JOEL POTRYKUS | USA | 2024 | 90 MIN | ENGLISH
Known for pitch-black comedic works about slackers living their worst lives, DIY filmmaker Joel Potrykus once again stares directly into the most despondent of souls and laughs with his provocative new work, Vulcanizadora. Shot on gorgeous 16mm, the filmmaker trades the claustrophobic domiciles of America for the verdant foliage of an unnamed forest in Michigan. Two seemingly old friends, insecure chatterbox Derek (Potrykus) and the brooding long-faced Marty (longtime Potrykus collaborator Joshua Burge), have embarked on an enigmatic trek through the woods for an undisclosed purpose. Despite Derek’s best attempts to fill the eerie silence with his incessant comments and observations, a sense of dread lingers over their proceedings. When the aim of their mission comes into focus, one of them will have to face the fallout of a world that doesn’t even care. Potrykus succeeds in creating a surprisingly deep, yet cringe-inducing, two-man play that defies genre tropes. He shrewdly reveals the stakes through irreverent dialogue and striking moments of vulnerability, all on captivating 16mm.
Cast: Joshua Burge, Joel Potrykus, Bill Vincent, Solo Potrykus
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