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AMERICAN FOLK

By David HEINZ

CINEVERSE (LA) - as DISTR TV, DVD-video, VOD, Airline, USA

Drama - Completed 2017

WINNER! BEST AMERICAN INDEPENDENT FEATURE (2017 Cleveland International Film Festival)

Two strangers, both folk musicians stranded in California, take a road trip to New York in the days after 9/11. A story about the kindness of strangers and the power of music.

- Year of production
- 2017
- Genres
- Drama, Musical
- Countries
- USA
- Languages
- ENGLISH
- Duration
- 99 mn
- Director(s)
- David HEINZ
- Writer(s)
- David HEINZ
- Cast
- Joe PURDY, Amber RUBARTH, Krisha FAIRCHILD
- Producer(s)
- Fiona WALSH HEINZ, Matt MILLER (VANISHING ANGLE)
- Synopsis
- When their plane from Los Angeles to New York is grounded on the morning of September 11, 2001 due to the terrorist attacks, strangers Elliott (Joe Purdy) and Joni (Amber Rubarth) are unexpectedly thrust together amidst the chaos of that historic day.
  
  With little in common but both needing to get to New York City urgently, they accept help from Joni’s family friend Scottie (Krisha Fairchild, from the SXSW Grand Jury Award-winning film “Krisha”) who lends them a rusty old 1972 Chevy van.
  
  The shock and stress of 9/11 quickly threatens to derail their cross-country journey until the pair discover what they do have in common: a love for folk songs. Armed with a pile of guitars left in the van from Scottie’s concert touring days, Elliott and Joni raise their voices together (and with those of the amazing people they meet on the road), rediscovering the healing nature of music and bearing witness to a nation of people who, even while mourning, are able to lift each other up in the wake of tragedy.
  
  With a refreshing gentleness and beauty, and stunning cinematography, AMERICAN FOLK lovingly chronicles the spaces between the suffering and fear, where music has the power to connect and heal people. Folk music stars Joe Purdy and Amber Rubarth give nuanced and thoughtful performances, with voices that are uplifting and achingly gorgeous.