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Chicago – Writer/director Michael Glover Smith’s award-winning feature film “Relative” (2022) was snapped up by Chicago-based Music Box Films, and will have its Digital release on May 21st, 2024. But first, how about one more special screening at the historic Music Box Theatre on Wednesday, May 15th. Click Relative at for tickets and info.

“Relative” is a film about transition, as a family gathers for the youngest son/brother’s college graduation. Each individual family member is dealing with a situational crossroads, and the family togetherness both modifies and challenges them. Meanwhile, the college graduate (Cameron Scott Roberts) has serendipitously fallen for Hekla (Elizabeth Stam). The film also features Wendy Robie, Francis Guinan, Keith D. Gallagher, Emily Lape, Melissa DuPrey and Clare Cooney.

Relative

Photo credit: Music Box Films

Writer/Director Michael Glover Smith is also an author and film studies instructor, and is based in Chicago. His first feature film,...

"I don't want an empty nest!" Music Box Films has posted their official trailer for an indie drama about a family titled Relative, from filmmaker Michael Glover Smith. This originally premiered back in 2022, but we have only caught up with it now and haven't ever posted about this film before. It played at a few small film festivals in 2022/2023, with a very limited release in art house theaters around the country. As various members of the Frank family come together for a college graduation party in Chicago, they find their bonds being tested, and strengthened, in surprising ways. The story focuses on the parents of four kids, who decide to announce that they're about to sell the house they grew up in. "Relative is a warm blend of comedy and drama about a modern American family." This stars Wendy Robie, Francis Guinan, Cameron Scott Roberts, Clare Cooney, Keith D. Gallagher,...

Life is about handling contradictions. And they all demand that we choose between compromising, conceding, or refusing to back down—whether it’s opposite a family member, friend, lover, or even yourself. We weigh pros and cons. We anticipate a future that we can never know for certain. Do we choose the job or the potential for love? Do we sacrifice our career for our spouse? Do we leave our hometown, or decide to make a new one? Each choice becomes another snowflake falling atop a mountain ready to unleash an avalanche. Sometimes it falls with the force of an atomic bomb and sometimes it never budges. The only thing we can therefore control is how we ultimately live within that uncertainty. For ourselves or for another?

There’s no wrong answer. Writer-director Michael Glover Smith hasn’t built Relative as some catch-all drama to foist his ideals upon his audience.

Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com audio film review on “Relative,” the latest film from Chicago-based filmmaker Michael Glover Smith. Its theatrical release begins on June 8th (click links) at Music Box Theatre and on June 10th at Gene Siskel Film Center, and will expand from there.

Rating: 4.5/5.0

Writer/director Michael Glover Smith gathers an ensemble cast that portray the Frank family, anchored by Dad David (Francis Guinan) and Mom Karen (Wendy Robie). Their youngest son Benji (Cameron Scott Roberts) is graduating from a nearby university, and the entire Frank clan will be gathering at their Chicago family home to celebrate. The oldest son Rod (Keith D. Gallagher) still lives in the basement, having left his marriage to Sarah (Heather Chrisler). Clare Cooney is Evonne, going through a marriage and mental stability crisis with her wife Lucia (Melissa Duprey). And rounding out crew is Norma (Emily Lape), whose nostalgic longing...

Chicago – One of the breakout performances in Michael Glover Smith’s new film, “Relative,” is from Elizabeth Stam, who portrays the pivotal role of Hekla. The “Relative” special Chicago general releases will take place (click links) at Music Box Theatre and the Gene Siskel Film Center on June 8th and 10th.

“Relative” is a film about transition, as a family gathers for the youngest son/brother’s college graduation. Each individual family member is dealing with a situational crossroads, and the family togetherness both modifies and challenges them. Meanwhile, the college graduate (Cameron Scott Roberts) has serendipitously fallen for Hekla (Elizabeth Stam). The film also features Wendy Robie, Francis Guinan, Keith D. Gallagher, Emily Lape, Melissa DuPrey and Clare Cooney.

Elizabeth Stam (right) with Cameron Scott Roberts in ‘Relative’

Photo credit: White City Cinema

This is Elizabeth Stam’s second film, after “Bleed American” in 2019. As mentioned in the interview below,...

Chicago – The journey from idea to completed film is a fever dream for the writer/director. Chicago-based filmmaker Michael Glover Smith has realized his dreams in his fourth feature film, “Relative.” The story of family, set in the neighborhood of Rogers Park, begins its local run at Music Box Theatre on June 8th, 2022.

