Mountains (2023 film)

Last updated
Mountains
Mountains poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Monica Sorelle
Written by
  • Monica Sorelle
  • Robert Colom
Produced byRobert Colom
Starring
  • Atibon Nazaire
  • Sheila Anozier
  • Chris Renois
CinematographyJavier Labrador Deulofeu
Edited byJonathan Cuartas
Music byDyani Douze
Production
companies
  • Filmes Conéme
  • Neon Heart Productions
  • Oolite Arts
  • Level Forward
  • Frame Hound
Distributed by Music Box Films
Release dates
  • June 9, 2023 (2023-06-09)(Tribeca)
  • September 14, 2023 (2023-09-14)(TIFF)
  • August 16, 2024 (2024-08-16)(United States)
Running time
95 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
Languages
  • Haitian Creole
  • English
  • Spanish
Box office$46,954 [2] [3]

Mountains is a 2023 American drama film, directed by Monica Sorelle in her directorial debut, from a screenplay by Sorelle and Robert Colom. It stars Atibon Nazaire, Sheila Anozier, and Chris Renois.

Contents

Mountains had its world premiere at Tribeca Festival on June 9, 2023, and was released on August 16, 2024, by Music Box Films. The film was nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Breakthrough Performance for Nazaire, and Someone to Watch for Sorelle, which she won. [4] [5]

Premise

Xavier is a Haitian demolition worker living in Little Haiti, Miami with his wife, Esperance, and college dropout son, Junior. While pursuing a new house for the family, he is faced with the realities of redevelopment as he is tasked with dismantling his rapidly gentrifying neighborhood.

Cast

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 9, 2023, where it received a Special Jury Mention for US Narrative Feature. [6] [7] [8] It went onto screen at the BlackStar Film Festival on August 6, 2023, [9] [10] 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2023, [11] [12] and AFI Fest on October 27, 2023. [13] [14] In June 2024, Music Box Films acquired US distribution rights to the film, and set it for an August 16, 2024 release at Coral Gables Art Cinema, with an August 23, 2024 expansion. [15]

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes , 97% of 34 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.30/10.The website's consensus reads: "A beautifully acted and observant portrait of a family and their community, Mountains marks an impressive debut by director Monica Sorelle." [16] [17] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 81 out of 100, based on 14 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". [18]

In his Critic's Pick review for Indiewire, Christian Blauvelt gave Mountains an “A” and hailed it as one of 2024’s “best debut features.” [19] Angelica Jade Bastién of Vulture called Mountains “a quietly magnificent debut,” and described it as “a vibrant story of gentrification and generational divides in Miami’s Little Haiti, brought to life by tremendous performances.” [20] John Fink of The Film Stage observed that the film “frames the disappearance of Miami’s Little Haiti with a warm, compassionate gaze recalling the masters of social realism – akin to Roberto Rossellini with the touch of Ousmane Sembène’s lighter films.” [21] Erick Massoto of Collider described Mountains as "a powerful character study and a great debut for Monica Sorelle that marks her as one to watch." [22]

IndieWire included Mountains on its list of "The 17 Best First Feature Films of 2024.” [23]

Accolades

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
Tribeca Festival June 15, 2023Founders Award for Best U.S. Narrative FeatureMountainsNominated [24]
U.S. Narrative Feature Special Jury MentionWon
BlackStar Film Festival August 7, 2023Jury Award for Best Feature NarrativeNominated [25]
Audience Award for Best Feature NarrativeWon
Charlotte Film FestivalOctober 9, 2023Best Narrative FeatureWon [26]
New Hampshire Film Festival October 15, 2023Grand Jury Award, NarrativeWon [27]
Indie Memphis Film Festival October 29, 2023Best Narrative FeatureWon [28]
Film Fest KnoxNovember 12, 2023American Regional Competition Jury PrizeWon [29]
New Orleans Film Festival November 17, 2023Audience Award for Narrative FeatureWon [30]
Film Independent Spirit Awards February 25, 2024 Best Breakthrough PerformanceAtibon NazaireNominated [31]
Someone to Watch AwardMonica SorelleWon [32]
Miami Film Festival April 13, 2024Made in MIA Feature Film AwardMountainsWon [33]
Florida Film Festival April 22, 2024Audience Award for Best Florida FeatureWon [34]
Seattle International Film Festival May 19, 2024New American Cinema CompetitionNominated [35]
Florida Film Critics Circle December 20, 2024 Golden OrangeWon [36]

