Latest news with #EvaVictor
Vogue
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Vogue
How Eva Victor's ‘Sorry, Baby' Became One of the Most Hire-Wire, Hilarious Films of the Year
Tucked away in the corner of the Chateau Marmont garden on a sunny Friday afternoon, Eva Victor, cloaked in black, is telling me about stumbling, unwittingly, into comedy. The story begins at Northwestern's prestigious theater program, where Victor harbored ambitions to perform Chekhov and Euripides. 'No one would cast me in those plays,' the 31-year-old writer-director-actor says. 'I kept trying to do serious monologues and everyone would laugh.' The recent Los Angeles transplant takes a sip of Earl Grey tea with oat milk. 'It was so upsetting,' they recall, in a droll deadpan that neatly elucidates the problem: Victor can't help but be funny. It's this 'problem' that makes Victor's directorial debut, Sorry, Baby, thrilling to behold, a high-wire film that glides from hilarity to heartbreak and back again. The story centers on Agnes, a graduate student turned English professor played by Victor, who must piece her life back together after a traumatic event that is never shown and is referred to almost exclusively as 'The Bad Thing.' Victor, previously known for viral comedy videos and a supporting role on the Showtime series Billions, can now add auteur to their résumé with Sorry, Baby, which was produced by Academy Award–winning filmmaker Barry Jenkins, debuted at Sundance, and was acquired by art house giant A24 for a ballpark $8 million. It will open in theaters in June and also stars Naomi Ackie and Lucas Hedges. Defying easy categorization is a recurring theme for Victor, who identifies as nonbinary and uses they/she pronouns interchangeably. When I ask if she would prefer to use both of her pronouns in this profile, Victor's olive-green eyes widen. 'Are you allowed ?' she asks. 'Nonbinary for me has always been the space in-between. And that's the thing that people are really uncomfortable with. The idea of, 'I can't totally figure you out.' But it's a huge gift to give to yourself to think you could be more than one thing, that you could be limitless.' Her assessment of what genre Sorry, Baby fits into is similarly expansive. 'Everyone wants a box, don't they?' she says with a laugh. 'I understand why genre exists and I love things that are genre, but I think the film travels on a spectrum of drama and comedy.' Just don't call the film a traumedy. 'Send them to my office,' Victor says of any reviewer who would apply that portmanteau to the film. 'I'll have some words.' Hedges, who plays Agnes's gentle but aimless neighbor, Gavin, recognized the uniqueness of the film when it only existed on the page. 'It reminded me of things I loved, while also feeling like its own thing,' he says. 'I didn't feel like the film was directly following in anyone's footsteps'—mentioning only Kenneth Lonergan, who directed Hedges in Manchester by the Sea, in the same breath—'which is the nature of Eva's charm.' At the core of Sorry, Baby, and from which much of its levity springs, is the friendship between Agnes and her best friend, Lydie, played by Ackie (Blink Twice, Mickey 17). Lydie is Agnes's ride-or-die, a Black lesbian Ted Hughes scholar who acts as a tether to the outside world, keeping Agnes from slipping into a void. 'She comes in and revitalizes Agnes with energy,' Ackie says, comparing Lydie to CPR. 'The friendship exists in the laughter,' is how Victor describes it, and Ackie couldn't agree more. 'One of my favorite scenes is when we're on the couch and we're talking about how guys have sex,' says the London-based actress. 'We tried so many different takes and we made ourselves laugh until we cried.' Lydie is based on a close friend of Victor's, someone they've known since they were a teenager in San Francisco. 'We went to theater camp and then college together,' Victor says. 'She's the person I call every day and who I basically say anything I have to figure out to.' Victor likens that kind of friendship to a 'slow-moving train that's underneath everything.'
