A Room Full of Nothing

Last updated
A Room Full of Nothing
A Room Full of Nothing poster.jpg
Directed byElena Weinberg and Duncan Coe
Written byDuncan Coe
Produced byElena Weinberg and Duncan Coe
Starring
CinematographyCharlie Pearce
Edited byDuncan Coe
Music by Michael Sempert
Distributed byRandom Media The Orchard (company)
Release dates
  • March 22, 2019 (2019-03-22)(Method Fest Independent Film Festival)
  • April 21, 2020 (2020-04-21)
Running time
86 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

A Room Full of Nothing is a 2019 American independent, drama film written by Duncan Coe and directed by Coe and Elena Weinberg, starring Coe and Ivy Meehan.

Contents

Plot

Phyllis (Ivy Meehan), an aspiring fine artist, and Barry (Duncan Coe), an actor in a community theater, are living together in a small house in an Austin suburb. Barry receives a scathing review of his performance in a low-budget play on the same day that the play is closing. During the wrap party his co-star tries to convince him that all problems can be solved by the use of manifesting and the law of attraction. The next day, while at a gallery opening where her art is on display, Phyllis is confronted by a daft art fan who questions her work and makes her second guess her choice to be an artist. Later that night she overhears her boss talking to another patron as they criticize the work her boss previously praised. Phyllis takes her art from the wall of the gallery before storming out in defiance.

That night, Barry confides in Phyllis that he wishes he could just take a vacation. As they drink a bottle of whiskey he and Phyllis jokingly "manifest" to the universe that they wish everyone would disappear and it could just be the two of them alone in the world. The next morning, Barry goes to check for his newspaper as he always does to discover it hasn't been delivered. He drives to his local convenience store to find it closed. He begins to notice that nobody else is out on the streets. He returns home to confront Phyllis, suspecting they had forgotten about a national holiday, and he and Phyllis head out into the city to investigate. They find the city streets empty with no signs of life. They determine that their "manifesting" worked. Barry falls asleep in the back yard to the light of the moon.

The next morning, Barry discovers a previously unknown stream behind their house that leads to a grotto and swimming hole. At home Phyllis wakes to discover Barry is missing and fearing he disappeared too she has a panic attack and nearly asphyxiates in their yard. Barry returns and she chastises him for leaving. Reunited they bask in their newfound freedom. Phyllis spends the next several days delving into her artwork while Barry goes stir crazy. Soon the power goes out in the house and the summer heat begins to suffocate them in their home. Suffering from cabin fever they set off to spend some time in the woods behind their house. While away from their home Barry doubles-down on his questioning of their purpose in life, the nature of art, and the need for human contact while Phyllis is content with living out the rest of their days alone together. On their journey back to the house they become lost in the woods and spend the night in the shade of a cliff. Barry has an epiphany and makes Phyllis "manifest" again but that this time they should wish they were back in civilization with their old lives. Phyllis gives a half-assed attempt at manifesting which doesn't work.

The next day they continue to travel through the woods in order to find their home but the long journey becomes tiresome and Barry's spirit is defeated. They resign themselves to the idea that all of civilization is now gone and it's really just the two of them left in the woods alone. Phyllis attempts to convince Barry that they're better off together. Barry continues to spiral into a depression and confesses that he doesn't like their new reality and he wishes they were no longer stuck in the woods. Barry sleeps that night under Phyllis' watchful eye.

The next morning they wake to find the forest has disappeared and they're in the middle of a barren desert. Barry's sanity breaks and he accepts his new desolate reality. He and Phyllis play make-believe in the desert sand and imagine they got that vacation after all and they bask in the breeze of a coastal ocean. In the desert Phyllis exclaims that she got exactly what she wanted: to be with Barry. He has a final epiphany and comes to realize that everything they've experienced has been Phyllis' doing. She was the one who wished away everyone in the universe, wished away all civilization, and manifested away the forest which leads to them being alone in a desert. Barry confronts Phyllis about her controlling their reality and she denies his claim that she's selfishly acting for her own happiness. He runs from her and she gives chase. He falls and tumbles down a hill where he hits his head on a piece of driftwood. She mourns over his lifeless body and eschews all her former decisions but the damage is already done and Barry perishes. Phyllis' conscience is left lifeless in blackness and she's must live out her days alone, just as she wished the night she manifested all the people out of the world.

Cast

Production

Funding for the film was provided in part through its participation in the Seed & Spark Hometown Heroes Rally hosted by the Duplass Brothers in 2017 where it was a finalist and recipient of the first annual Oh Shit Grant. [1] [2] The Seed & Spark campaign to fund the film raised $15,835 from 285 supporters. [3] The script was a semifinalist in the 2018 Screencraft Film Fund. [4]

Release

The film had its world premiere at Method Fest Independent Film Festival in Beverly Hills on March 22, 2019 where it won the Maverick Award for Quality in Low-Budget Filmmaking. [5] [6] [7] The film had its Texas premiere as an official selection at the 26th Annual Austin Film Festival in the Texas Independents category. [8] [9] [10] It continued with festival appearances at Lake Travis Film Festival; [11] Hill Country Film Festival; [12] Twister Alley Film Festival; Fort Myers Beach International Film Festival where it won People's Choice Award and Meehan won Best Performance in a Feature Film; [13] Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival; and the Lost River Film Festival.

