Tired Moonlight is a personal film with a palpable love for a small town and its inhabitants. Using a loose narrative structure typical for the connectedness of a small community, an authentic impression is given of the different people living in this town. After all, it is the people, with their stories and specific dreams, who give these, often almost identical little towns, their own identity. The fact that Britni West filmed in her hometown, Kalispell in Montana, adds to the film’s personal touch. In a small town or village, everyone inevitably meets each other during the various events and festivities that provide the necessary entertainment for the community: auctions, talent contests and car races on Saturday night. Life is not all about festivities though, everyday life is equally important in Tired Moonlight; the countless games of patience during lonesome evenings, brief family visits and living-room performances with the local children. Wandering through this amalgam of stories, we zoom in on Dawn, a middle-aged woman whose life is turned upside down by a lover from the past, an exceptional poet. In her first film, West convinces as a director with a distinctive voice and a talent for creating a poetic atmosphere, which is enhanced by the warmth of filming on Super16. Tired Moonlights’ fictional story leaves plenty of room for improvisation in this intuitive and charming Americana film.
Film details
Country of production
USA
Year
2015
Festival edition
IFFR 2015
Length
78'
Medium/Format
File
Language
English
Premiere status
International premiere
Director
Britni West
Producer
Britni West
Sales / World rights holder
Britni West
Screenplay
Stephen Gurewitz, Alex Karpovsky, Britni West, Paul Dickinson, Liz Randall, Hillary Berg, RainLeigh Vick, Charles Smith, Nick Stockton