AVA: A Twist in the Road

I love that the writer/director/producers or whoever decided to tell the story with mature actors, using issues people must face as we age. Too often movies overlook these issues and struggles. I really appreciate that this film has a strong female lead, who is also older, which we don't see in many movies. One thing that the mainstream film industry constantly fails to do is make films about older people. AVA: A Twist In The Road is a great indie gem that the big studios could learn from. Thanks to the filmmakers for making this movie and for showing the world we can still find hope at any age.

This is a beauty of the indie film world, telling the story of an unlikely lead character who finds herself stuck in a bad situation after a tragedy. Grief is becoming a more talked about topic these days, and this film dives powerfully into that realm, with an effective nonlinear flow of the grief experience, and illustrating the importance of good friends. It offers both a cautionary tale of planning for your future, and an inspiring glimpse of meeting head on what life throws at you. With a dreamy interesting visual style and truthful acting, especially by the films' lead who is also the filmmaker, I enjoyed this unexpected indie gem.

In any other movie, our main character Ava might be the villain. She's the other woman. She needy, shallow, and lacking in any kind of work skills. But the situation she has been thrust into forces her into thinking about what she really wants out of the last chapters of her life.

Writer/director/lead actress is unwavering in her intentions. You can tell she knows exactly how she wants to tell this story and is more than welcome to have you along for the ride.

The themes are universal enough to reach all ages, but the character and setting refuses to be anything you've seen before. Well done!

In "Ava: A Twist in the Road," triple-threat director, writer, and actress Catherane Skillen has crafted a powerful character study that thematically explores the power of love and the overwhelming emotions associated with loss. Catherane provides a strong performance as Ava, an older woman struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of her soul mate. Her raw performance, coupled with strong supporting performances, amplifies the emotional story, and keeps the audience rooting for Ava's success. For a drama rife with pathos, the pacing is perfect and the cinematography, editing, and score all work together to support the film's message: find strength in loss.

I was very impressed by this indie drama and by the wonderful performance of Catherane Skillen. The film very effectively tells the story of Ava, a woman who unexpectedly is forced to rebuild her life at a later stage in her life. I love how this film fights ageism and shows you that no matter where you are in your life, it is never too late to change your ways and start over. I was very moved and engaged throughout Ava's journey, even when it seemed hard to relate to her at the beginning, she's a fully fleshed character who quickly wins you over and makes you root for her. It is also incredibly refreshing to see 50 plus women in leading roles and I truly wish there were more films like this.