The film was distributed by Random Media via a label deal with The Orchard Company and released worldwide on April 21, 2020. [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara Kopple</span> American film director

Barbara Kopple is an American film director known primarily for her documentary work.

<i>Safety Not Guaranteed</i> American science-fiction romantic comedy film

Safety Not Guaranteed is a 2012 American science fiction romantic comedy film directed by Colin Trevorrow and starring Aubrey Plaza and Mark Duplass. The picture was screened at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. The film was inspired by a joke classified ad that ran in Backwoods Home Magazine in 1997.

<i>Hatchet</i> (film) 2006 American film

Hatchet is a 2006 American slasher film written and directed by Adam Green. The film has an ensemble cast, including Joel David Moore, Kane Hodder, Deon Richmond, Tamara Feldman, Richard Riehle, Mercedes McNab, Robert Englund, and Tony Todd. In the style of old-school slasher films, such as Friday the 13th, the plot follows a group of tourists on a New Orleans haunted swamp tour, who accidentally get stranded in the wilderness, only to be hunted by a vengeful, supernatural deformed man who kills anyone that enters the swamp. The film spawned three sequels—Hatchet II, Hatchet III, and Victor Crowley—and a comic book series.

<i>Baghead</i> 2008 American film

Baghead is a 2008 comedy horror film written and directed by Jay and Mark Duplass. The film stars Ross Partridge, Elise Muller, Greta Gerwig, and Steve Zissis. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2008. The film was given a limited release by Sony Pictures Classics on July 13, 2008.

<i>Humpday</i> 2009 film by Lynn Shelton

Humpday is a 2009 American mumblecore comedy-drama film directed, produced, and written by Lynn Shelton and starring Mark Duplass, Joshua Leonard, and Alycia Delmore. It premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. International distribution rights were purchased by Magnolia Pictures for a mid-six figure sum. The film opened in New York City on a limited released on July 10, 2009. The story line follows two male heterosexual best friends, Ben and Andrew. The plot line centers around a "mutual dare" that is introduced at a party, which involves the two main characters engaging in a pornographic film together. The film was shot on-location in Washington state around Seattle from September 2008 to January 2009, and much of the dialogue for the film was improvised.

<i>Cyrus</i> (2010 film) 2010 film by Mark Duplass, Jay Duplass

Cyrus is a 2010 comedy-drama film written and directed by Jay and Mark Duplass and distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures. Its story follows John, a recent divorcée who meets and instantly falls for a woman named Molly. The two start a relationship but John soon comes to find out that Molly's overprotective son, Cyrus, does not want to share his mother with anyone else. It stars John C. Reilly, Jonah Hill, Marisa Tomei, and Catherine Keener.

<i>The One I Love</i> (film) 2014 film directed by Charlie McDowell

The One I Love is a 2014 American comedy thriller film directed by Charlie McDowell and written by Justin Lader, starring Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss. The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2014. It was released on August 1, 2014, through video on demand, prior to a limited release on August 22, 2014, by RADiUS-TWC.

<i>6 Years</i> 2015 American film

6 Years is a 2015 American romantic drama film written and directed by Hannah Fidell and starring Taissa Farmiga, Ben Rosenfield, Lindsay Burdge, Joshua Leonard, Peter Vack, and Dana Wheeler-Nicholson. Filmmakers Mark and Jay Duplass served as executive producers under their Duplass Brothers Productions banner. The film depicts two weeks in the relationship of college students Melanie Clark and Dan Mercer, as their 6-year romance turns violent.

Geoff Marslett is an American film director, writer, producer, animator and actor. His early career started with the animated short Monkey vs. Robot which was distributed internationally by "Spike and Mike's Classic Festival of Animation" on video. and "Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted Festival of Animation" in theatres. More recently he directed several successful narrative feature films including MARS as well as producing and acting in the experimental documentary Yakona. He appears onscreen in Josephine Decker's Thou Wast Mild and Lovely which is being released theatrically in 2014. He currently resides in Austin, Texas and splits his time between filmmaking and teaching at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

<i>Dead Within</i> 2014 American film

Dead Within is a 2014 American thriller film directed by Ben Wagner and written by Matthew Bradford, Dean Chekvala, Amy Kale Peterson, and Wagner. It stars Dean Chekvala and Amy Kale Peterson as a couple that survives a zombie apocalypse by hiding out in a cabin in the woods. Mike (Chekvala) periodically leaves the cabin to search for food and supplies, leaving Kim (Peterson) alone with her thoughts and paranoia.

