Special Edition Flix Premiere Close Up - Bikini Moon

SPECIAL EDITION

FLIX PREMIERE Close-Up Flix Premiere ORIGINAL us THEATRICAL RELEASE

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PLAYING AT CINEMA VILLAGE, New York City OCTOBER 12-25, 2018

FLIX PREMIERE ORIGINAL

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US Theatrical Release at Cinema Village (NYC): October 12-25 Coming Soon Online at flixpremiere.com...

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he creative process is renowned for its engrossing qualities, like the cultivation of an artist’s fixation on their work. Life and artistic endeavor mix and merge in its course. Milcho Manchevski’s Bikini Moon explores this premise in its staging of the absorbing task of making a documentary film, explosively paired with the equally enthralling and addictive personality of its subject – a homeless veteran named Bikini (Condola Rashad).

A team of documentary filmmakers led by director Trevor (Will Janowitz), and his girlfriend, Kate (Sarah Goldberg), happen upon a woman looking for shelter in a Harlem social service agency who immediately steals the camera’s gaze. Bikini holds the attention of the lens and crew, recounting stories of her time in Iraq, life on the street, and her quest to regain custody of her young daughter. Her vibrancy and spontaneity are underlined by bouts of mental instability – a remnant, perhaps, of wartime trauma that she only occasionally controls with prescribed medication. The combination of her charisma and unpredictability are captivating.

At first, Trevor and Kate try to maintain something of an objective distance from Bikini, all while helping her pull herself up onto her feet.

Astonishingly Brilliant.

The Movie Gourmet

But when attempt after attempt to house her inevitably fails, they finally invite her into their own home in an act of charity that pushes along their filmmaking plans. Imagine the results of mixing the personal and the professional so closely! The result is a story of the tumultuous making of a film according to the whims of a woman whose lot in life has been abuse, rejection, and transience.

The sparking motor of celebrated director Manchevski’s story lies in its provocative blend of documentary conventions with narrative storytelling. The film itself, we are told in the opening titles, is a “documentary about a fairy tale,” thus setting into play a teasing relationship between truth and fiction that enriches the characters from the outset, even as the actors inhabit them fully and vividly.

Most uniquely, Manchevski is unafraid to switch digital film recording formats in a fluid exchange throughout the film that is almost as provocative and changing as Bikini herself. Incorporating a series of digital device point of view shots, effectively switching at random times to what a cell-phone or computer camera might see and record “live” within a scene, he lends layers of reality effects to his fiction film and packages it in an undeniably contemporary aesthetic.

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Rashad… gives an impressive tornado of a performance, and she deserves to become a huge star.

Vladan Petkovic, Cineuropa

Arresting meditation on the documentary filmmaking process... lively, thought-provoking.

Deborah Young, The Hollywood Reporter

Condola Rashad’s Bikini is larger than life. Brash, seductive, vulgar, sensitive and severe – she embodies a fascinating set of contradictions that mark a stark departure from her role in Showtime’s series, Billions. Her striking persona is a well-suited anecdote to the complementing bookends of Janowitz and Goldberg’s suburban hipster personalities. Sathya Sridharan steps in as the more conscientious director Krishna at the required time, lending the film a distinctive ensemble quality even as its star shines bright.

This exciting hybrid drama continues Flix Premiere’s tradition of delivering Original Productions that push the envelope beyond tired genre cinema at both the levels of story and filmmaking; with a tale of a seldom-seen or heard from individual – an underrepresented veteran who can no longer function in civil society. It is also an example of daring technical cinematic innovation.

That is why it is all the more appropriate that this film break ground in the realm of exhibition as well. Flix Premiere is proud to announce that Bikini Moon will premiere both at a New York City theater and on our exclusive platform, in a first for our Flix Premiere Original program.

DIRECTOR’S CORNER

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Q: The life of the documentary filmmaking crew and director: their motivations, their commitments to the subject, and the tenuous balance they juggle between devotion to the people they are filming and devotion to the film itself are strikingly realistic. Did you draw from experiences of your own in building these characters and bringing them to life?

M.M: When you are making an independent, art film (as opposed to a studio-controlled or a commercially-driven film), your personal experiences, feelings and concepts are inevitably built into the work, even if that was not your intention. That is part of the beauty of the art film – having a personal dialogue with the artist, rather than trying to

Highly Acclaimed and Oscar-nominated Director Milcho Manchevski shares his thoughts on his most recent directing venture, Bikini Moon.

Q: Bikini is such an extraordinary character–both somehow

communicate with a synthetic, calculated contraption.

Bikini Moon is a film about the morality of filmmaking and media, something I have been thinking about for a long time, practically since film school.

familiar to urban city dwellers, and unlike anyone we have seen represented on the screen before. How did you work

Q: Bikini Moon is extremely innovative as it transgresses the

with Condola Rashad to build the character?

drama and documentary genres. Were there any reference

M.M: The character of Bikini Moon Davis evolved organically.

films or artworks that inspired you while writing and directing?

