Midnight Delight (film)

Midnight Delight is an American absurdist anthology film written and directed by Rohit Gupta. It is composed of nine vignettes of characters at a smoking lounge and their antics with people they have never met before. It stars an ensemble cast and produced by Gupta and Saumin Mehta under the production company Dot and Feather Entertainment.[1][2] The film is the second feature directed by Gupta, best known for Life! Camera Action... and Another Day Another Life.[3]

Midnight Delight
Movie Poster
Directed byRohit Gupta
Produced byRohit Gupta
Saumin Mehta
Written byRohit Gupta
Starring
Music byZaher Akahshli
Cinematography
  • Joshua Echevarria
  • Monika Kolodziej
Edited by
  • Rohit Gupta
  • Saumin Mehta
  • Michael Lester
Production
company
Dot and Feather Entertainment
Release date
  • 21 July 2016 (2016-07-21)
United States
Running time
85 minutes
Country
  • United States
LanguageEnglish

Midnight Delight premiered at the Cannabis Film Festival in Garberville, Humboldt County, California, where it won the "Judges Choice film of the festival" award followed by garnering various accolades and acclaim at several international film festivals.[4][5] The film is considered part of the mumblecore movement.[6] It was released on July 21, 2016, via video on demand (VOD) on various platforms including iTunes, Amazon.com, Google Play, Sony, Hoopla, Vimeo, Microsoft Movies & TV, Xbox.[7][8] Midnight Delight is noted for its realism, concept and narrative style.[9] On October 31, 2016 the film premiered at The Cannabis College in Amsterdam, Netherlands.[10][11]

Plot

Midnight Delight is an American anthology film set in a smoking lounge. It features nine vignettes of comedy, wit and reality that follows strangers in high spirits, crossing paths during nights of exploration. These curious visitors reflect on daily existence, societal curiosities, and along the way demystify the status quo conversing about various topics. Discussion includes topics varying from “why do we talk” to “what do models eat”, “if water makes us fat”, to “if dolphins could be the reason for the inception of the entire universe or its destruction” moving to even hats, moisturizer, maths, infinity, working out at the gym, dating games and health supplements.[12][13]

Vignettes composition as follows:

High how are you

Features Michael Laguerre, John Crann (topics include hats, moisturizer).[3]

Awakening

Features Dipti Mehta, Rachel Myers (topics include maths, infinity).[3][14]

Epiphanation

Features Shaheed Woods, Michele Ann Suttile (topics include Why do we talk, What do models eat, If water makes us fat, dolphins).[3]

Alone Together

Features Adit Dileep, Sofia Siva (topics include courting insights)

Still here?

Features Michael Laguerre, John Crann.[3]

Hi...?

Features Bill McCrea, Maggie Alexander (as personal trainers.)[3]

How high are you

Features Michael Laguerre, John Crann.[3]

Introspecting

Features Joshua E.[3]

illusion or Reality

Features Michael Laguerre, Alexandra Hellquist as an aspiring actress.[3][15]

Cast
  • Shaheed Woods
  • Alexandra Hellquist
  • Dipti Mehta
  • Michael Laguerre
  • John Crann
  • Maggie Alexander
  • Michele Suttile
  • Rachel Myers
  • Michael Lester
  • Bill E. McCrea
  • Adit Dileep
  • Sofia Sivan

Production

Filming

Midnight Delight has been shot as an improvisatory movie with minimalist techniques and only few pages of treatment for a script. Instead of a script, the actors received outlines, which covered the plot points and were told what had to happen. It is considered part of the mumblecore movement.[2][6]

Marketing

The first official poster and teaser-trailer was released on the film's Facebook page on February 21, 2015. The extended version of the trailer was released on September 16, 2015.[16][17]

Soundtrack

The score for Midnight Delight features two original songs.

No.TitleWriter(s)Artist(s)Length
1."I Get High" (Theme Song)FiloFilo4:07
2."I Hold"SivuSivu featuring Marika Hackman3:46

Release

The film was released on July 21, 2016 through video on demand.

Reception

The film opened at the Cannabis Film Festival in Humboldt county, California where the jury stated "Watching Midnight Delight is like smoking a cinematic joint".[18] At its Washington State premiere at the Hempapalooza Music & Film Festival it was stated, "Midnight Delight is a pure cinematic aphrodisiac that brings a completely new and fresh take on cannabis-based movies and culture”.[2][19][20]

Critical response

The film received positive reviews. In his review for The Daily Public, Michael Faust compared Midnight Delight to the film Coffee and Cigarettes directed by Jim Jarmusch, noting an analogy between the former's themes with respect to coffee and cigarettes and the latter's with respect to cannabis. He stated, "Midnight Delight is what Jim Jarmusch’s Coffee and Cigarettes might have looked like had his chatting couples been smoking pot instead of tobacco". Faust concluded it is "more likeable than tedious".[21] Eric Fetterman, in his review for Bro Knows Movies delivered a positive review giving the film 4 stars out of 5. Noting Midnight Delight for its realism, he said, "The performances don't really feel like performances at all". He further added, "Comprised of 9 vignettes, the result is surprisingly exhilarating." Fetterman also drew comparison of the film's narrative style with Garry Marshall films concluding "Midnight Delight feels like a much better, more surreal Garry Marshall film, all about pot, and the amusing encounters of real life strangers".[9][22]