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Eva Victor's ‘Sorry, Baby' With Naomi Ackie, Lucas Hedges to Open Edinburgh Film Festival
Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience. Generate Key Takeaways Eva Victor's comedy-drama movie Sorry, Baby is set to open the Edinburgh International Film Festival. The film, starring Naomi Ackie (Mickey 17) and Lucas Hedges (Lady Bird), follows Agnes (Victor) who is on a path of recovery. 'Something bad happened to Agnes, but life goes on…,' a plot synopsis reads. 'For everyone around her, at least. When a beloved friend visits her, Agnes starts to realize just how stuck she has been, and begins to work out how to move forward.' More from The Hollywood Reporter Produced by Adele Romanski, Mark Ceryak and Barry Jenkins (Moonlight), Sorry, Baby premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival, where Victor won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award. The film will be screened as part of Directors' Fortnight at this year's Cannes Film Festival and will be released later this year by A24 in the U.S. and Picturehouse Entertainment in the U.K.. Edinburgh International Film Festival will run Aug. 14-20. 'This is a film that completely floored us,' says EIFF CEO and festival director Paul Ridd. 'It's witty and moving script, and formal confidence is married to heartbreaking performances from a wonderful cast, and it signals Eva Victor as a major talent on screen and behind the camera. The film's fierce, uncompromising spirit and independence perfectly aligns with EIFF, and we are honored to open this year's festival with such a wonderful film.' Added Sara Frain, director of distribution & marketing at Picturehouse: 'The Edinburgh International Film Festival is renowned for its commitment to showcasing distinct new voices in cinema. Eva Victor's Sorry Baby is a shining example of this, marking the emergence of a remarkable talent. We are delighted to be the opening film, serving as a launch pad to bring this unique and sharply humorous film to U.K. audiences.' Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Scotsman
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
'Completely floored us': The Sundance indie film to open Edinburgh International Film Festival
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... An indie film that premiered to critical acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival is to open this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF). Sorry, Baby, starring and written by Eva Victor, will launch the reborn film festival's second edition. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The film, which features supporting performances from Naomi Ackie, who has appeared in Mickey 17, and Lucas Hedges, who was in Lady Bird, saw Ms Victor win the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance. Meanwhile, the production will be screened as part of Directors Fortnight at this year's Cannes Film Festival and will be released later this year by A24 in the US and Picturehouse Entertainment in the UK. Paul Ridd, chief executive and festival director of EIFF, said: 'This is a film that completely floored us. Its witty and moving script and formal confidence is married to heart-breaking performances from a wonderful cast, and it signals Eva Victor as a major talent on screen and behind the camera. 'The film's fierce, uncompromising spirit and independence perfectly aligns with EIFF, and we are honoured to open this year's festival with such a wonderful film.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Ridd was appointed in November 2023 to lead the programming of the festival, which was plunged into crisis two years ago with the collapse of the arts charity behind the event. Sorry, Baby will be the opening film of the EIFF. | Sorry, Baby Sara Frain, director of distribution and marketing at Picturehouse, said: 'The Edinburgh International Film Festival is renowned for its commitment to showcasing distinct new voices in cinema. Eva Victor's Sorry Baby is a shining example of this, marking the emergence of a remarkable talent. We are delighted to be the opening film, serving as a launch pad to bring this unique and sharply humorous film to UK audiences.'