<i>Tangerine</i> (film) 2015 film

Tangerine is a 2015 American comedy-drama film directed by Sean Baker, and written by Baker and Chris Bergoch, starring Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, and James Ransone. The story follows a transgender sex worker who discovers her boyfriend and pimp has been cheating on her. The film was shot with three iPhone 5S smartphones.

<i>Colossal</i> (film) 2016 science fantasy black comedy film by Nacho Vigalondo

Colossal is a 2016 science fantasy black comedy film directed and written by Nacho Vigalondo. The film stars Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis, Dan Stevens, Austin Stowell, and Tim Blake Nelson. The film follows an unemployed writer who unwittingly manifests a giant creature in Seoul while struggling with alcoholism and an abusively controlling colleague.

<i>Surviving Family</i> 2012 film

Surviving Family is a 2012 American drama about the effects of mental illness and alcoholism on the fictional Malone family. It was directed by Laura Thies and written by Mara Lesemann. The film stars Billy Magnussen, Sarah Wilson, Tara Westwood, Bill Sage, Johnny Hopkins, J. D. Williams, Vincent Pastore, Phyllis Somerville, and Katherine C. Hughes. Surviving Family premiered at the 2012 Woods Hole Film Festival, where it was the Runner Up for the Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature.

<i>Creep 2</i> 2017 film by Patrick Brice

Creep 2 is a 2017 American found footage psychological horror film directed by Patrick Brice and written by Brice and Mark Duplass. It is a sequel to Brice's 2014 film Creep, which was also written by Duplass and Brice. Duplass reprises his role from the first film as a serial killer who lures unsuspecting videographers to their deaths, with Desiree Akhavan portraying his latest target.

<i>Outside In</i> (film) 2017 film by Lynn Shelton

Outside In is a 2017 American drama film, directed by Lynn Shelton, from a screenplay by Shelton and Jay Duplass. It stars Jay Duplass, Edie Falco, Kaitlyn Dever, and Ben Schwartz.

<i>Paddleton</i> 2019 American comedy-drama film

Paddleton is a 2019 American comedy-drama film, directed by Alex Lehmann, from a script by Lehmann and Mark Duplass. The film stars Duplass and Ray Romano.

<i>Horse Girl</i> 2020 American psychological drama film by Jeff Baena

Horse Girl is a 2020 American psychological drama film directed and produced by Jeff Baena, from a screenplay written by Baena and Alison Brie. It stars Brie, Debby Ryan, John Reynolds, Molly Shannon, John Ortiz, and Paul Reiser.

<i>Straight Up</i> (2019 film) 2019 US film by James Sweeney

Straight Up is a 2019 independent film written, produced and directed by James Sweeney. Sweeney stars in the film with Katie Findlay, Dana Drori, James Scully, Tracie Thoms, Betsy Brandt and Randall Park. The film premiered at the Outfest on July 23, 2019. The film was released in a limited release by Strand Releasing on February 28, 2020.

<i>Language Lessons</i> American drama film directed and written by Natalie Morales

Language Lessons is a 2021 American drama film directed by Natalie Morales and written by Morales and Mark Duplass. The film stars Morales, Duplass and Desean Terry.

Danis Goulet is a Cree-Métis film director and screenwriter from Canada, whose debut feature film Night Raiders premiered in 2021.

References

  1. ↑ Erbland, Kate (2017-11-08). "Mark and Jay Duplass' Campaign to Find America's Next Generation of Indie Filmmakers Announces Winners". IndieWire. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
  2. ↑ "It's Here! Hometown Heroes Winners!". Seed&Spark. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
  3. ↑ "A Room Full of Nothing". Seed&Spark. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
  4. ↑ admin (2019-01-30). "Announcing the Fall 2018 ScreenCraft Film Fund Semifinalists". ScreenCraft. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
  5. ↑ "'Princess of the Row' Wins Audience Award at Method Fest". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-04-05.
  6. ↑ "Ethan Hawke Thriller 'Stockholm' to Open Method Fest Film Festival". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
  7. ↑ "The Method Fest 2019 Lineup: Performance Driven, Socially On Point". Beverly Hills Courier. 2019-03-16. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
  8. ↑ Whittaker, Richard. "Austin Film Festival Revs Up With Ford v Ferrari". www.austinchronicle.com. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
  9. ↑ Gross, Joe. "'Marriage Story,' 'Motherless Brooklyn,' more announced for Austin Film Festival". Austin 360. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
  10. ↑ "AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FULL FILM AND CONFERENCE SCHEDULE". Austin Film Festival. 2019-09-26. Retrieved 2019-09-26.
  11. ↑ "Friday Screenings!". LAKE TRAVIS FILM FESTIVAL. Retrieved 2020-01-22.
  12. ↑ "HILL COUNTRY FILM FESTIVAL | SCHEDULE and LINE-UP". HCFF. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
  13. ↑ "2020 Award Winners – FMB Filmfest" . Retrieved 2020-10-22.
  14. ↑ "A Room Full of Nothing Out April 21". Movie Marker. 2020-03-16. Retrieved 2020-10-22.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.