The Fallout

This year our media covered for the first time the SXSW festival which put forward the American independent cinema and especially allowed us to discover new talents that it is young directors and directors, writers promoted to a beautiful career and actors and actresses being able to find films highlighting their many qualities. While most movie theaters are still closed in the United States, or even totally closed in France, a festival like SXSW is a great way to discover many films and to better understand the importance of cinema in our society today. The Fallout is certainly one of our favorites of this festival and perfectly perceives an American youth in loss of references and trying to build itself in front of a society bruised by the free circulation of firearms. This first film written and directed by the actress Megan Park totally transcends the simple teenage chronicle to deliver a real painting of the current American society.

The film begins as a traditional American chronicle with its young high school student, Vada Cavell (Jenna Ortega) who seems to be in permanent rebellion against the values instilled by her parents but also seems a little lost in her high school. Yet after a tragedy within the walls of her high school, The Fallout reveals a profound tragedy that will show how Vada, Mia Reed (Maddie Ziegler) and Quinton Hasland (Niles Fitch) and Nick Feinstein (Will Ropp) will have to face their own pain and try to regain control of their lives in the face of a world in which they are too afraid to live in and thus prefer not to leave their house or even their bedroom. These three teenagers form a unique and dynamic bond as they navigate their way to recovery in a world that will never be the same for them again.

Many films have featured the killings in schools, universities and other public places in the United States, and it is completely understandable that young director Megan Park wanted to take a different angle on her film. We will not see what happens in this high school while Vada and Mia have locked themselves in the bathroom to avoid colliding with the dangerous individual in the corridors of this school. These two young teenagers that everything seemed to oppose will learn to appreciate each other and especially become inseparable. Their path will make them cross that of Niles whose older brother was killed in this school.

Far from trying to make her film maudlin, Megan Park gives it a very special aura and can rely on two young actresses Maddie Ziegler (The Book of Henri (2017), Music (2020)) and Jenna Ortega (Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013), The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020), Songbird (2021), Yes day (2021), Scream (2022)). These two young actresses are once again excellent but brings to this film a dose of deep emotion and above all easily takes our adhesion to one of the outstanding films of this beginning of the year 2021.

The Fallout received the Grand Jury Prize in the Narrative Feature Film Competition, the Audience Award in the Narrative Feature Film Competition and the Brightcove Illumination Award. It succeeds not only in delivering an accurate portrayal of today's American teenager but also in delivering a strong message about self-acceptance. Megan Park succeeds in delivering a moving and unforgettable first film.

The Fallout
Written and directed by Megan Park
Produced by David Brown, Rebecca Miller, Cara Shine, Shaun Sanghani, Joannie Burstein, Todd Lundbohm, Giulia Prenna
Executive producers: Christina Lundbohm, Greg Young, Mark Andrews, Stephanie Denton, Andrew Carlberg, Justin Dragonas
Starring Jenna Ortega, Maddie Ziegler, Niles Fitch, Will Ropp, Lumi Pollack, John Ortiz, Julie Bowen, Shailene Woodley
Music by Finneas O'Connell
Cinematography: Kristen Correll
Production Designer: Justin Dragonas
Casting Director: Marisol Roncali, Chelsea Ellis Bloch
Music Supervisor: Peymon Maskan
Costume Designer: Tasha Goldthwait
Edited by Jennifer Lee
Production companies: Clear Horizon and SSS Entertainment in association with SSS Film Capital, 828 Media Capital, Good Pals and Mind the Gap Productions
Release date :January 27, 2022 (United States), February 24, 2022 (France)
Running time: 92 minutes

Seen on March 19, 2021 (SXSW)

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