We saw Bereave at the 2015 Sarasota Film Festival & were impressed with the quality of the film. There was an intensity of purpose that came though in this film that is supported by the spirit of an independent project. The directors, the Giovanis brothers, together with acting leads, Malcolm McDowell and Jane Seymour, spent years bringing this project to fruition and the effort has paid off with a moving film they can and should be proud of.
Well and evenly cast, this is the sort of humanistic story that one hopes we will see more often, as the industry seems more & more inclined to lean on FX & CGI & less on story lines & superior acting, which this film has in spades. Jane Seymour & director Giovanis appeared at the festival for a post film discussion, which highlighted the difficulties of producing a small, quality project such as this. Her acting performance was strong & nuanced, a credit to her career, plus kudos to her for executive producing. Malcolm McDowell, also an executive producer, was astonishing in his role as Garvey, Seymour's husband. Fleshed out as an intense, bewildered man at the end of a privileged life, this is the sort of performance that deserves award recognition.
The remainder of the cast were believable, & professional, sometimes quixotic, such as Keith Carradine as Garvey's brother & Rachel Eggleston as Cleo, gives one of the best child acting performances to be seen in recent films.
Let's hope Bereave gets picked up & distributed so it can receive the recognition it deserves.
