Written, directed, shot, and edited by Steven Adam Renkovish
Starring Brittany Renee Smith as "Lilith" Music by David C. Wright, Arianna Cunningham, Contac Sound/Assistant Editor: Bradley Andrew Trailer: https://vimeo.com/211351364 ~ DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT ~ fugue fyo͞oɡ/ noun a state or period of loss of awareness of one's identity, often coupled with flight from one's usual environment, associated with certain forms of hysteria. I have always been fascinated by the “mood” or “dream” piece. Making a film that is largely driven by mood and atmosphere is something that I have wanted to attempt for a very long time. And, finally, that has become a reality with Fugue. Inspired by the psychological phenomenon known as a fugue state, I crafted this tale of a woman (named Lilith, though her name is never uttered once in the film) who finds herself caught in the midst of a dark mystery after the unexplained disappearance of a loved one. Fugue is many things. It is an ambiguous tone poem. It is a lyrical nightmare. But, first and foremost, it is a meditation on loss and longing. A companion piece (or "prelude") to my upcoming feature, entitled Awakening, I began writing Fugue in early October. On the 28th of that month, I lost one of my best friends in the most horrific way imaginable. That tragedy haunts this film in nearly every frame. For me personally, the making of Fugue was a bittersweet experience. Filmed in Greenville and Campobello, SC, it took a tiny crew of three to make this film happen, including myself. Brittany Renee Smith delivers one of her best performances here. She totally inhabits this character, bringing all of that depth and longing to the screen. Bradley Andrew, working on his first project here, went above and beyond in a dual role as our loyal boom operator and my assistant editor. They are two of my best friends, and I am incredibly blessed to have them in my life. Hope Grows Farm and Restoration Center provided the beautiful outdoor exteriors for our film, and many thanks must go to Tom and Donna Cole, Elisabeth and Lake Stovall, and Renee Stovall. Much love to my Mom, Dad, and sister, Ashley, for their unwavering support. Fugue will be a different and deeply personal experience for each individual who views it, but hopefully these questions will linger: in what ways can loss carry us off into the unknown and, if it did, would we totally surrender? Fugue is dedicated to the memory of Tristan Standridge.
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A BEAUTIFUL SILENCE follows a young woman as she struggles with faith and doubt. We shift from past to present as she comes to terms with this inner conflict. A BEAUTIFUL SILENCE has been a labor of love for myself, as well as my co-writer and lead actress, Brittany Renee Smith. This journey began around three years ago. We were both pondering the relationship between faith and doubt, as I found myself disillusioned with the church and the legalism within it. My spiritual foundation had been shaken, and so I decided to create something out of that inner conflict. Brittany and I immediately turned to our own personal experiences for inspiration and set out to make this film. I knew that I wanted this film to be special. While A BEAUTIFUL SILENCE deals with themes of faith, it was never considered a “faith-based” or “Christian” film. We set out to reach people from all walks of life, from all faiths. As I look at the project today, I believe that we have accomplished that. Our film does not provide easy answers. The wrestle with God - the dark night of the soul - is never pretty. Yet, there is a glimmer of hope in the end which we believe that the audience will respond to. Working with a cast and crew of talented individuals in and around Greenville, SC, this little film was brought to life. We are proud of it. PRAISE FOR A BEAUTIFUL SILENCE: "A Beautiful Silence is a refreshingly honest film....Brittany Renee Smith, who also co-wrote the film, gives a relaxed, natural performance that feels less like performance and more like we've become observers to a journey deep within her soul...What A Beautiful Silence projects so beautifully is that divine awkwardness found between faith and doubt, an awkwardness that longs for authenticity yet reaches and too often finds artificial expressions of the divine experience." - Richard Propes, The Independent Critic "The storytelling is marvelous. Your editing is really spectacular. You've a knack for flow and narrative. You're really channeling Malick and at times Von Trier, both in the best ways. You don't pander, nor do you go over our heads. I think what I mean is, even with the styles you've pulled into your own, you've done the number one job any director should do: you are absolutely clear. You've brought us clarity, even with ambiguity. Really, really tight work. It's well paced, well acted, and well covered. And well written. As far as I'm concerned, you're one of the best filmmakers in the region. No flattery. You are making things of quality and that is very important indeed." ~ Jeffrey Paul Martell "A great lament." - Bryan Coley "The writing was stellar, as was the cinematography. There were parts of the film that felt very personal, like I was watching something I wasn't supposed to be watching. A great film." - Matt Chapmond "Good work here on a powerful and moving subject." - Tom Davenport 2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Reedy Reels Film Festival 2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: South Carolina Underground Film Festival 2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Blow-Up Chicago International Arthouse Film Festival 2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Tryon International Film Festival 2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Universal Film Festival 2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Southeastern International Film Festival (Semi-Finalist) 2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Ozark Shorts 2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: South Carolina Cultural Film Festival 2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Blackbird Film Fest 2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Down East Flick Fest 2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Smoky Mountain Film Festival 2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Eastern North Carolina Film Festival 2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Franklin County International Film Festival 2016 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Miami Independent Film Festival 2015 OFFICIAL SELECTION: North Carolina Film Awards 2015 OFFICIAL SELECTION: #TOFF The Online Film Festival 2015 OFFICIAL SELECTION: Los Angeles CineFest WINNER: Best Director - Franklin County International Film Festival NOMINEE: Best Narrative Short - Blackbird Film Fest NOMINEE: Director's Choice Award - Smoky Mountain Film Festival Directed by Steven Adam Renkovish Written by Steven Adam Renkovish and Brittany Renee Smith Director of Photography: Cameron Cook Assistant Camera: Will Driskill Edited by Steven Adam Renkovish Music by David C. Wright Starring: Brittany Renee Smith, Mary Freeman, Christopher Rose, Nico Sexton, Josh Black, Chasity Adams Black, Linda Seaman Holder, Will Driskill, Jericho Black, Lorraine Renkovish, Ashley Renkovish, Justin Carter, Brendon Dail |
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