Tribeca Film Festival 2022 Report 2: CHERRY & NEXT EXIT

With the second report, I dive into two female-directed feature debuts and each is memorable for their own unique reasons. This year’s festival hasn’t let me down yet, and I’m happy to share that streak has continued.

Cherry (Sophie Galibert)

When we first meet Cherry (Alex Trewhitt) her world is completely upended by the appearance of two distinct pink lines. This unexpected pregnancy reroutes the roller-skating twenty-five-year-old who seems aimless in her work and relationship, uncertain about so much in life, and yet she is about to make one of the toughest choices of all.

Cherry goes to the doctor (in a delightfully funny scene) and confirms it’s true. What are her choices? There are only two that she feels work for her, and she only has 24 hours to decide if she doesn’t want to keep the child. This is a thoughtful, gentle musing on the pressure of a woman unexpectedly finding herself in a difficult spot.

In many ways an important and timely film, it is one that should be had as women’s rights should always be a topic of convo. Cherry does so in a way that mixes cheeky humor with drama and the visual splendor of the city in a condensed fashion. Often, the cinematography soaks up LA, with shots of her skating through, clearly ponderous and free which works to be especially moving.

She’s the essence of youth, her position at first is at a costume shop doing balloon tricks on the sidewalk. Her boyfriend is a DJ with big dreams. Her older sister is concerned about her ability to conceive which puts even more pressure on an already impossible choice. The character of Cherry is likable and wonderfully relatable, and Trewhitt gives us a quirky, disarmingly charming protagonist.

There’s a lot of humor worked throughout, even if it’s used in menial ways. This is definitely a thought-provoking topic, so the balance is definitely key. Cherry even in its fault takes this topic on sensitively, with a truncated time for a decision, she’s got to figure out what is best for her. This isn’t a story that hasn’t been done before, and while Cherry doesn’t exactly change the conversation, it does allow it to continue. Rightfully so. It’s got a breezy runtime, a slim 96 minutes, that makes each moment calculable as she considers her choice. There’s a lot that isn’t felt, isn’t explored. When you’re dealing with a specific timeframe it makes each scene that much more palpable, and here, Cherry struggles.

She also has a position as a roller girl that seems to be timely and open to a big opportunity. This will either play into her ultimate choice or just be a sacrifice she makes. Isn’t that what many women face? The decision to give themselves to another, before they’ve been done so to themselves?

The biggest strength of the film is its lead, (Alex Trewhitt) who seems truly upended, in every way, making this monumental conclusion even more pointed. Her explorations though this time, be it at a doctor’s office, confronting the father, or engaging her own who has been disconnected; her contemplation is evident.

It is a source of drama that will sit with you, and even in its thinly portrayed moments it still gives a viable perspective on something that many face, daily. For that reason alone, Cherry is a watch that will stir, ruminate and make one ponder on the decisions we make and the consequences they have. The film begins and ends with Cherry giving out balloons. The difference? In the last shot, she’s much more confident in herself.

At the end of the day, be confident in your truth. With a charming lead at the center executed in a delicate and offbeat vision, Cherry shows natural Galibert‘s gift as a filmmaker.

Next Exit (Mali Elfman)

What if there was scientific proof of the afterlife? At the start of Next Exit, Mali Elfman‘s stellar directorial debut, we see a video of a boy playing cards with his deceased father (well, more of a shadowy presence). From here we learn the story that starts the crux of the film, as Dr. Stevenson (Karen Gillan) speaks to research she is doing to further this, which is quite controversial.

In this alternate view of reality, people can volunteer to be subjects and pass on, through assisted suicide. This is where we meet our two leads, each with their own reasonings for wanting to be participants. Part road trip, sci-fi/horror, drama with dark comedy, this is an amalgamation that is not only woven successfully, but with a brutal, brilliant honesty. Rose (Katie Parker) and Teddy (Rahul Kohli) have appointments a couple of days apart but arrive at the car rental place at the same time, and one has a credit card and the other a valid license, seems like fate, yeah? They unexpectedly need each other, in more ways than one.

There are some road trip movie tropes that are done in a fashion that isn’t tiresome but instead renewed. Each of the characters is humorous, and frustrating in their own distinct ways. From the start they are bickering, with Rose especially ornery, but their shared experiences on the road to the end shift them from unlikely cohorts to a key they each need to break free of their chains.

On the way to the destination, they come across some interesting characters, work through some familial disconnects, and check off some of the things they’ve never done. The screenplay takes on many faces at once, each distinct, and for some, this may be a lot for a film to try and juggle, but I found it was refreshing that it was able to do so with such skill. Both Parker and Kohli are exceptional, with terrific chemistry and an endearing screen presence. The pain they are holding to is felt in every exchange, but as they spend more time together a lot of their initial guards start to lower, as they confront their past, and their relationship evolves into something deep and meaningful.

The cinematography is wonderful, bringing us along on this trip as a third passenger, a specter watching over them. While this is a “ghost story” in theory (many, such as Rose, see them) it’s truly about life. Mali Elfman writes the screenplay and that plays with wit and wields emotion in equal hand. There are questions that aren’t answered, but even when things feel a little mismatched, and plenty of things unknown, what comes through with ample parts of heart and humor is humanity.

Next Exit manages to be both transportive and yet also grounded – a difficult construct to balance but it does. There are some haunting moments, others beautiful, existing in the place that shows the fragility of life.

It’s about being found again, seen by another and yourself. This is definitely a film that blew me away, taking us through a dark tunnel and into the light again. It can feel pretty bleak at times, but I feel like hope is grown over the course of the trip. This is definitely a great opportunity to showcase Elfman‘s talent and further reason for us to be looking at Katie Parker and Rahul Kohli as the stars they are. With stunning performances, and intriguing concepts and characters, Next Exit is one not to miss.

Both Cherry and Next Exit premiered at Tribeca Film Festival 2022!