First there was the idea of making a film that forces a

M.M: I have been interested in works of art that question and

face-off between fiction and documentary, and then

explore the art form itself, often by applying a collage, a

there was the thought that the clash and embrace of

structuralist or a conceptualist method, by artists like

truth and art can be best experienced if refracted

Robert Rauschenberg, W.G. Sebald, Chris Marker, Michael

through the experience of a person with mental issues

Snow, Pina Bausch…

for whom truth is sometimes – in spite of all her best efforts – an elusive concept. Condola, along with my writing partner, Will Rosenthal and I did a lot of research on mental illness, on PTSD, on vets’ experiences, on custody battles, on homelessness, on the process of making documentaries… and translated this research into a meticulously plotted and nuanced portrayal.

When you are making an independent, art film... your personal experiences, feelings and concepts are inevitably built into the work, even if that was not your intention.

Milcho Manchevski

DIRECTOR’S CORNER

6 Q: Could you tell us a bit about the choices you made in switching shots between formats via devices with different points of view within the film? What did you hope to add to the story by means of these different perspectives?

M.M: We are all filmmakers now. We all film, document and register our lives (and even our lunches) for posterity. Yet, I am not sure we are closer to the truth than before. Information is not necessarily knowledge, and it is certainly not wisdom. I was very careful to reconstruct Bikini Moon the way a real documentary would be constructed. The story moves in fits and starts, sometimes essential moments are not captured on film. The shots were designed to develop the way shots in a cinéma vérité (direct cinema) documentary would. We don’t use music, the way a cinéma vérité doc would only use direct sound. The different techniques were part of our effort to be faithful to the form, but also to play with the art form. There is no art without playing. Like a child. Of course, after the game come the thousands of hours of hard work.

Q: Could you enlighten us about your experience with Bikini Moon on the festival circuit; how have audiences responded to the film so far?

M.M: The film has traveled from Brazil to China, from California to Portugal. It made people think, and feel.

Q: Could you tell us about your experience in making this film; is there anything from the Bikini Moon experience that was unexpected or new compared to your other films?

M.M: It was a challenge to make the film feel like a cinéma vérité (direct cinema) film, including moments such as missing important events that our “doc” crew “missed” or rough-and-tumble camera work, missing sound, no music, etc. It was a rigorous filmmaking exercise that made us once again examine the process. It was a dream working with the exceptionally talented and professional cast and crew; real artists.

It was a dream working with the exceptionally talented and professional cast and crew; real artists.

Milcho Manchevski

PRODUCERS’ CORNER

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Q: What first interested you in the powerful story of Bikini Moon, and how did each of you come across and decided to get involved in the project?

A.W:

I loved the script from the first moment. I found it extremely unique and very much appreciated the cleverness and social consciousness of it. And knowing and loving Milcho’s previous films, I very much wanted to be part of it. I was introduced to Milcho via Iris, a

ANJA WEDELL

mutual friend. Milcho was looking for a German producer because the story of the film was originally set

Hear directly from acclaimed filmmakers Anja Wedell & Muniré Armstrong - the Producers of Bikini Moon.

in Berlin. When Milcho later decided to shoot the film in New York, it was clear that I wanted to stay attached and continue the journey until the film was completed.

Q: Looking over Bikini Moon’s festival run, critical reviews, and general commentary on the film, there must have been many suitors initially trying to partner with you. How did the Flix Premiere relationship come to life? What made you most excited about their approach with your movie?

A.W: Yes, we had a few offers for the film and the decision was not an easy one. Bikini Moon is a very unique film and during financing we had already realized that it didn’t really fit the streamlined approaches of most distributors. So ultimately we felt that a bold film requires a bold company, and Flix Premiere fits that bill.

They gave us the feeling that they really cared about the

Muniré Armstrong

film. And of course the fact that they chose Bikini Moon as their first film to get a theatrical release was also a great argument.

M.A:

I met Milcho Manchevski by chance at the Locarno Film Festival in 2015, we took the same ride one night after an industry party. When I learned that he was the director of Before The Rain, I was very excited since it is one of my favorite movies of all time, and so we exchanged

We felt that a bold film requires a bold

cards. I wrote to him the next day and we had a short

company, and Flix Premiere fits that bill.

meeting in Locarno. A few days later, he sent me a few

Anja Wedell

projects and Bikini Moon was one of them. I loved the script and wanted to be involved.

PRODUCERS’ CORNER

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I found it [the script] extremely unique and verymuch appreciated the cleverness and social consciouness of it.

Anja Wedell

Q: Can you talk a bit about the cinematography of the film?

How did the team land on the decision to shoot in multiple formats, including smartphone and nanny cam footage?

A.W:

I loved the script and wanted to be involved.

