During a cold winter day in the city of Milwaukee, we follow Vic (Chris Galust), a young American-Russian immigrant who works as the driver of a transport vehicle for disabled people. We are parachuted into his fast-paced routine which is shaped by the clients he needs to drive into different parts of town and no two days are the same. The audience is taken for a wild ride punctuated by mishaps and the endless lateness that ensue. As Vic tries to accommodate everyone around him, the weight of an exhausting schedule that is almost impossible to fulfill falls back on his shoulders. Accompanied by a friendly con man (Maxim Stoyanov), a group of mourning Eastern European babushkas and old-timers (including his own grandfather), a fierce young woman with ALS (Lauren “Lolo” Spencer), Vic journeys through a town suffering from segregation and the obvious lack of resources of a collapsing system.
Filmmaker Kirill Mikhanovsky (Sonhos de Peixe) takes to the big screen this story inspired partly by his own experience as a medical transport driver. He has surrounded himself with talented actors that bring a definite authenticity to the entire plot and all the incredible situations occurring. The fast-paced and anxiety-inducing montage and camera movements are enhanced by a musical score that keeps the viewers riveted to Vic and his emotions. Despite the unfortunate and sometimes dramatic events, Give Me Liberty is definitely a comedy as dramatic themes are addressed in a humorous way and people are depicted simply as they are. Precisely because of this, comic and tender moments arise, as well as others of tension and violence, in this wild ride through the freezing streets of this Wisconsin town. The film was recently awarded the Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award (an honor that Trey Edward Shults had received for Krisha in 2015), and newcomers Galust and Spencer were both nominated for their incredible performance.
2019: Sundance Film Festival
2019: Cannes Film Festival – Quinzaine des réalisateurs
2019: Independent Spirit Awards – Nominated for Best Supporting Female, Male Lead, Editing and John Cassavetes Award
Year: 2019 Runtime: 124 min Country: USA Direction: Kirill Mikhanovsky Screenplay: Alice Austen, Kirill Mikhanovsky Cinematography: Wyatt Garfield OST: Evgueni Galperine Cast: Lauren 'Lolo' Spencer, Maxim Stoyanov, Chris Galust Genre: Comedy Language: VOSE Subtitles: Pascale Trencia Contact: Wild Bunch