The film of a UT art professor will debut this month at a prestigious international festival that will also feature movies with A-list stars including Nicholas Cage and James Franco.
Something, Anything, a full-length feature film written and directed by Paul Harrill, will be shown June 19 and 21 at the United Kingdom-based Edinburgh International Film Festival, the longest continually running film festival in the world. The movie is one of twelve selected from the United States for the festival’s American Dreams section.
The film also will be featured June 18 to 29 at the 2014 Brooklyn Academy of Music’s BAMcinemaFest, a prominent New York film festival that showcases new movies from up-and-coming talents. It’s one of twenty-seven movies that will be previewed.
“Having Something, Anything selected for prestigious festivals like BAMcinemaFest and Edinburgh is thrilling,” said Harrill, an associate professor in the UT School of Art. “It’s an incredible affirmation not only of all of the hard work that all of our cast and crew put into the film, but also that movies made in Tennessee can connect with audiences internationally. UT’s support of my work and this film has been especially meaningful.”
Something, Anything is the story of a Southern newlywed who feels the need to change her life after a family tragedy. She embarks on a spiritual journey that begins to threaten her closest relationships. The film was featured at the Wisconsin Film Festival and the Sarasota Film festival in April.
Harrill taught as a lecturer and visiting artist in the UT School of Art from 1999 to 2004 and then returned in fall 2013 as the Dee and Jimmy Haslam Professor in Art.
“The addition of a filmmaker of this caliber to our faculty is fabulous—for students studying in the School of Art, in cinema studies, and in journalism and electronic media as well as for our faculty,” said Dottie Habel, director of the UT School of Art. “In fact, the whole campus community should be proud. Paul is a UT alumnus and an award-winning filmmaker with a deep commitment to making his films right here in Tennessee.”
Much of the film was shot in Knoxville with local actors and crew. The film’s lead actress, Ashley Shelton, is a UT theater graduate. The film’s producer, Ashley Maynor, is a UT assistant professor and digital humanities librarian, and a graduate of the UT College Scholars program and the UT School of Information Sciences.
The film’s executive producers are father-daughter team Dee Bagwell Haslam and Ross Bagwell Sr.
To learn more about Something, Anything, visit the website or the film’s Facebook page.
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CONTACT:
Lola Alapo (865-974-3993, lola.alapo@tennessee.edu)