A Guide to Becoming an Elm Tree
 | This article needs a plot summary. (December 2024) |
| A Guide to Becoming an Elm Tree | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Adam Mann Skye Mann |
| Written by | Adam Mann Skye Mann |
| Produced by | Adam Mann Skye Mann |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Conor Tobin |
| Music by | Carlos Solares |
Release date |
|
Running time | 75 minutes |
| Country | Ireland |
| Language | English |
A Guide to Becoming an Elm Tree is a 2023 Irish folk horror film written and directed by Adam and Skye Mann, starring James Healy-Meaney, Gerry Wade and M.J. Sullivan. It was the Mann's debut feature.
Cast
[edit]- James Healy-Meaney
- Gerry Wade
- M.J. Sullivan
Production
[edit]Adam and Skye Mann, who live in Vancouver, went to Ireland in December 2021 to shoot the film, which they wrote, directed, produced and edited. They funded the film's production.[1]
Release
[edit]The film had its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest on 25 September 2023.[2]
Reception
[edit]JP Nunez of Horror Obsessive called the film a "beautiful, flawlessly executed ghost story about the pain of grief and the finality of death."[3] Nadine Whitney of Alliance of Women Film Journalists described the film as a "disquieting and eerie work with an impeccable pictorial language." She praised the script and direction, calling it "as beguiling as the ancient mythology they invoke. “Nothing comes for free,” is a tale oft repeated in folklore"[4] Stephanie Archer of Film Inquiry called the film a "must see" and wrote: "Feeling ancient in it origin, yet modern in its catharsis, A Guide to Becoming an Elm Tree is one of the biggest surprises out of Fantastic Fest."[5] Andy Crump of Paste gave the film a score of 8.6/10 and wrote: "The film isn't a scare-a-minute affair. It’s thick with foreboding and heartache, and that’s the most Irish that Irish cinema gets."[6]
References
[edit]- ^ Monks, Mark; Lennox, Paul Butler (19 May 2023). "#190 | Wrap Chat Achill Island Film Festival Special". HeadStuff Podcasts. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ Miska, Brad (15 August 2023). "Fantastic Fest's Insane Program Includes 'Toxic Avenger', 'V/H/S/85', 'Pet Sematary: Bloodlines' and More!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ Nunez, JP (27 September 2023). "Fantastic Fest 2023: A Guide to Becoming an Elm Tree Is a Beautiful Meditation on the Finality of Death". Horror Obsessive. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ Whitney, Nadine (10 October 2023). "A GUIDE TO BECOMING AN ELM TREE – Review by Nadine Whitney". Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ Archer, Stephanie (29 September 2023). "Fantastic Fest 2023: A GUIDE TO BECOMING AN ELM TREE". Film Inquiry. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
- ^ Crump, Andy (27 September 2023). "The Roots of A Guide to Becoming an Elm Tree Are Human Tragedy". Paste. Retrieved 27 December 2024.