Boston Globe
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Finding hope in surprising places at this year's IFFBoston
Andrea Gibson, left, and Megan Falley in "Come See Me in the Good Light," the opening-night feature at this year's Independent Film Festival Boston. Independent Film Festival Boston Early audiences, White said in a recent telephone interview, have emerged from the theater 'with a big smile, not with tears in their eyes. 'The number one comment we've been hearing is 'I'm going to call my husband-wife-mother-son immediately.' They want to tell that person how much they love them.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The festival's closing night film, 'Sorry, Baby,' also premiered to an enthusiastic reception at Sundance. Shot in and around Ipswich, the film marks the directorial debut of its lead actor, Eva Victor. Advertisement 'Opening with an alum is exciting,' said Brian Tamm, the festival's executive director. 'Closing with a new voice is also exciting. The fact that 'Sorry, Baby' was made locally is extra special.' Tim Robinson, left, and Paul Rudd in "Friendship." Independent Film Festival Boston This year's festival will showcase 15 feature films (including the forthcoming cringe comedy 'Friendship,' starring Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson) and more than 20 feature-length documentaries (including the highly anticipated 'Pavements,' a doc about Advertisement In 'Sorry, Baby,' Victor plays a young woman who has been sexually assaulted by a professor she thought she trusted. 'I am acting a role,' said Victor, who had a recurring part on the Showtime series 'Billions,' on the phone recently. 'It isn't me, but there are elements of her that I feel deeply connected with. 'This person is really struggling with feeling very stuck, trying to heal from something they're still wrapping their mind around.' Agnes, the lead character, may be stuck, but she's also appealingly awkward, and often funny. One of the film's producers is the Oscar-winning director Barry Jenkins ('Moonlight,' 2016), who first became aware of Victor through the 'He was the first person to say to me, 'What you're doing online with your videos is a form of directing,'' she said. ''You just don't know it yet.'' Eva Victor at the Sundance Film Festival in January. Chris Pizzello/Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP Although Victor was born in Paris and grew up in San Francisco, there's a distinct Massachusetts flavor to 'Sorry, Baby.' A cottage at Appleton Farms in Ipswich serves as the protagonist's home. One key scene was filmed at J.T. Farnham's clam shop in Essex. And one of Victor's costars is Lucas Hedges, who had his breakthrough playing a surly teenager in 'Manchester by the Sea' (2016), which Victor calls one of her favorite films. Like that film, 'Sorry, Baby' is immersed in gray. 'It's meant to be a wintry film,' Victor explained. 'It felt like it could lean romance or horror, depending on how you shoot it. I like that versatility.' Advertisement For Tamm and Campbell, it's important to strike a balance between honoring Boston's long history of independent cinema and helping to promote fresh voices in film. The Somerville Theatre is over 100 years old, Tamm noted. The festival's other venues, the Coolidge Corner Theatre and the Brattle Theatre, have been showing movies since the 1930s and 1950s, respectively. 'We do feel part of this continuum,' he said. 'We see ourselves as a kind of caretaker. But you don't want to become calcified, either.' From "Free Leonard Peltier." Independent Film Festival Boston The fact that IFFBoston attracts a younger audience than many comparable film festivals has served it well since its founding, in 2003. This year, both 'Sorry, Baby' and 'Friendship' are distributed by A24, the production company that has become a major player in Hollywood in recent years following its humble beginnings a little over a decade ago. A24 has remained loyal to IFFBoston since those early years. 'We saw A24 like Sub Pop or 4AD,' said Tamm, referring to two independent record labels that developed reputations as aesthetic visionaries in the 1980s and '90s. 'We do kind of share a vision, trying to find that indefinable thing: 'Who's got great stories to tell?'' Other highlights of this year's IFFBoston include the documentaries 'Free Leonard Peltier,' from co-directors Jesse Short Bull and David France; 'Night Fight,' an exploration of race and survival from Tufts professor Khary Saeed Jones; and 'Deaf President Now!,' a documentary from Nyle DiMarco and Davis Guggenheim about a series of historic protests at Gallaudet University, a school for the deaf, in 1988. The festival will also screen 'Zoo,' Frederick Wiseman's 1993 film, as part of the Advertisement From "Zoo." Independent Film Festival Boston Tamm said that opening the festival with 'Come See Me in the Good Light' was an intentional choice — an attempt to prove to audiences that there's plenty to celebrate in a film about someone who may be dying with cancer. 'There's a reason to watch this film, and it's not to wallow in the misery,' he said. 'It's about living in the moment.' 'The secret ingredient in this film is that it's joyful,' White agreed. 'It is sad, but not so sad that sadness has to overtake the humor and joy that we can still find in the limited amount of time that we might have left here on earth.' He'd been asking his friend Tig Notaro — she's the comedian Ryan White and Tig Notaro at the Sundance Film Festival in Vox Media 'When Tig approached us with this idea of her friend who's a poet with cancer, it was like, 'Oh, Tig, that doesn't sound very funny at all.'' But it turned out that the relationship between Gibson, who is a rock-star-level performer, and their longtime partner Megan Falley was ideally suited to the camera. 'The idea that they were going through something so scary, but that they could make a beautiful piece of art out of it, was really attractive to them,' said White. 'It was a magical shoot,' he recalled. 'Meg likes to joke that we made a rom-com.' Worried that they might be racing against the clock, White and his team worked overtime to submit the film to Sundance. When it was accepted, he called Gibson with the good news. Advertisement 'Are you telling me there's a chance I'll actually see this film?,' Gibson asked, sobbing. Gibson is hoping to appear on Zoom for the audience Q&A after the IFFBoston screening. INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL BOSTON April 23-30 at the Somerville, Coolidge Corner, and Brattle theaters. Go to James Sullivan can be reached at .
