Despite getting a warm reception at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival, AWOL struggled to break out of the festival circuit. It’s a low-budget lesbian romance, after all, and it’s still assumed that these films only appeal to niche markets. Historically, there was good reason to think that. These movies were often limited in scope, with the central romance the only thing propping up some lackluster filmmaking. If you weren’t starved for some sort of representation, there was little reason to seek them out.
Nowadays, though, bigger movies are taking on LGBTQ storylines, clearing the way for smaller films like AWOL to dig into textured scenarios. If the romance isn’t enough to entice you, perhaps its look at the generational divide that formed as acceptance rose and rural economic depression will get your attention. Take your pick, really, because the trailer to AWOL shows that there’s quite a bit going on.
Director and co-writer Deb Shoval expanded on her short of the same name to make the film, keeping star Breeda Wool in the same role and picking up Lola Kirke before she appeared in films like Gone Girl and Mistress America. The film is set in the same area Shoval grew up in, and the promise of a detailed world and strong performances could lift AWOL out of the niche marketplace.
AWOL is directed by Deb Shoval and stars Lola Kirke and Breeda Wool. In will be released in the U.S. and U.K. online and on demand on May 23rd, 2017. For international release dates, click here.
Is there enough to entice you in this trailer for AWOL? Let us know in the comments!
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