“Relative” is a film about transition, as a family gathers for the youngest son/brother’s college graduation. Each individual family member is dealing with a situational crossroads, and the family togetherness both modifies and challenges them. Meanwhile, the college graduate (Cameron Scott Roberts) has serendipitously fallen for Hekla (Elizabeth Stam). The film also features Wendy Robie, Francis Guinan, Keith D. Gallagher, Emily Lape, Melissa DuPrey and Clare Cooney.

’Relative’ Begins Its Theatrical Run in Chicago

Photo credit: Chicago Film Project

Writer/Director Michael Glover Smith is also an author and film studies instructor (at Oakton Community...

One of the rising filmmakers in the Chicago movie-making scene, Michael Glover Smith has returned this year with his fourth feature, Relative. Produced by Chicago Film Project (which also backed Jennifer Reeder’s Knives and Skin) and starring Wendy Robie (Twin Peaks) and Cameron Scott Roberts (The Walking Dead), the film follows a family at a crossroads, featuring separations, new romances, and empty-nesting as the youngest member of the clan graduates college. Ahead of the film’s hometown screenings at the Music Box on June 8 and the Gene Siskel Film Center on June 10, 15, and 16, we’re pleased to exclusively debut the first trailer.

“I’ve always been skeptical of the phrase “dysfunctional family” since all families would seem dysfunctional if one were able to observe them closely enough,” the director said. “In creating Relative, my goal was to contrive a scenario that would allow me to lift the veil on...

Chicago – The made-in-Chicago film “Relative” … written and directed by Michael Glover Smith … will get its city/Midwest premiere at (appropriately) the Midwest Film Festival on April 5th, 2022. The sold out show at the Gene Siskel Film Center will also have a Q&a, moderated by Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com. One of the vital credits on any film is Music Supervisor, and that role on “Relative” was filled by Cait Rappel, a veteran film scorer in her feature film debut.

“Relative” is a film about transition, as a family gathers for the youngest son/brother’s college graduation. Each individual family member is dealing with a situational crossroads, and the family togetherness both modifies and challenges them. The film features Wendy Robie, Francis Guinan, Cameron Scott Roberts, Keith D. Gallagher, Emily Lape, Melissa DuPrey, Elizabeth Stam and Clare Cooney.

’Relative’ at the Midwest Film Festival, Music Supervision by Cait Rappel (inset)

Photo credit: MidwestFilm.

Chicago – In more good news on the road to normalcy, one local writer/director – Michael Glover Smith – produced his fourth feature film last year in Chicago and now it’s ready for its World Premiere. “Relative” will screen at the Gasparilla International Film Festival on March 12th, 2022. For more information, click Relative.

“Relative” is a film about transition, as a family gathers for the youngest son/brother’s college graduation. Each individual family member is dealing with a situational crossroads, and the family togetherness both modifies and challenges them. The film features Wendy Robie, Francis Guinan, Cameron Scott Roberts, Keith D. Gallagher, Emily Lape, Melissa DuPrey, Elizabeth Stam and Clare Cooney.

’Relative’ World Premiere on March 12th, 2022

Photo credit: GasparillaFilmFestival.com

Writer/Director Michael Glover Smith is also an author and film studies instructor (at Oakton Community College and elsewhere), and is based in Chicago. His first feature film, “Cool Apocalypse,...

Chicago – Filmmakers from Chicago get their moment in the spotlight via the new YouTube series “The Work.” Hosts Curtis Matzke and Bradley Power, also local filmmakers, have created episodes featuring in-depth perspectives from their industry guests. Access the series by clicking The Work.

Centered around topics like “Ideas,” “Confidence,” “The Producer’s Philosophy” “Strategy” and more, Matzke and Powell reached out to their filmmaker colleagues Sam George, Kevin Pickman, LeLe Park, Jim Vendiola, Mishu Hilmy, Grace Hahn, Robert Bruce Carter and Emily Lape. They are wrapping up the first month of episode releases, and will have a free and open-to-all Virtual Wrap Party that can be accessed by clicking here.

Curtis Matzke and Bradley Powell of ‘The Work’

Photo credit: Facebook.com/TheWorkChicago

Curtis Matzke is a Chicago director/screenwriter, as well as cinematographer and producer, and is the founder of Unfurnished Films. In 2018, Curtis was named “Most Diabolical” by...

By Christopher Stipp

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Ondine - Review

The story seems silly enough if read on paper: Local fisherman (Colin Farrell), out fishing looking for seafood to sell at the local market, finds a woman in his net (Alicja Bachleda) who doesn’t remember who she is or how she ended up caught in a man’s fishing line. He allows the woman to live in a small house located in a sleepy wharf where she can get her bearings all the while telling his young daughter who suffers from kidney failure a story that involves an Irish version of mermaids, silkies, thus bringing us to the beginning of the story. The brevity with which writer and director Neil Jordan sets up almost all of the plot...