The motion picture “Yellow,” produced by Manu Kumaran, CEO of Effingham County’s Medient Studios, was awarded ‘Best Film’ at the Catalina Film Festival on Sept. 22.
“Yellow” was directed by Nick Cassavetes, whose previous movies include “The Notebook,” “John Q,” and “My Sister’s Keeper.” Ron Truppa founder and director of the film festival presented the award to Nick Cassevetes and the film’s lead actress, Heather Wahlquist.
Truppa said “Yellow” stood out from other films because of how well it was crafted.
“Nick Cassavetes takes you on a mixed-genre journey that makes you feel safe and secure while on a tightrope over the Grand Canyon,” he said. “Lead actor Heather Wahlquist forces the audience to feel her pain and circumstance encapsulated within special effects, animation, and musical breaks, creatively placing the audience into artificially sweet and disturbing situations.”
Truppa said “Yellow” is an independent film that doesn’t just try to entertain you.
“It experiments with your psyche in order for you to understand the plight of its lead character,” he said.
Kumaran described “Yellow as a special film.
“It is a tribute to the imagination and direction of Nick, and we strongly believe that when it is released early next year, it will find an appreciative audience,” Kumaran said.
The film has been screened at Toronto International Film Festival; SXSW in Austin, Texas; Tokyo International Film Festival; the International Film Festival in Goa and Seattle International Film Festival among others.
Yellow’s plot concerns a young substitute teacher who escapes from her drudging everyday life by fantasizing bizarre parallel realities.
ABOUT MEDIENT
Medient Studios, Inc. (OTCQB: MDNT) is an entertainment content creation company with a presence in North America, Europe and India that has produced or financed more than 250 movies. Medient broke ground on Aug. 29 for a 1,550-acre movie and game production facility and campus at Interstate 16 and Old River Road in Effingham County. For more information about Medient, go to www.medient.com.
ABOUT CATALINA FILM FESTIVAL
Catalina Film Festival features more than 75 films, nightly events and entertainment. For more information, go to catalinafilm.org.