S.O.S distress calls, fantasy escape from trauma, and forever wars that need to be fought all swirl together in “Mayday,” a dreamy and surreal new feminist fairy tale and revenge film that debuted at the Sundance Film Festival this week. The feature-length filmmaking debut of writer/director Karen Cinorre, “Mayday” centers on Ana, a young woman who is mysteriously transported to an otherworldly and dangerous island. Upon her rescue, she is recruited into a murderous army of girls engaged in an endless conflict that lies between a treacherous ocean and a jagged coastline. And we’ve got the first look at the film exclusively (see below).
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The coming-of-age tale stars Grace Van Patten (“The Meyerowitz Stories,” “Under the Silver Lake”) and Mia Goth (“Suspiria,” “Nymphomaniac: Vol. II”) with a supporting cast that includes Stephanie Sokolinski “Soko” (“Her,” “Augustine”) Havana Rose Liu (“Girls Will Be”) Juliette Lewis (“Natural Born Killers,” “Cape Fear”) and Théodore Pellerin (“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”).
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Some terrific collaborators work behind the scenes to create its dreamlike mood, including cinematographer Sam Levy (“Lady Bird,” “Frances Ha,” also a producer on “Mayday) and composer Colin Stetson (“Hereditary,” “The Rover”).
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Here’s the official synopsis:
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An unusual storm is approaching, and it’s about to change everything for Ana (Grace Van Patten). After a short circuit at her workplace mysteriously transports her to an alternate world, she meets a crew of female soldiers caught in an endless war. Along a strange and rugged coastline, men face the stark truth lurking behind damsels who appear to be in distress. Under the leadership of Marsha (Mia Goth), Ana trains as a sharpshooter and discovers a newfound freedom in this uninhibited sisterhood. She soon senses she may not be the ruthless killer they expect, though, and time is running out for her to find a path home. Unafraid of pushing cinematic boundaries, writer-director Karen Cinorre blurs genres and draws us into the unique realm of her debut, where possibilities multiply, and women take control of their own destinies. Both a feminist fever dream and an ambitious reimagining of a war film, MAYDAY detonates expectations to question where empowerment truly lies.
“Mayday” doesn’t have theatrical distribution yet, but it’s the exact kind of acquisition title that should be hotly contested over. Below, a Playlist exclusive, and the first look at the film.
Follow along with all of our coverage of this year’s Sundance Film Festival here.