A lot of these decisions were already made by Milcho

Munire Armstrong

when he presented the project. It was clear that we wanted to shoot the film as close to a real documentary as possible. Some of that shows in the way the script has been written with the time lapses etc. Some of it shows

Q: There’s something about the story and the cinematography

in the cinematography. This documentary approach was

that feels quintessentially New York. What were the challenges

not meant to “fool” the viewer, but to start a discussion

involved in shooting in New York and capturing that spirit?

with the viewer about documentary filmmaking itself,

M.A:

Actually, I am glad that you think that. Because the

and our reception of documentaries and its relationship

original screenplay was written for Berlin, Germany.

with truth. So the different formats were an organic

When I met with Milcho we discussed moving it to New

outcome of that approach. Also our DoP, Joshua Z Wein-

York City. Anja and Milcho had already been working for

stein, comes from documentary filmmaking and we

a few years to finance the movie for Berlin, but we all got

greatly benefited from his expertise.

together to consider shooting the movie in New York City in a year and started looking for alternative financing sources. It was a long and difficult journey but it looks like we made a very good adaptation and captured the spirit of New York City.

PRODUCERS’ CORNER

9 Q: Bikini Moon, as an artwork, exhibits a clear political and social consciousness. Were you ever hesitant about including any of the more controversial topics in the film? From your experience, how is the audience reacting to the movie?

A.W: Not for a second. In fact the political and social consciousness of the project was one of the reasons that drew me to it and one that I still strongly support. And controversy is not a bad thing at all, but an ideal starting point for a meaningful discussion. Wherever we’ve shown the film so far, the reactions of the audience have been great and very reassuring. People were obviously moved and have appreciated that the film dealt with these social issues in such an honest and direct way. We also had women who were military veterans with PTSD coming up and thanking us for the film. Some people were slightly confused by the ending - never in a bad way, but always in a curious way; which is exactly what we were hoping for.

M.A: I guess what attracted me to Bikini Moon is its political and social consciousness. I had full trust in Milcho’s ability to make a very artistic film while touching on very important social issues. I had no worries about the controversial topics; I was actually very excited about them. I also loved the surprising ending, though, I was a little worried about it, as I thought audiences may not naturally get it. However, we are getting very good feedback. I had a chance to talk to people from Istanbul after its screening at the Istanbul Film Festival, and it looks like everybody (from film buffs to ordinary movie goers) loves the movie and for sure everybody gets it. I am very proud that we made it.

I am very proud that we made it.

Munire Armstrong

CEO’S CORNER

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Q: It is quite exciting that Bikini Moon will have a release in New York City along with its premiere on the platform! What motivated this innovative exhibition plan? Can we expect more Flix Premiere films in theaters soon?

M.W: At Flix Premiere we want to continue to innovate around the services we offer the independent film community different licensing models, different marketing choices etc. Going theatrical was a natural place to bring our Originals so that important movies could benefit from the theatrical process, preparing a better audience run through FlixPremiere.com.

Flix Premiere’s CEO & Founder - Martin Warner shares his thoughts on Bikini Moon...

Q: Once again, Flix Premiere has produced an Original that melds traditional genres and challenges the status quo with an accomplished director. What drew you to Bikini Moon, and how do you conceptualize its place in a growing collection of bold Originals?

M.W: For me it’s simple: I have to believe and want to follow the characters’ journey, and the story itself has to be impactful, evocative or necessary. Bikini Moon had all the ingredients. It was a clear decision, and a film that will enjoy a loyal audience. Not least of all it has a powerful leading performance from Condola Rashad, and is told by a master filmmaker in Milcho Manchevski.

Not least of all it has a powerful leading performance from Condola Rashad, and is told by a master filmmaker in Milcho Manchevski.

Martin Warner

CEO’S CORNER

11 Q: What guides you in deciding whether to invest in a project like Bikini Moon? What is it about this film that makes it uniquely suited to Flix Premiere’s model?

M.W: Firstly, we are the only true ‘Mainstream Independent’ platform, so we are open to acquire all independent films.

But moreover, each movie will need to go through our independent and objective screening process. If the movie reaches a high enough score, we then go through an accreditation process - looking at what the industry is saying about the film, researching how the movie travelled at festivals, who has acquired it around the world etc. After this, we do an audience analysis. If this analysis is large enough and the story resonates with the firm, we may select it as an Original feature. Lastly, Theatrical Originals have the broadest audience impact and must be suited to the city in which they are playing. For instance, Bikini Moon was a distinctly New York based film since it was shot in NYC, and the director and lead actress were both from NYC. We decided Bikini Moon would have a great theatrical run there.

Q: How do you envision the development of the Originals program? Are there any other originals coming up?

M.W: We have two levels for our Originals development - an Online Original premiering online, and our Theatrical Original which will Premiere first as a physical theatrical in one or more theatres, in one or more cities (what we call a ‘Limited Theatrical’ run), and then it will have a General Release on FlixPremiere.com with its online Premiere just like the Online Original level. We have 10 Originals we are working on right now, with many more to come, and plan to release a Series of Theatrical Originals next year.

We have 10 Originals we are working on right now, with many more to come, and plan to release a Series of Theatrical Originals next year.

Martin Warner

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