Share is a 2015 American short drama film written and directed by Pippa Bianco, and starring Taissa Farmiga, Keir Gilchrist, Madisen Beaty, and Andre Royo.[1] It follows a teenage girl (Farmiga) as she returns to school after an explicit video of her goes viral online.

Share
Official poster
Directed byPippa Bianco
Written byPippa Bianco
Produced by
  • Tyler Byrne
  • Andrew Kelly
  • Danielle Oexmann
Starring
CinematographyAva Berkofsky
Edited byOliver Harwood
Production
company
Distributed byMemory
Release dates
  • March 14, 2015 (2015-03-14) (SXSW)
  • May 3, 2016 (2016-05-03) (Internet)
Running time
11 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$25,000

Share had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 14, 2015, where it won the Special Jury Recognition Award for Narrative Short. It was then selected as the only American short film at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the first prize Cinéfondation Award.[2] The film received a limited window online release on May 3, 2016 by Memory.[3]

Plot edit

High schooler Krystal Williams receives various text messages from friends asking whether she is the girl featured in a sexual assault video. As she watches the video, she immediately becomes upset. At school the following day, her best friend Jenna is surprised that she has shown up given the circumstances. In the middle of class, Krystal notices her boyfriend Dylan using his phone, and decides to send him a text message. While composing the message, she receives another text with the video attached, and accidentally plays it out loud.

Her teacher Mr. White notices the sound and takes away her phone, telling her to come back at the end of the day to collect it. Once school ends, she retrieves her phone from Mr. White, who asks if everything is okay. On her way out of school, Dylan follows Krystal to the parking lot and the two talk about the situation. Krystal wonders if more than one person was in the room at the time of her assault, to which Dylan says he doesn't know. Back at home, Krystal ignores the text messages she is receiving on her phone.

Cast edit

Production edit

Development edit

Pippa Bianco wrote a screenplay for Share, which was then selected as one of eight short films for the 2014 American Film Institute's Directing Workshop for Women.[4] The annual program requires all of its participants to complete a short film within the year of selection.[5] Bianco collaborated with producers Tyler Byrne (Blue Ruin), Andrew Kelly and Danielle Oexmann to produce the short film.[6] Carly Hugo (The War Boys, Higher Ground) also served as an executive producer. The budget of the film was partially funded from donations through the crowdfunding website Indiegogo. Part of the money donated was given to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) because of the subject matter involved in the film.[7]

Casting edit

On August 27, 2014, director Pippa Bianco officially confirmed the principal cast members of the film and their subsequent roles through the film's Indiegogo page. Taissa Farmiga portrays Krystal Williams, the lead character and the victim of sexual assault; Keir Gilchrist plays the role of Krystal's boyfriend Dylan, the boy who made the video; Madisen Beaty portrays Jenna, Krystal's best friend; and Andre Royo portrays Krystal's concerned teacher Mr. White.[1]

Filming edit

Principal photography for the film occurred over four days – beginning on July 28, 2014 – and took place in various locations around Los Angeles County, including Ramona Convent Secondary School in Alhambra, California and South Gate Middle School in South Gate, California.[8][9][10] Filming concluded for the project on July 31, 2014.[11][12]

Release edit

Share had its world premiere on March 14, 2015 at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas.[13] The film then premiered at the Directing Workshop for Women Showcase in Los Angeles on May 14, 2015.[14] The film had its European premiere at the 68th Cannes Film Festival, where it was chosen as the only American short film in the official program.[15]

Share also played in Toronto on September 12, 2015 as part of Memory's Program No. 1,[16] and screened at the Raindance Film Festival in London on October 4, 2015.[17] The film was released on May 3, 2016 through Vimeo, for a limited time window, as part of Memory Presents: Program No. 1.[3]

Reception edit

Critical response edit

Mason Walker of Loser City gave Share a positive review, writing, "From that opening shot, the film, for the most part, stays the course; it rarely lets us out of Krystal's shoes. By manipulating sound and image, Bianco shows us how the trauma of sexual assault and public humiliation can make a mundane school day come horribly alive." Walker added of Farmiga's performance, "Oliver Harwood's editing lingers just long enough to catch some of Taissa Farmiga's most chilling facial expressions. Farmiga's performance has many good qualities, but it's even more notable for what it lacks – namely, artifice. She never overplays Krystal's trauma. Instead, she understands that, like many a high school girl, Krystal is trying to hide it – even if the hiding only makes it shine through with terrible transparency."[18]

Following the film's screening at the Maryland Film Festival, Eric Kohn of IndieWire selected Share as one of the best new American shorts, writing, "Bianco's approach to depicting teen girl Krystal coming to grips with video documentation of her sexual assault is in tune with many tropes of European art cinema – its long, engrossing takes on par with the Dardenne brothers and a voyeuristic quality reminiscent of Michael Haneke."[19]

