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Like their home state of Alabama, the Trawicks are slam – full of oddities, idiocy, contradictions, traditions, and rednecks. JD is a color-blind desperado who enjoys the company of geriatrics and harbors dreams of something more…like bombing shit.

His brother Tucker has a large penis and enjoys fighting, doing whip-its, and failing out of Lurleen B. Wallace Community College. He harbors dreams of fighting, doing whip-its, and banging Lurleen B. Wallace.

Big Donald is their father, a redneck Magnum P.I., who probably abused JD and Tucker when they were too little to kick his ass, but in a funny way. Nanny is the matriarch, a schizophrenic former bootlegger and rumrunner turned born-again Christian who is an angel on the ground but a demon behind the wheel.

Together – but often at odds with one another – they turn the South upside-down in their pursuit of bail-jumping misfits, such as Rusty McAndrews, a diabetic and diabolical welder with a penchant for dangerous women and crack. But skiptracing is the business that pays the bills while they engage in their real passion: coaching their dynastic peewee football team, the Bombers, to Pop Warner Valhalla. In pursuit of McAndrews and the city championship, JD and company are opposed by the dastardly Cletus Yoates and his henchman Bart, who will stop at nothing to destroy the Trawick family, business, and football legacy.

Along the way, the Trawicks discover the hidden and absurd underbelly of the South – and punch it.

In the feature film debut by filmmaker Andrew Okpeaha MacLean, two teenage boys who have grown up like brothers go about their lives in the comfortable claustrophobia of an isolated Alaskan town. Early one morning, on a seal hunt with another teenager, an argument between the three boys quickly escalates into a tragic accident. Bonded by their dark secret, the two best friends are forced to create one fabrication after another in order to survive. The shocked boys stumble through guilt-fueled days, avoiding the suspicions of their community as they weave a web of deceit. With their future in the balance, they are forced to explore the limits of friendship and honor.

Featuring  performances by Josiah Patkotak and Frank Qutuq Irelan.

AWARDS

Best First Feature Prize, Berlinale 2011
Crystal Bear for Generations 14plus, Berlinale 2011
FIPRESCI Prize for Best New American Film, Seattle International Film Festival 2011
Best Narrative Film Award, Woodstock Film Festival 2011
Best Cinematography Award, Woodstock Film Festival 2011
Best Director, American Indian Film Festival 2011
Honorable Mention for Best Film, Cine Las Americas 2011

The story of a love triangle in two uninterrupted halves, Almost in Love mixes a naturalistic style with an ambitious form to create a unique experience. A film that deals with loyalty, friendship and love – and whether a perfect moment can save us from ourselves.

It may seem perverse for a man who makes his living as an editor to try to make a film essentially without edits but Almost in Love is my attempt to combine the natural intimacy and improvisatory style that I love with a more rigorous formal aesthetic. I wanted to see if we could perform this technical sleight-of-hand without sacrificing the emphasis on performance.

Using the audio to pull our focus from one conversation to another, one moment to the next, the film is a blend of performance and technique. Until very recently of course, long takes (anything over about 10 minutes) were a technical impossibility and while the digital revolution has allowed for longer takes, even in the era of HD I hadn’t seen a film that attempted to marry the bravura element of style with the intimacy of a character-driven drama. The challenge of Almost in Love is to present two continuous takes — two single breaths — in which lives are transformed and characters altered in real time.

“Fascinating… a bravura display of hand-held camerawork, sound design and improvisational performance.” – Andy Webster, New York Times

“Impressively acted and gorgeously shot, it’s a testament to what a director of true vision can do with the barest of resources” – New York Magazine CRITIC’S PICK

“a dance that’s perfectly choreographed… constantly engaging.”  – Stephanie Merry, Washington Post

“daring… the terrific new two shot high-wire act… is a surprisingly rich meditation on friendship, the difficulty of settling down and the importance of being earnest. Its formal ingenuity and winning cast make it a picture to watch out for.” Brandon Harris, Filmmaker Magazine

“Oddly affecting and well worth a look. Daniel McKeown’s lush cinematography adapts to suit the elements, structure and performers and helps being out the best in all departments… The real find is Marjan Neshat who radiates easy warmth and sexuality.” – Mark Adams, ScreenDaily

“Smartly written… offers an enthusiastic burst of American indie neuroses that conceals deft, near-seamless camerawork.” Genevieve Yue, Reverse Shot