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
It List guide to Sundance Film Festival: 'Opus,' 'Twinless' and the other movies that had everyone talking
Hello, friends! Welcome to the It List Sundance guide, where I'm sharing my picks for the best of the festival's films. Catch the weekly It List here for the latest releases that we can't wait to watch, stream, listen to, read and binge. This year, 88 films screened at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. The titles ranged from A24-produced Opus to Netflix-acquired Train Dreams. The festival ran between Jan. 23 and Feb. 2. I caught about 15 movies on the ground and 25 at home during the festival's online screening portion. I'm so sad I missed out on The Wedding Banquet and Peter Hujar's Day, but I trust that they'll be available to the general public soon. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. I assigned superlatives to 11 of the best movies I saw, along with some honorable mentions. Get your watch lists ready — I'll walk you through them. What to know: Writer-director Eva Victor stars as an academic facing triumphs and setbacks as she moves past something really, really bad that happened to her. Why I recommend it: Knowing as little as you can about this movie and letting its complexities, sadness and wry humor wash over you is the way to go. It's a smashing debut for Victor, who got their big break posting viral videos on X. How to watch: Sorry, Baby was acquired by A24 at the festival and is 'coming soon.' What to know: Twinless is a story about two men who meet and film an unlikely friendship at a support group for people who have lost a twin. Why I recommend it: I interviewed writer-director-star James Sweeney about the film, and he was hesitant to spill many juicy details. He was extremely complimentary about his co-lead, Dylan O'Brien (of Maze Runner movie fame), who plays two characters with immense distinction and heart. How to watch: Plans for distribution have not yet been announced. Honorable mention: In Oh, Hi!, Logan Lerman is no longer the young star of the Percy Jackson movies — he's the elusive and ever-so-slimy love interest of Molly Gordon's character, who becomes increasingly unhinged trying to ensure that their vacation is perfectly romantic. What to know: An ensemble cast including Alex Wolff and Chloë Sevigny star in this movie that skewers edgy media companies that mine foreign locales for offbeat stories. Moments of sweetness emerge as well, somehow. Why I recommend it: It felt like Girls mixed with the Vice News YouTube channel, which might be the highest praise a millennial can offer. How to watch: Mubi will be releasing the film in 2025. What to know: It's an intense premise: Advertising legend André Ricciardi is dying of cancer because he didn't get a colonoscopy when he should have, and the audience watches that slowly happen. Why I recommend it: I saw many a gut-wrenching documentary at Sundance — that's often the vibe, I hear — but stay with me. You fall in love with Ricciardi as he dies, and the simple procedure he overlooked becomes a necessity to anyone watching. It's his final and most powerful ad campaign, as director Tony Benna told me. How to watch: André Is an Idiot was produced by A24, but plans for distribution have not yet been announced. Honorable mention: Sugar Babies follows a young woman who paid her way through college running an online sugar baby business. The documentary shares so much about what it's like to live in a rural area that offers community where it lacks resources. What to know: This remake of the 1992 musical (which, like the original 1985 movie, is based on the 1976 book) may be its best iteration yet. It stars Tonatiuh as a prisoner recounting stories of his favorite old Hollywood legend (Jennifer Lopez) to his roommate (Diego Luna) to pass the time through wretched conditions. Why I recommend it: On the red carpet, director Bill Condon said he cast Lopez because she's a true diva, which he means as a sincere compliment. This is her best role yet, and I'll be running to the theater to rewatch as soon as it's available. How