Unpacking

We were lucky enough to see the world premier of "Unpacking" in October of 2022, and we were truly blown away. The film has the perfect balance of gravity and levity, and just the right mix of drama and laugh-out-loud moments. It's so refreshing to see dynamic, complex portrayals of female characters - and so well acted, as well. The making of the film is fascinating in and of itself, and the organic and spontaneous nature of the production is evident in the natural feel and effortless flow of the film. I'm thrilled that the film has been doing so well - deservedly so - and can't wait to see what else the team creates in the future!

This movie is a rare treasure. Yes, I laughed and cried. It's reminiscent of "The Breakfast Club" - a group of archetypes together. We have the "aggressive progressive," the mom who's never taken the time to be her own person, the sexually-liberated one into crystals, the free-spirit and rules-follower sister duo, and the culture- appropriating yoga teacher. I'm a middle-aged woman (hence the John Huge reference) and I've been through many self-help rounds depicted here. It was cathartic to be able to laugh at them without feeling laughed at. Because what this film does incredibly well is show that we're all more complex than any caricature, and just trying to do the best we can. The cinematography and soundtrack are beautiful- but a warning to any fellow vertigo warriors that sometimes the quick camera movements can be triggering. I was very fortunate to see the directors/writers along with many cast members interviewed at the Independent Film Festival and was so inspired to learn about the movie's cooperative creative structure. Unpacking guides us, gently and without being preachy, towards a better way.

It is hard to find a flaw in this movie, and I'm not even going to try. When you put together the acting, script, location, cinematography, and music, the individual parts merge and become something magical. These are people that you come to really care about, root for, hurt for, laugh for. At first, you think you're going to see a smarmy story about sensitivity groups and new age philosophy, as the characters travel to Bali for some sort of rejuvenation buddy experience--and that's exactly what the filmmaker wants you to think. What you get instead is individual human beings behaving in their individual ways. I wish these characters would come to life, pop out of the screen, so I could form a book discussion group with them, invite them over for dinner, and bring them into my life. Please, please watch this film if you get the chance.

This movie was one of the most enjoyable watches I've had in a while. I went in not knowing what to expect but I love any take on the wellness space so I was intrigued. Right from the beginning it was going to have depth, and very early on it became clear it would have very funny moments; the actress who played Jackie was hilarious (I was laughing out loud). I was most surprised by was how moving it was, with shockingly authentic performances dealing with really emotional topics. I had tears in my eyes at more than one juncture and kept thinking what a special movie this is. I left the experience feeling so satisfied and so glad I watched. For a short film it's truly packed with meaning and true-to-life stories that are more the kind of fare I think people are looking for these days. A film with a message and the right journey to get you there. 100% worth seeing!

Such a great experience watching this film! I thought it was going to be a mindless "female" oriented film. It was so much more. The writing, acting, filming, all were terrific and the scenery was glorious!

The characters were deeply thought out, and the issues they brought with them to Bali could be identified easily through out our society. Divorce, motherhood, emotional pain, trauma, all were treated with great compassion.

We watch a lot of television on Netflix and Prime and this film is as good as any of them and better than some.

I hope this film is available to anyone who enjoys comedy, but so much more!

Congratulations to all.