The feature film ‘Midnight At The Paradise’, by Toronto actor-turned-director Vanessa Matsui (The Handmaid’s Tale) will have its Texas premiere at the Austin Film Festival on Friday, October 27th at the Galaxy Theatre.
This engaging film tells the story of three couples who, over the course of one evening, are pulled into a collision course of sexual chemistry, delusion, forgiveness, and hope as they navigate what romance, marriage, and the movies mean to them. The film stars Liane Balaban (The People Garden), Allan Hawco (Moonshine), Ryan Allen (See), TIFF rising star Emma Ferreira (Learn to Swim), Kate Trotter (Tru Love), and Kenneth Welsh (Twin Peaks) in his final film role. Welsh is recognizable for his turn in The Aviator and The Day After Tomorrow but was best known as the multi-faceted villain Windom Earle in Twin Peaks. The film is written and produced by Bill Robertson (The Events Leading Up to My Death) and executive produced by Paul Barkin (Night Raiders).
Iris (Liane Balaban) is a 40-year-old mom feeling stuck between caring for her young daughter and her dying father Max (Kenneth Welsh). She is in a steady marriage that looks “good on paper” to Geoff (Ryan Allen). While trying to save the local movie house, the Paradise, from shuttering its doors in honor of her film critic father, Iris reconnects with the soon-to-be-married ex-love of her life, Alex (Allan Hawco).
Director Vanessa Matsui (Letterkenny) is a Japanese-Canadian writer-actor-director who received a Sundance New Voices Fellowship in 2019. Vanessa created, wrote, directed, and starred in the critically acclaimed award-winning web series Ghost BFF and Directed the TV adaptation of How to Fail as a Popstar, a CBC Gem original series based on award-winning artist, author, and musician Vivek Shraya’s debut theatrical work of the same name.
Midnight At The Paradise features music from popular Toronto indie rock band The Neighbourhood Watch.
Screening Information:
Friday, October 27th at 6:30 PM
Galaxy Theatre 5 at 6700 Middle Fiskville Road, Austin, TX
Wednesday, November 1st at 7:00 PM
Galaxy Theatre 6 at 6700 Fiskville Road, Austin, TX
For further information on the festival visit https://austinfilmfestival.com/
Images provided by Nicola Pender
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