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Sylvia

  • 2018
  • 17m
IMDb RATING
7.7/10
229
YOUR RATING
Sylvia (2018)
Watch Sylvia
Play trailer1:11
1 Video
11 Photos
DramaShort

A loving family set off in their car on what seems like a carefree family outing. They sing, stop for ice- creams and play eye-spy. However, it becomes clear that this isn't a happy outing a... Read allA loving family set off in their car on what seems like a carefree family outing. They sing, stop for ice- creams and play eye-spy. However, it becomes clear that this isn't a happy outing after all and only once the car arrives does the actuality of the narrative fully manifest.A loving family set off in their car on what seems like a carefree family outing. They sing, stop for ice- creams and play eye-spy. However, it becomes clear that this isn't a happy outing after all and only once the car arrives does the actuality of the narrative fully manifest.

  • Director
    • Richard Prendergast
  • Writer
    • Richard Prendergast
  • Stars
    • Jolie Lennon
    • Benjamin Hartley
    • Gaynor Fraser
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.7/10
    229
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Richard Prendergast
    • Writer
      • Richard Prendergast
    • Stars
      • Jolie Lennon
      • Benjamin Hartley
      • Gaynor Fraser
    • 11User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 16 wins & 9 nominations total

    Videos1

    Sylvia
    Trailer 1:11
    Sylvia

    Photos10

    View Poster
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    + 7
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    Top cast6

    Edit
    Jolie Lennon
    • Mandy
    • (as Jolie Stanford)
    Benjamin Hartley
    • Brian
    Gaynor Fraser
    • Linda
    Mick Fryer-Kelsey
    • Ice Cream Man
    Willow Major
    • Daughter
    Maisie Prendergast
    • Maisie
    • Director
      • Richard Prendergast
    • Writer
      • Richard Prendergast
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews11

    7.7229
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    Featured reviews

    10pinksindy

    Beautiful production of a powerful story!

    Sylvia packs a punch. The acting was incredible, the storyline is so powerful it takes you on a complete emotional rollercoaster. I laughed, I cried and then I cried some more. The cinematograpraphy and grade are beautiful. A must watch!
    10joecool99

    Exceptional Debut

    A delicate and emotionally touching piece. A beautiful debut which hopefully spawns some well deserved careers.
    10EmilySkyle

    One of my favorite films on the festival circuit.

    Without giving away too much, this film tells a beautiful story about love, loss and the power of community. From flawless performances, to the beautiful crafting of the production itself - this is a film that leaves takes you on a powerful journey, makes you cry and leaves you with a sense of hope. It's an impressive tale that has wowed every audience I've seen it screened at.
    8ferguson-6

    Please, tell her goodbye

    Greetings again from the darkness. Sure, we like to "name" our cars. And yes, we have memories of our first car - some fond, some a bit less so. But deep emotional attachments to a car are somewhat rare. After all, it's just hunks of metal, rubber, and plastic all assembled into a form of transportation ... a vehicle to get us from one place to the next, and hopefully back home again.

    We join in what looks to be a typical family road trip. Mother, grandmother and two young girls are buckled in as the miles roll on. Mom scolds the kids for making a mess, and the grandmother eases tension by passing out candy. A roadside stop for ice cream is always a popular idea. What we learn is that the mother is having financial difficulties and the purpose of the trip is to sell the car she has named "Sylvia", after the classic song from Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show.

    Richard Prendergast's first film is 'based on a true story', and it is absolutely brilliant in its presentation - both visually and emotionally. Jolie Lennon, known best for her stunt work, is terrific as Mandy, the mom who must sell the car. It's clear that she is carrying a weight on the trip, and the stunning third act brings it all into focus. This is an extraordinary short film, and it's one I would have gladly paid 40 cents more for the next 3 minutes.
    10prosewing

    Heartcrackingly haunting

    Sylvia was shown in Attleboro, MA. I viewed it in the company of friends.

    The lessons are legion, but I carry with me one major take-away: The love we are fortunate enough to experience in this brief life is entirely durable as long as we breath -- and this can be both a blessing and a haunting, often simultaneously.

    The unfolding is startling; the story is told going forward but later one is forced to look back over all that preceded the ending for full understanding. Masterful.

    The material could have been handled in a sugary manner. It was anything but saccharine.The expertise of all involved meant I was taken completely by surprise at the conclusion and was left completely gobsmacked emotionally.

    I immediately thought, as a avid film viewer, this one is Oscar-worthy.

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    Related interests

    Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)
    Short

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    Details

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    • Release date
      • September 20, 2019 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official sites
      • Official Instagram
      • Official Website
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • Norfolk, England, UK(location)
    • Production companies
      • SubMotion Productions
      • Buckhart Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Budget
      • £10,000 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 17m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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