Allen Sunshine

Allen Sunshine absolutely blew me away. It's such a heartfelt, beautifully made film - one of those rare movies where everything just clicks. Harley Chamandy did an incredible job bringing this story to life. It's seriously impressive how he pulled off so many tricky parts - amazing performances from the child actors, the dog actors, even big fireworks and boating scenes that can be so hard to get right - and he nailed all of it.

The whole movie feels real, emotional, and full of heart. Every shot, every moment feels intentional without ever feeling forced. You can tell how much care went into every detail. I'm already excited to see what Harley Chamandy does next. Allen Sunshine is a total must-watch.

Harley Chamandy's first feature hit me like a memory you don't want to let go of. It's about grief, but not in the loud, obvious way. The film sits in sunlight, in the texture of wood, in glances that linger longer than words. It moves slow, but that's the point you're asked to sit with it, not rush past it.

Vincent Leclerc carries the heart of the story. His performance isn't flashy, but that's what makes it stick. Around him, side characters drift in and out like echoes. Chamandy builds the world with small details the sound of a door, the silence between lines until you feel the weight of what isn't said more than what is.

Allen Sunshine feels like a throwback to when films trusted their audience to pay attention. It reminded me of Kelly Reichardt's patience and Spike Jonze's quiet comfort, but it's also its own thing, intimate, almost sacred in how it looks at loss.

In a time where movies are usually too loud, too fast, too desperate for your attention, this one asks you to slow down. And when it ends, you might not even know exactly what you felt. You just know it stays with you.

That's what real cinema does.

A transcendental film that brings you through a meditative journey of grief, friendship and faith.

I love how light-hearted this film is, given its subject matter, while still maintaining a deep nuance of its tone and emotions.

The soundscape, in its use of electronic music and sounds of nature, is my favourite of the year and is very inspiring in how it combines and prioritized these elements to create its own unique world.

Allen Sunshine is a rare debut that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant. The film's compositions are meticulously balanced, every frame could be a painting, and yet it never feels contrived. Capturing the stillness of Canadian wilderness as both backdrop and metaphor. Wardrobe choices, subtle yet deliberate, and the depiction of Allen's experimental electronic music creation add a poetic texture to the film's mood. These artistic elements intertwine seamlessly, enhancing rather than distracting from the experience.

Harley demonstrates a remarkable visual confidence for a first feature, and it's no surprise that this film earned him the Werner Herzog Film Award in 2024. With Allen Sunshine, he announces himself as a bold new cinematic voice, one who could very well be the next big thing.

Allen Sunshine moves with quiet power, every frame composed like a painting in its color, texture, and symbolism. It follows Allen, a man grieving in the woods, searching for renewal through an experimental practice of turning nature's silence into sound. What he doesn't expect is that the friendship of two young boys becomes the true catalyst for his healing. Harley Chamandy brings it all together with a vision that is both tender and fearless, filled with beauty, pain, and transformation.