Firecracker (film)
| FIRECRACKER | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Directed by | Steve Balderson |
| Produced by | Beth Wittig Steve Balderson Clark Balderson Jennifer Dreiling Daniel Holmgren Jerry P. Magana |
| Written by | Steve Balderson |
| Starring | Karen Black Mike Patton Susan Traylor Jak Kendall |
| Music by | Justin R. Durban |
| Cinematography | Jonah Torreano |
| Edited by | Steve Balderson |
| Distributed by | Dikenga Films First Look Studios |
|
Release dates
|
October 11, 2005 |
|
Running time
|
112 min. |
| Language | English |
| Budget | US$350,000 |
Firecracker is a 2005 thriller film directed by Steve Balderson, starring Karen Black and Mike Patton.
Synopsis
Firecracker is a tale of murder in small town Wamego, Kansas. The film portrays abuse, suffering, denial, and dreams of escape. Jimmy (Jak Kendall), meek, reclusive, and talented, is emotionally imprisoned by his abusive, alcoholic older brother David (Mike Patton) and fanatically religious mother Eleanor (Karen Black). At night Jimmy finds escape in a traveling sideshow carnival. Unlike its drab, depressing daytime reality, the carnival becomes a nightly glittering solitaire on the prairie, beckoning all around to its illusions and make-believe. With a guise of red satin and a heavenly voice, Sandra (also Karen Black), billed as an “oddity of nature,” is the carnival’s premier attraction. Yearning for a way out, Jimmy befriends Sandra, unaware that her imprisonment and degradation, at the hands of Frank (also Mike Patton), the carnival owner, mirrors his own. Sandra, taken by his innocence, finds her own inner strength and suppressed dreams. When David disappears, the metaphorical white-picket fences collapse, leaving raw emotions exposed.
Throughout the film Police Chief Ed (played by Susan Traylor) searches for truth, uncovering bits of evidence suggesting deceit, abuse, murder, and cover-up. Through her investigation she is led closer to the truth and the lives of those involved.
Critical reaction
Finished in 2005 and released in the first-ever "Freak Show Tour" exclusively in Landmark Theatres, and was released on DVD in 2006. Film critic Roger Ebert called it "Brilliant" and gave Firecracker a Special Jury Award on his list of the year's best films.[1]
Hailed as a “masterpiece”[2] and “told by a story teller who has a nascent finger on the pulse of contemporary cinema“ (Aftertaste magazine), Firecracker premiered at London’s Raindance Film Festival, to sold out crowds, where it won a Jury Prize nomination for Best Picture. It also won numerous awards on the festival circuit worldwide including: Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Actress for Karen Black, and director Steve Balderson won the 2005 Domani Vision Award for emerging talent at Tribeca’s Visionfest.
Cast
- Karen Black - Sandra / Eleanor
- Mike Patton - Frank / David
- Susan Traylor - Ed
- Kathleen Wilhoite - Jessica
- Jak Kendall - Jimmy
- Brooke Balderson - Pearl
- Paul Sizemore - Officer Harry
- Jane Wiedlin - Ursula
- George McArthur - The Bald Man
- Cathy Berry - Maxine, The Lobster Girl
- Pleasant Gehman - Estelle
- Selene Luna - Harriet
- Susie Legault - Buffalola
- Jeff Montague - The Announcer
- Sean R. Shuford - The Other Man
- The Enigma - Himself
- Katzen - Herself
- Amy Kelly - Susie Jenkins
- Dean Ackles - Clark
- Richard Villar - John
Awards
- 2005 Visionfest - Winner Domani Vision Award (Steve Balderson)
- 2005 Visionfest - Winner Best Film
- 2005 Visionfest - Winner Best Actress (Karen Black)
- 2005 Visionfest - Winner Best Cinematography
- 2005 Fantasporto - Winner Best Actress (Karen Black)
- 2005 Fantasporto – Best Film Nomination
- 2004 Raindance Film Festival – Best Film Jury Prize Nomination
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Firecracker
