The Wanting Mare is a "technical marvel of digital world-building on the level of Sky Captain and Sin City, having been almost entirely - and unbelievably - shot inside a storage unit in New Jersey. Five years in the making, its hundreds of visual effects seamlessly blend digital landscapes and physical reality, bringing Whithren and its greater world to unbelievable life." Set in Whithren, a line of women pass a single dream through multiple generations. The film follows a group of people making their way in a fantasy world called "Anmaere", equal parts Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones, that has evolved into a "modern" setting that feels much like today's Earth. This stars Jordan Monaghan, Yasmin Keshtkar,...

Hello everybody, what’s up? You’re listening to the Roobla Podcast with me, Tom Salmon! The show that dives into music, film and games and everything else in between.

My guest on this week’s episode is Colin West who wrote, directed and produced his latest short film Here & Beyond (2019) starring Greg Lucy, Christine Kellogg-Darrin and Laurel Porter. The film has screened at the Cinequest Film Festival, Miami Science Fiction Film Festival and NewFilmmakers La and many more!

We jumped into Colin’s film festival experience, how he got into filmmaking via email from director Darren Aronofsky, working with screen legend Stacy Keach and the future of streaming services.

You can follow and check out Colin’s short films @ Vimeo vimeo.com/cwestmcdonald right now!

Breaking Glass pictures has brought home Gregg Holtgrewe's Dawning onto DVD and Blu-ray (available for order through their website), and we've got the trailer and artwork for you right here.

Dawning stars David Coral, Jonas Goslow, Christine Kellogg-Darrin, Daniel Jay Salmen, and Najarra Townsend.

Synopsis

Dawning follows brother and sister Chris and Aurora as they travel to visit their father and stepmom at the family cabin. As the first night unfolds with uncomfortable small talk and tension, tragedy strikes when the beloved family dog is found mortally wounded. Almost immediately a crazed, blood-soaked stranger barges into the cabin and tells the family that he has come to save them...but from what?

Though their unwanted guest may just be a lone maniac, menacing noises outside suggest the presence of something far more frightening. It's not long before the family members realize a dark force is at play - one...

2010 - 80 mins. - Not Rated

D: Gregg Holtgrewe

C: David Coral, Jonas Goslow, Christine Kellogg-Darrin, Danny Salmen, Najarra Townsend 

Family staying at a cabin in the middle of nowhere trying to heal some old wounds are held hostage by a man claiming an unseen supernatural entity is after him. 

 

 What if your thoughts were exposed to everyone around you? What kind of environment would that create around you? What kinds of horrors would unfold as a result of everyone knowing what you were thinking? Dawning explores this interesting notion with one of the more original horror film premises of the past few years. Dawning is a little slow to start, because the introductory scenes which establish the characters are a little bit stilted and awkward as it takes some time for the cast to get into the flow of things. However, Dawning picks up the pace when it focuses in on the scary stuff.

Gregg Holtgrewe's psychological thriller Dawning will be released by Breaking Glass Pictures June 28th, on DVD. This title has been reviewed on 28Dla earlier (Dawning Review) and the film deals with a mysterious presence, that breaks a family apart. Award winning, the Dawning has completed several festival runs and fans of thrillers will enjoy this film's mystery and suspense. More details on the release are provided below, courtesy of Breaking Glass Pictures.

The synopsis for Dawning is here:

"When siblings Chris and Aurora go to visit their father and stepmother at their northern Minnesota cabin, their first night turns tragic after the family dog disappears into the woods and ends up mortally wounded. As the family reels from the sudden loss of their beloved pet, underlying feelings of resentment begin boiling to the surface. Then, a crazed, blood-soaked stranger barges into the cabin and tells the family that he has come to save them…...

The independent film the Dawning will be taking over film screens in Mankato, Minnesota April 16th. The film has recently been at the Nevermore Film Festival in North Carolina and the villain has been described by the horror movie review site Planet of Terror as "an offscreen and unseen 'presence'" (Planet). In fact, the antagonist is not shown during the entire film in favour of developing characterizations. An interview with the director, Greg Holtgrewe, is below along with a trailer and for horror fans in the Minnesota are the Dawning is a must see from early reviews.

Release Date: April 16th - Spectrum Theatre - Mankato, Minnesota (currently at festivals looking for distribution).

Director: Greg Holtgrewe.

Writers: Matthew Wilkins, and Greg Holtgrewe.

Cast: David Coral, Jonas Goslow, Christine Kellogg-Darrin, Danny Salmen, and Najarra Townsend.

The trailer for the Dawning here:

An interview with Holtgrewe on this project:

Interview at Planet...