References

  1. ↑ "Mountains". Music Box Films . Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Mountains (2023)". The Numbers . Archived from the original on August 26, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Mountains (2023)". Box Office Mojo . Archived from the original on August 26, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2025.
  4. ↑ Thomas, Carly (January 6, 2024). "Monica Sorelle, Monique Walton, Set Hernandez Win Independent Spirit Emerging Filmmaker Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  5. ↑ Lang, Brent; Moreau, Jordan (December 5, 2023). "Spirit Awards 2024 Nominations List: 'Past Lives,' 'May December,' 'American Fiction' Lead With 5 Noms Each". Variety . Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  6. ↑ Goldsmith, Jill (April 18, 2023). "Tribeca Festival's 2023 Film Lineup Includes Maggie Moore(s) With Tina Fey & Jon Hamm, First Time Female Director, Marvel's Stan Lee Doc, More". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Mountains". Tribeca Festival . Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  8. ↑ Toma, Adriana (June 15, 2023). "Announcing the 2023 Tribeca Festival Competition Winners". Tribeca Festival . Archived from the original on September 2, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Mountains". BlackStar Film Festival . Archived from the original on September 2, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  10. ↑ "BlackStar Projects Announces Film Lineup for 2023 Festival". BlackStar Film Festival . June 7, 2023. Archived from the original on July 21, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Mountains". Toronto International Film Festival . Archived from the original on July 21, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  12. ↑ Hammond, Pete (September 16, 2023). "'Mountains' Review: Touching Story Of Haitian Family In Miami Is Impressive Directorial Debut For Monica Sorelle – Toronto Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood . Archived from the original on June 17, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Mountains". AFI Fest . Archived from the original on July 21, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  14. ↑ Gardner, Chris (September 28, 2023). "'All of Us Strangers,' 'American Fiction' and 'The Bikeriders' Among Selections of AFI Fest". The Hollywood Reporter . Archived from the original on September 2, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  15. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (June 3, 2024). "Indie Spirit Winner & Tribeca Title 'Mountains' Gets Domestic Deal With Music Box". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Mountains". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media . Retrieved October 17, 2024. OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  17. ↑ "Mountains". Rotten Tomatoes . Archived from the original on August 13, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Mountains". Metacritic . Archived from the original on August 18, 2024. Retrieved August 18, 2024.
  19. ↑ "'Mountains' Review: This Haitian Immigrant Drama Is One of the Year's Best Debut Features". August 23, 2024.
  20. ↑ "Mountains Is a Quietly Magnificent Debut". September 27, 2024.
  21. ↑ "Tribeca Review: Mountains is a Stirring, Joyful Requiem for a Disappearing Community". June 12, 2023.
  22. ↑ "'Mountains' Review: Monica Sorelle's Immigrant Drama Is a Powerful Character Study". Collider . August 16, 2024.
  23. ↑ "The 17 Best First Feature Films of 2024". December 5, 2024.
  24. ↑ "Announcing the 2023 Tribeca Festival Competition Winners". June 15, 2023.
  25. ↑ "BlackStar Projects Announces Winners of 2023 BlackStar Film Festival Awards". August 7, 2023. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  26. ↑ "Instagram". October 9, 2023. Archived 2024-09-02 at the Wayback Machine
  27. ↑ "The 21st Annual New Hampshire Film Festival Announces Award Recipients". October 15, 2023. Archived from the original on August 25, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  28. ↑ "Indie Memphis Film Festival 2023: Here are the award winners". October 29, 2023. Archived from the original on November 11, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  29. ↑ "Indie Memphis Film Festival 2023: Here are the award winners". November 30, 2023.
  30. ↑ "NOFF2023 Audience Awards". November 17, 2023. Archived from the original on July 25, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  31. ↑ "These are the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominees". December 5, 2023. Archived from the original on January 1, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  32. ↑ "Here are the Winners of the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards!". February 23, 2024. Archived from the original on March 12, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  33. ↑ "Films on Little Haiti gentrification and Cuba in the '90s win big at Miami Film Festival". Miami Herald . April 17, 2024. Archived from the original on September 2, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  34. ↑ "Instagram". April 22, 2024. Archived from the original on September 2, 2024. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
  35. ↑ "SIFF 2024 Award Winners". May 19, 2024.
  36. ↑ ""The Beast" Dominates FFCC Awards with Three Wins, "Dune: Part Two" Wins Two". December 21, 2024.

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