Cicada (film)
Cicada | |
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![]() Film poster | |
Directed by | Matthew Fifer and Kieran Mulcare |
Produced by | Jeremy Truong Ramfis Myrthil |
Starring | Matthew Fifer Sheldon Brown Sandra Bauleo Jazmin Grimaldi Cobie Smulders Scott Adsit Michael Potts David Burtka Jo Firestone Jason "Freckle" Greene |
Cinematography | Eric Schleicher |
Edited by | Kyle Sims Matthew Fifer |
Music by | Gil Talmi |
Distributed by | Strand Releasing |
Release dates |
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Running time | 93 minutes[1] |
Country | United States |
Box office | $13,370[2] |
Cicada is a 2020 American romantic drama film directed by Matthew Fifer and Kieran Mulcare.[3] Fifer co-wrote the film with Sheldon D. Brown, both of whom starred in leading roles.[4][5]
The film premiered at the Outfest Film Festival on August 22, 2020, and received a limited theatrical release in the United States beginning October 29, 2021.
Synopsis[]
Ben spends his days living in Brooklyn and taking on a series of odd jobs, while at night he has meaningless one-night stands that leave him feeling empty inside. He suffers from hypochondria and has a set routine that he frequently goes through with his physician, Dr. Dragone. Ben's life takes on new meaning when he meets Sam, a data analyst, while browsing for books. They quickly grow very close to each other, each admitting personal secrets that they had never really told to anyone else before. Ben comes forward about his childhood sexual abuse and while Sam admits that he has post traumatic stress disorder from being shot and also has not come out yet to his extremely religious father. As the two grow closer still, they soon realize that each must come to terms with their traumas if the relationship is to survive.[6]
Cast[]
- Matt Fifer as Ben
- Sheldon D. Brown as Sam
- Sandra Bauleo as Debbie
- Jazmin Grace Grimaldi as Amber
- Cobie Smulders as Sophie
- Scott Adsit as Dr. Dragone
- Michael Potts as Francis
- David Burtka as Bo
- Jo Firestone as Tracy
- Jason Greene as Theresa
Production[]
Fifer wrote the script based upon his own life experiences.[7] Cicada was developed with the support of Tribeca's TFI Network, and was produced by Ramfis Myrthil of Beast of the East Productions and Jeremey Truong.[8]
Release[]
The film was meant to premiere at the BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival in March 2020, but the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9] It instead premiered at the Outfest Film Festival on August 20, 2020, being made available for streaming on Vimeo until August 23. It was also screened at the Outfest Drive-In at the Calamigos Ranch in Malibu on August 22.[10][11]
The film was released in select theatres in the United States by Strand Releasing beginning October 29, 2021.[12] It premiered at the Quad Cinema in New York City, before being released on PVOD services and in Los Angeles and Glendale on November 5. The film was later released at The Loft Cinema in Tucson on November 10 and the Syndicated Bar Theater in Brooklyn on November 19.[13]
Reception[]
Critical reception for Cicada has been positive, and the movie holds a rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 28 reviews, with an average rating of 8.1/10. The critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes reads, "A feast for the eyes as well as the heart, Cicada takes a bittersweet -- and beautifully acted -- look at the bonds of love."[14]
Variety's Guy Lodge reviewed Cicada, stating that it was an "untidy but beguiling study of two Brooklyn men negotiating romance and trauma".[15] The Hollywood Reporter praised the film's characters, while also writing that the "stylistic leaps can also be overdone and vague".[16]
Awards[]
- Audience Award at Image+Nation (2020, won)
- Jury Prize at LesGaiCineMad, Madrid International LGBT Film Festival
- Honorable Mention in Narrative Feature at NewFest: New York's LGBT Film Festival
- 2nd Place for Jury Prize in Best Feature at OUTshine Film Festival
- Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at Oslo/Fusion International Film Festival
- Jury Award for Best Feature Film at Out Film CT [17]
- Jury Award (Best Feature)+ Audience Award (Best Male Feature) at Roze Filmdagen; Amsterdam LGBTQ Film Festival
References[]
- ^ "CICADA (15)". Outfest. Outfest. August 6, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
- ^ "Cicada (2020)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
- ^ "This year's BFI Flare line-up has been announced – and it's a doozy (15)". Time Out. Time Out. February 19, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
- ^ "Outfest Los Angeles Sets 'The Obituary of Tunde Johnson', 'Monsoon', 'Two Eyes' And More For Virtual LGBTQ Film Fest (15)". Deadline. Deadline. August 20, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2020.
- ^ Rosser, Michael. "LGBTQ+ drama 'Cicada' acquired for UK-Ireland distribution". Screen Daily. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "BFI ANNOUNCES SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS AT 34TH EDITION OF BFI FLARE: LONDON LGBTIQ+ FILM FESTIVAL". Retrieved January 5, 2021.
- ^ "Special Presentations announced for 34th edition of BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival". Bfi.org. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
- ^ "BFI Flare Press Release". . Retrieved January 5, 2020.
- ^ Michael Rosser (March 16, 2021). "BFI Flare festival cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic". Screen Daily. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ Jude Dry (August 21, 2020). "10 LGBTQ Films We Can't Wait to See at Outfest 2020". Indiewire. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ Stephen Saito (August 21, 2020). "Outfest 2020 Review: Matthew Fifer and Kieran Mulcare's Evocative "Cicada" Moves at Its Own Speed". The Moveable Fest. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ "Official Trailer for 'Cicada' About a Summer Fling Between Two Men". October 8, 2021. Retrieved November 1, 2021.
- ^ "Cicada: USA| Matthew Filler". Strand Releasing. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
- ^ "Cicada". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Lodge, Guy (October 16, 2020). "'Cicada' Review: The Pain and Poetry of Being Young, Queer, Troubled and In Love". Variety. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "'Cicada': Film Review". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "'Cicada'".
External links[]
- 2020 films
- 2020 drama films
- 2020 LGBT-related films
- American drama films
- American films
- American LGBT-related films
- Brooklyn in fiction
- Films impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic
- Films set in Brooklyn
- Gay-related films