to watch: Plans for distribution have not yet been announced. What to know: The film follows an American railroad laborer who deals with loss and solitude his whole life. But this is more than a run-of-the-mill bummer of an indie movie — it's a beautiful, sweeping look at survival and coping with grief after a devastating fire, which is more relevant than ever. Why I recommend it: It was written and directed by the same team behind Sing Sing, one of my favorite movies of 2024. If you can find it in your heart to watch something slow and sad, both of these movies will make you better for it. How to watch: Train Dreams was acquired by Netflix at the festival, but a release date has not yet been announced. Honorable mention: Didn't Die is a zombie movie about figuring out how to live through constant loss. I spoke with the film's writer-director, who had just lost her home in the Los Angeles wildfires but came to the festival to support her film anyway. What to know: Ayo Edebiri stars as one of a handful of journalists tapped to go to the compound where a mysterious pop star (John Malkovich) is debuting his first album in decades. Things get weird. Why I recommend it: I saw this one at midnight, where the theater was packed with viewers on the edge of their seats, both for the scares and for Malkovich's shockingly good musical performances. How to watch: Opus is in theaters March 14. Honorable mention: Touch Me follows two co-dependent roommates as they get addicted to the heroinlike touch of an alien cult leader. I came for the brightly colored aesthetics and stayed for the gory practical effects involving tentacles. What to know: A woman struggles to navigate her child's mysterious illness and maintain relationships as her house starts falling apart. She does not get one moment of peace and neither does the audience. Why I recommend it: People will tell you that this is Rose Byrne's best-ever performance, and it is, but don't miss A$AP Rocky and Conan O'Brien in their incredible supporting roles. How to watch: If I Had Legs I'd Kick You will be distributed by A24, but a release date has not yet been announced. What to know: While a move to the countryside tests the strength of their relationship, a couple (played by Alison Brie and Dave Franco) must also contend with something supernatural drawing them ever closer. Why I recommend it: This movie is delightfully gross. I haven't experienced this type of squeal-inducing disgust and glee since The Substance. How to watch: Together was acquired by Neon at the festival and is in theaters Aug. 1. What to know: The movie follows 30-year-old Ricky (Stephan James) as he reenters the free world after being imprisoned as a teenager. Danger lurks at every turn despite Ricky's best intentions. Sheryl Lee Ralph plays against type as his tough parole officer. Why I recommend it: In his introduction at the film's premiere, writer-director Rashad Frett said he's lost many loved ones to recidivism. If more people knew how relevant this movie is, the world would be a better place. How to watch: Plans for distribution have not yet been announced. Honorable mention: Jimpa is every bit as sweet as it is gut-wrenching. Olivia Colman and John Lithgow star as a woman trying to relate to (and make a movie about) her dad, a civil rights icon, as he ages but remains wholly himself. What to know: Alia Shawkat stars as an aspiring actress who takes a gig at a military role-playing facility that simulates life in Iraq for soldiers. Things get wonky when she falls in love. Writer-director Hailey Gates told me on the red carpet that this movie is based on a real-life thing. Why I recommend it: You're as likely to cringe as you are to cry at Sundance, but this movie grasps your emotions with a purpose — to critique war and the ways we interact with it. There's a reason it won the festival's top prize! How to watch: Plans for distribution have not yet been announced. Honorable mention: Lurker follows a fan who infiltrates the inner circle of an up-and-coming artist and sheds light on the messiest (and most cringe-inducing) elements of hard-fought online fame.
