Orphans

• SXSW Film Festival: Special Jury Award

Reviews

"Orphans," a striking… first film that simultaneously summons the spirits of Bergman's "Cries and Whispers" and Brian De Palma's "Sisters."…” Andrew O’Heir, Salon.com

“…Silence from a Sunday afternoon audience is a good thing with a challenging drama like "Orphans," a stark, solemn drama about two adult sisters still coming to terms with the death of their parents and the emotional baggage. It's a strong drama of heartache with two lead performances that are honest, blemishes and all…"Orphans" is the start of a promising directing career for Russo-Young, a true discovery…” Steve Ramos, IndieWIRE

“…We awarded a Special Jury Prize to Ry Russo-Young's Orphans for its personally crafted visual aesthetic. The film, which placed the story of two sisters attempting to reconcile after the death of their parents amidst a textured collage of pastel backgrounds and flowing party dresses, has its share of Bergman references but it also shares something with the experimental melodramas of Peggy Ahwesh and Ronnie Abate...” Scott Macaulay, Filmmaker Magazine

Description

Five years after the death of their parents, two estranged sisters reunite at the isolated farmhouse where they spent childhood summers and holidays.  Rosie agrees to visit Sonia for an unusual birthday party Sonia’s planned for herself.  From the get-go, it’s clear that not everything’s okay between these sisters – and as the two revisit their past and catch up on their present, tensions flare, threatening to end what’s left of a family already ravaged by death, jealousy and secrets.