Charles Poekel. Photograph by Heather Courtney
Sweetly nostalgic and charming, the NEXT selection Christmas, Again is a tiny, well-crafted film that might have slipped through the cracks for many Sundance attendees. Charles Poekel’s debut feature was shot on Super 16, almost entirely in one location: a Christmas tree stand in New York City. Indie favorite Kentucker Audley stars as the young man who works this stand and eventually becomes something of a holiday miracle for those around him. With classic holiday music, a deeply moving performance by Audley, and evocative cinematography that makes effective use of Christmas lights, Poekel (who previously lensed 2013 documentary Hey Bartender) delivers a genuinely heartwarming ode to the holiday season. We hope to revisit it this December. -C. A.
Bel Powley (actress, The Diary of a Teenage Girl)
Bel Powley and Alexander Skarsgård in The Diary of a Teenage Girl. Photograph by Sam Emerson
The 15-year-old girl sleeping with her mother’s boyfriend in Marielle Heller’s The Diary of a Teenage Girl, Minnie Goetze isn’t an easy an easy role to play. Brash, immature, self-absorbed in the most teenaged ways, she’s not a character that audiences necessarily like. 22-year-old Londoner Bel Powley carefully takes charge of this wild-child character, playing Minnie with the perfect mix of naiveté, wit, and fearlessness (not to mention a very persuasive American accent). The diminutive Powley, whose face is all limpid blue eyes, has a rash of British television credits to her name prior to this role. However, with three films currently set for 2015/16 release (including Drake Doremus’ Equals) we’re excited to see more of the actress. – L. C.
Jack Reynor (actor, Glassland)
Jack Reynor in Glassland. Photograph by Pat Redmond
At first sight, the Transformers franchise might not be the most ideal place to look for great young thespians, but Jack Reynor defies this preconception. The American-born Irish actor’s real breakthrough comes as the lead in Gerard Barrett’s Glassland. In this quiet standout, he plays John, a cab driver who must deal with his mother’s alcoholism while giving up having a life of his own. With an admirable sense of duty, he finds motivation in the love he feels for those around him. Reynor is brilliantly subdued for the most part, but equally marvelous when the film’s emotional climax arrives: a phenomenally heartfelt performance. His work as this gentle hero earned him the Sundance World Cinema Dramatic Award for Acting. – C. A.
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