Anne at 13,000 Ft. explained

Anne at 13,000 Ft.
Director:Kazik Radwanski
Producer:Daniel Montgomery
Kazik Radwanski
Starring:Deragh Campbell
Matt Johnson
Cinematography:Nikolay Michaylov
Editing:Ajla Odobašić
Studio:Medium Density Fibreboard Films
Runtime:75 minutes
Country:Canada
Language:English

Anne at 13,000 Ft. is a 2019 Canadian drama film.[1] Directed and written by Kazik Radwanski, the film stars Deragh Campbell as Anne,[2] a shy, socially awkward daycare worker whose attitude to her life and work is radically transformed after she skydives for the first time.[3] It premiered in the Platform Prize program at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival,[4] and received an honourable mention from the Platform Prize jury.[5] In December 2019, the film was named to TIFF's annual year-end Canada's Top Ten list.[6] After premiering on the festival circuit in 2019, the film's 2020 theatrical release was postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7]

In 2021, the film won the Toronto Film Critics Association's $100,000 Rogers Best Canadian Film Award.[8] It was also nominated for four Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Motion Picture, and five Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards (winning two for the performances of Campbell and Johnson).[9]

Premise

The film stars Deragh Campbell as Anne, a shy, socially awkward daycare worker whose attitude to her life and work is radically transformed after she skydives for the first time. Anne goes through the motions of life as a 20-something woman in Toronto, clashes with her co-workers, goes on an awkward Tinder date, and serves as maid of honour at her best friend's wedding. Anne suffers from an unspecified anxiety disorder, which remains undiagnosed throughout the film.[10]

Release

Anne at 13,000 Ft. premiered at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, before screening at other international festivals, such as the Berlinale.[11] During its festival run, the film was picked up for American distribution by Cinema Guild.[12]

The film was scheduled to be theatrical released on March 20, 2020, but the planned release was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] Nearly a year later, the film was released virtually on February 19, 2021, through the TIFF Bell Lightbox, and Vancouver's Cinematheque.[14]

Reception

Critical reception

The film received critical acclaim. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 89% based on 46 reviews, with an average rating of 7.8/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Held aloft by Deragh Campbell in the title role, Anne at 13,000 Ft tells the soaring story of a woman who's lost her moorings."[15] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 80 out of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[16]

Jessica Kiang of Variety called the film "a brief, bracing burst of microbudget indie filmmaking at its most powerful." Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail dubbed it "a startling, bracing achievement worth celebrating."[17] Peter Howell of the Toronto Star praised Campbell's "riveting performance as a woman on the verge of vertigo is a sight to behold."[18] Norm Wilner of Now wrote that "if the Dardenne brothers remade A Woman Under The Influence, it might look a lot like Radwanski’s latest study of a Torontonian in a slow-motion crisis: this time, his protagonist is a young day-care worker whose equilibrium is slipping out of her grasp."[19]

Accolades

In 2021, the film won the Toronto Film Critics Association's $100,000 Rogers Best Canadian Film Award. It was also nominated for four Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Motion Picture, and five Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards (winning two for Campbell and Johnson's performances).

AwardDate of ceremonyCategoryRecipient(s)Result
Canadian Screen Awards28 May 2020Best Motion PictureDaniel Montgomery, Kazik Radwanski[20]
Best DirectorKazik Radwanski
Best ActressDeragh Campbell
Matt Johnson
Toronto Film Critics AssociationMarch 9, 2021Rogers Best Canadian Film AwardKazik Radwanski[21]
Vancouver Film Critics Circle16 December 2019Best Canadian Film[22]
Best Canadian DirectorKazik Radwanski
Best Canadian Screenplay
Best Actress in a Canadian FilmDeragh Campbell
Best Supporting Actor in a Canadian FilmMatt Johnson

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ramos. Dino-Ray. September 4, 2019. 'Anne At 13,000 Ft.' Clip: Deragh Campbell Takes A Life-Changing Leap In TIFF Drama From Kazik Radwanski. Deadline Hollywood.
  2. Anne at 13,000 Ft. (2019) - IMDb . 2024-05-07 . www.imdb.com.
  3. Web site: TIFF 2019: With Anne at 13,000 ft., Kazik Radwanski and Deragh Campbell hit the heights of Canada's micro-budget indie movement . . September 5, 2019.
  4. Web site: TIFF 2019: Platform lineup includes films by Julie Delpy, Sarah Gavron . . Norman Wilner . August 7, 2019.
  5. Web site: The film Martin Eden wins TIFF's Platform Prize . . September 13, 2019.
  6. Web site: Wilner. Norman. December 11, 2019. TIFF announces Canada's top 10 films of 2019. Now.
  7. Web site: Wilner. Norman. 2021-03-10. Toronto critics name Anne At 13,000 Ft. the year's best Canadian film. live. 2021-03-31. NOW Magazine. "Anne At 13,000 Ft. was scheduled to open in Canadian cinemas on March 20, 2020, only to see that release scuttled when the pandemic shut down the country. The film ultimately debuted on TIFF’s streaming platform last month.". https://web.archive.org/web/20210310220402/https://nowtoronto.com/movies/news-features/toronto-critics-name-anne-at-13000-ft-the-years-best-canadian-film . 2021-03-10 .
  8. News: 'Anne at 13,000 Ft' wins $100,000 Canadian film prize from Toronto film critics. 2021-03-31.
  9. Web site: January 7, 2020. Vancouver film critics award 'The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open'. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20200223204841/https://www.tricitynews.com/vancouver-film-critics-award-the-body-remembers-when-the-world-broke-open-1.24047775. February 23, 2020. January 8, 2020. Tri-City News.
  10. Web site: Kiang. Jessica. 2020-03-27. 'Anne at 13,000 ft': Film Review. 2021-03-31. Variety. en-US.
  11. Web site: Anne at 13,000 ft. 2021-03-31. www.berlinale.de. en.
  12. Web site: October 24, 2019. Lauren. Malyk. Anne at 13,000 ft flies with Cinema Guild. 2021-03-31.
  13. Web site: 2020-06-01. Brief Encounters John Semley. 2021-03-31. The Baffler. en-US.
  14. Web site: The Cinematheque / Anne at 13,000 ft. 2021-03-31. The Cinematheque. en.
  15. Web site: Anne at 13,000 ft. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. February 16, 2023.
  16. Web site: Anne at 13,000 ft Reviews. CBS Interactive. Metacritic. February 16, 2023.
  17. News: Review: Canadian drama Anne at 13,000 ft. is a startling, bracing achievement worth celebrating. 2021-03-31.
  18. Web site: 2019-08-30. Our film critic shares 20 hot picks for TIFF 2019. 2021-03-31. thestar.com. en.
  19. Web site: Wilner. Norman. Sumi. Glenn. Ritchie. Kevin. 2021-02-19. What's new to VOD and streaming this weekend: February 19–21. 2021-03-31. NOW Magazine.
  20. Web site: Norman . Wilner . Canadian Screen Awards 2020: Prepare for a Schitt's show . . 18 February 2020.
  21. News: . Anne at 13,000 Ft wins $100K Toronto critics award . 10 March 2021 . . 13 March 2021.
  22. Web site: 2020 Nominees Announced . . December 2019 . 8 May 2020.