Accolades edit

Year Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref
2015 South by Southwest Film Festival Special Jury Award for Narrative Short Share Won [20]
Grand Jury Award for Narrative Short Nominated
2015 Cannes Film Festival Cinéfondation Award Won [2]
Provincetown International Film Festival Jury Award for Best Student Short Film Won [21]
San Joaquin International Film Festival Special Jury Award for Achievement in Directing Pippa Bianco Won [22]
AFI Fest 2015 Grand Jury Prize – Live Action Short Film Share Nominated
2016 31st Artios Awards Outstanding Achievement in Casting – Short Film Lauren Grey Nominated [23]

Feature adaptation edit

In May 2015, it was reported by Variety that the film's writer and director Pippa Bianco is adapting the short into a feature-length screenplay at the production company Parkwood Entertainment.[24][25] In January 2016, the Sundance Institute picked up the film for their Screenwriters Lab.[26] In March 2017, it was reported that production company A24 had boarded the feature-length adaptation, with newcomer Rhianne Barreto replacing Farmiga in the main role.[27] The full-length film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2019 to generally positive reviews.[28] HBO Films acquired distribution rights to the film, premiering July 27, 2019.[29][30]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Bianco, Pippa (August 27, 2014). "Share". Indiegogo. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  2. ^ a b Richford, Rhonda (May 22, 2015). "Cannes: Cinefondation Selection Winner Announced". The Hollywood Reporter.
  3. ^ a b "MEMORY presents: Program No. 1". Vimeo. May 3, 2016. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  4. ^ "Directing Workshop for Women 2014 Participants". American Film Institute. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
  5. ^ Kilday, Gregg (March 27, 2014). "Kimberly Peirce to Deliver Keynote at AFI Directing Workshop for Women Showcase". The Hollywood Reporter.
  6. ^ "Project of the Day: 'Share'". IndieWire. May 8, 2014. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  7. ^ Cohen, Robyn (May 9, 2014). "Let's Help SHARE Reach their Goal!". Women On It. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  8. ^ Byrne, Tyler (July 31, 2014). "Summer School #ShareFilm". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  9. ^ "'Share' Casting Call". Backstage. July 2014.
  10. ^ "Share (Short Movie) Behind the Scenes". So Sugary. Retrieved July 31, 2014.
  11. ^ Wheelock, Michael (August 1, 2014). "Yesterday (Thursday) was the last day of filming #SHARETheFilm". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  12. ^ "Share Behind the Scenes". Tumblr. July 31, 2014. Retrieved August 1, 2014.
  13. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 10, 2015). "SXSW 2015 Announces Midnighters Lineup Keeping Fest's Tradition For The Twisted". Deadline Hollywood.
  14. ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (April 16, 2015). "'Transparent' Creator Jill Soloway to Deliver AFI Keynote". IndieWire.
  15. ^ Gilman, Greg (April 15, 2015). "Cannes Film Festival Unveils Short Film Competition Lineup, Cinéfondation Selection". TheWrap. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
  16. ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (September 2, 2015). "An Alternative to TIFF for Toronto Moviegoers". IndieWire.
  17. ^ "Lost Sensations: Screenings". Raindance Film Festival. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  18. ^ Walker, Mason (March 23, 2015). "The Best (and Worst) of Youth: SXSW Shorts Edition". Loser City.
  19. ^ Kohn, Eric (May 7, 2015). "Here Are Some of the Best New American Short Films". IndieWire.
  20. ^ Chang, Justin (March 17, 2015). "SXSW: 'Krisha,' 'Peace Officer' Win Grand Jury Prizes". Variety.
  21. ^ Smith, Nigel M (June 22, 2015). "'Leaning to Drive' and 'Packed in a Trunk' Lead Provincetown Winners". IndieWire.
  22. ^ "Congratulations to Director Pippa Bianco! Her short film "Share" from the USA is the winner of the Special Jury Award for Achievement in Directing". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  23. ^ Lincoln, Ross A. (August 21, 2015). "Artios Awards 2016: TV, Theater, Web, Short Film Nominees Unveiled". Deadline Hollywood.
  24. ^ Hopewell, John (May 22, 2015). "AFI's Pippa Bianco Wins Cannes Cinefondation with 'Share'". Variety. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  25. ^ "Lexus and The Weinstein Company Reveal Winners of The Third Lexus Short Films Series at Napa Valley Film Festival". Reuters.com. November 16, 2015. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved January 3, 2016.
  26. ^ "Sundance Institute Selects 12 Projects for 2016 January Screenwriters Lab". Sundance.org. January 11, 2016. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  27. ^ "A24 Mounting Feature Adaptation of Pippa Bianco's Award-Winning Short Film "Share" (Exclusive)". The Tracking Board. March 14, 2017. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
  28. ^ "Share". Metacritic. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  29. ^ Lang, Brent (January 26, 2019). "Sundance: A24 Sells 'Share' to HBO Films". Variety. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
  30. ^ "HBO Films' SHARE Debuts July 27". Medium.com. June 6, 2019. Retrieved August 10, 2019.

External links edit