Daddy Issues is a 2018 American independent romantic drama film directed by Amara Cash about a 19-year-old queer "pixie" who becomes ensnared in a love triangle after falling for a sexually-fluid online crush. The film was screened at multiple film festivals and received many accolades.
| Daddy Issues | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Amara Cash |
| Screenplay by | Alex Bloom |
| Story by |
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| Produced by | Jenna Cedicci |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Nico Aguilar |
| Edited by | Amara Cash |
| Music by |
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Production company | Under 1 Roof Productions |
Release date |
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Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Plot
editNineteen year old Maya lives at home with her mother and step-father. She is a very unhappy artist who wants to go to art school in Florence, Italy. Simon is a drug addict doctor who has fantasy sex with Jasmine who dresses up as a little girl. Simon has a dinner with his father each year on his dead mother's birthday. She died 11 years ago.
Maya and Jasmine meet on-line and have a same-sex relationship. Maya moves in with Jasmine. Jasmine continues her heterosexual affair with Dr. Simon. The doctor has set up a child's bedroom in his garage and pays Jasmine $5,000 a month. Maya is almost hit by a driver who is Simon. It turns out that Simon is Maya's father that she has not seen in six years. Maya's mother has lied to her about her father not wanting contact with her and has been spending the child support. Simon and Maya rekindle a relationship.
One day Simon sees his daughter and Jasmine in a sexual embrace. He realizes that his lover is in an affair with his daughter. He ends his relationship with Jasmine and Jasmine in turn breaks up with Maya. When Simon offers to pay Maya to go to school in Italy, she figures out Jasmine was her father's lover. The triangle love affair is exposed.
Maya goes to art school in Florence and is successful in selling her art clothing. One day she sees a woman in Florence wearing her clothing line and the film ends with them being friends.
Cast
edit- Madison Lawlor as Maya Mitchell
- Montana Manning as Jasmine Jones
- Andrew Pifko as Simon Craw
- Monte Markham as Gordon Craw
- Kamala Jones as Danielle Mitchell
- Seth Cassell as Jim Mitchell
- Brian Gilleece as Doug
- Jodi Carol Harrison as Bobbi Jones
Screenings
editDaddy Issues was screened at:
- Arizona Underground Film Festival (2018)[1]
- Boston LGBT Film Festival (2018)[2]
- Fort Myers Film Festival (2018)[3]
- Inside Out Film and Video Festival (2018)[4]
- Film Festival International in London and Nice (both 2018)[5][6]
- MidWest WeirdFest (2018)[7]
- Northern Virginia International Film Festival (2018)[8]
- SOHO International Film Festival (2018)[9]
- Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival (2018) [10][11]
Reception
editThe film was hailed as a "dark romance with a tender heart" at the 2018 Inside Out Film and Video Festival in Toronto, Canada, whose reviewers lauded Amara Cash for her "vision, style, and twisted sense of humour".[4] Punch Drunk Critics also gave the film – which it described as an "exquisitely messed up [and] beautiful nightmare" – a positive review, awarding it 4 out of 5 stars for, among other things, its "fascinating and deeply disturbing script" and "visual style".[12]
Accolades
edit| Event/Body | Year | Award | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Underground Film Festival | 2018 | Jury Award | Daddy Issues | Won | [1] |
| Fort Myers Film Festival | 2018 | Best Feature | Daddy Issues | Won | [13] |
| Film Festival International (London) | 2018 | Best Cinematography in a Feature Film | Nico Aguilar | Won | [6] |
| Best Director | Amara Cash | Won | [6] | ||
| MidWest WeirdFest | 2018 | Best Director | Amara Cash | Won | [14] |
| Film Festival International (Nice) | 2018 | Best Original Screenplay of a Feature Film | Alex Bloom | Nominated | [15][16] |
| Best Lead Actress | Madison Lawlor | Nominated | [17][16] | ||
| Northern Virginia International Film Festival | 2018 | Best Feature Film | Daddy Issues | Won | [8] |
| Best Acting Ensemble | Daddy Issues | Nominated | [8] | ||
| Best Director | Amara Cash | Nominated | [8] | ||
| Best Cinematography | Daddy Issues | Nominated | [8] | ||
| Best Editing | Daddy Issues | Nominated | [8] | ||
| Best Screenplay | Alex Bloom | Won | [8] | ||
| Best Actress | Montana Manning | Won | [8] | ||
| Best Supporting Actor | Andrew Pifko | Won | [8] | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Kamala Jones | Won | [8] | ||
| Best Score | Daddy Issues | Nominated | [8] | ||
| Best LGBT Film | Daddy Issues | Nominated | [8] |
References
edit- ^ a b "AZUFF PHX Award Winners!". Arizona Underground Film Festival. Archived from the original on 9 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "BUFF@Wicked Queer 2018". Boston Underground Film Festival. 27 March 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "2018 Fort Myers Film Festival" (PDF). Fort Myers Film Festival. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 August 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ a b "2018 Toronto LGBT Film Festival Schedule". Inside Out. Archived from the original on 26 May 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "May 11th Screening Room 1". Nice Filmmaker Festival. Archived from the original on 6 June 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ a b c "London Filmmaker Festival 2018 Winners". London Filmmaker Festival. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "MidWest WeirdFest 2018 Winners Announced!". MidWest WeirdFest. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Nova Film Festival: Award Results" (PDF). Nova Film Festival. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "#SOHO9: "Daddy Issues" (US Feature)". SOHO Film Fest. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "Outfest Los Angeles". Archived from the original on 16 June 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
- ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (June 26, 2018). "'Daddy Issues' Clip: Outfest Film Unpacks The Use Of LGBTQ Labels". Deadline. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
- ^ "NOVA Film Festival Review: 'Daddy Issues'". Punch Drunk Critics. 14 April 2018. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
- ^ "Fort Myers Film Festival". Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center. Archived from the original on 30 March 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "Winning Films of MidWest WeirdFest 2018". Midwest WeirdFest. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "Best Original Screenplay of a Feature Film". Nice Filmmaker Festival. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ a b "Nice 2018 Winners". Nice Filmmaker Festival. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
- ^ "Best Lead Actress". Nice Filmmaker Festival. 9 March 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.