Daniel Libby of DopeChef was enthusiastic, rating the film four stars out of four. Libby suggested "Midnight Delight might be called a part stoner comedy, part philosophical dialogue on life. Through a series of vignettes featuring interwoven conversations, the characters have cannabis sessions and real stuff comes out" and that the film has something for everyone: "Viewers are sure to relate to at least one of the various characters or stoner-types. There’s something for everyone in the cannabis community. This movie is sure to delight audiences".[23]

Awards and nominations
Location Festival/Award Category Recipients and nominees Result
USA Accolade Film Awards[24][25] Award of Merit for Feature Film[26] Midnight Delight Won
Award of Merit for Best Lead Actor Michael Laguerre Won
USA Buffalo Dreams Film Festival Best Comedy feature[27] Midnight Delight Nominated
USA Cannabis Film Festival Judges Choice Film of the Festival Midnight Delight Won
United States Camp Cult Classics Film Festival[28] Classics award[29][30] Midnight Delight Won
Manila, Philippines iChill International Film Festival 2016 Most Controversial Film[31] Midnight Delight Nominated
USA 21st Indie Gathering international Film Festival Drama-Comedy feature[2][32] Midnight Delight Won
Milan, Italy International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema Best Lead Actress[33] Alexandra Hellquist Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Dipti Mehta[14] Nominated

Selected Official Selection & Screening
  • Blowup Chicago International Art House Film Festival, 'Experimental Einstein award' category, US.[34]
  • Cabo Verde Int. Film Festival 2016, 'Best Film' category, Sal, Cape Verde.[35]
  • Fantasmagorical (Fandom Fest) Film Festival, 'Fantasy Feature', US.[36]
  • Frack Fest Oklahoma City Underground Film Festival, US.[35]
  • Golden Door Film Festival, US[37]
  • Hempapalooza Music & Film Festival, US.
  • Hong Kong Art House Film Festival, 'Underground Film', Hong Kong.[38]
  • iChill International Film Festival 2016, Manila, Philippines.
  • 21st Indie Gathering int. Film Festival, 'Drama-Comedy', US.
  • Sydney World Film Festival, 'Experimental Film', Australia.[7]

See also

References
  1. Pasquine, Frank (February 24, 2015). "NYFA Grad Rohit Gupta releases teaser trailer for 'Midnight Delight'". New York Film Academy. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  2. "'Midnight Delight' wins big at the Cannabis Film Festival". The Times of India. May 9, 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  3. IA, Reporter (1 September 2016). ""Cannabis based movies do well, both critically and commercially," Rohit Gupta". IA Sydney, Australia. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  4. Rough, Lisa (April 28, 2015). "The Cannabis Film Festival: A Feast For the Eyes, the Soul, and the Cannabis Movement". Leafly. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  5. "'Midnight Delight' Wins Award at Cannabis Film Festival". India West. May 13, 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  6. Ferrari, Alex. "How Mumblecore Films Are Changing the Hollywood Landscape". Indie Film Hustle. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  7. Bakshi, Anuraddha (17 July 2016). "Rohit Gupta's comedy Midnight Delight to release worldwide July 21, 2016". Pandolin. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  8. S, Vipul (16 July 2016). "Rohit Gupta's Midnight Delight to release worldwide July 21, 2016". GlamGold. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  9. Fetterman, Erik (November 13, 2016). "Movie Review - Midnight Delight". Bro Knows Movies. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  10. The Cannabis, College, Amsterdam (24 October 2016). "Midnight Delight - Amsterdam premiere". evensi, Netherlands. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  11. Bergman, Derrick (26 October 2016). "Screening van de film Midnight Delight en Q&A sessie met regisseur Rohit Gupta". Voc Nederlands. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  12. "California to enjoy Midnight Delight". Urban Asian. April 30, 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  13. IW Staff, Reporter (18 August 2016). "'Midnight Delight' Wins Best Drama-Comedy Award at International Indie Gathering Film Fest". IW. Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  14. M, Roopa (28 November 2016). "Dipti Mehta nominated for Best Supporting Actress in Milan, Italy". Urban Asian. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  15. Modha, R (28 September 2016). "Alexandra Hellquist wins Best Actress award for the film 'Midnight Delight' at an International Film Awards event" (Featured). UA. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
  16. Ahuja, Charu. "Midnight Delight First Look" (March 12, 2015). Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  17. "Teaser-Trailer released for comedy flick Midnight Delight". TOI. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  18. https://www.dinafem.org/en/news/cannabis-film-festival-oscars-marijuana/
  19. Modha, Roopa (June 16, 2015). "Midnight Delight to set tone at Olympic Peninsula" (Featured). Urban Aisan. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  20. Bermant, Charlie (June 20, 2015). "Brinnon's Hempapalooza celebrates, explores 'cannabis culture'". Peninsula Daily News. Retrieved 22 June 2015.
  21. Faust, Michael (1 November 2016). "Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival Preview". The Public. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  22. Fetterman, Erik (14 November 2016). "Review From The 2016 Buffalo Dreams Fantastic Film Festival In One Place". Bro knows Movies. Retrieved 14 November 2016.
  23. Libby, Daniel (27 November 2016). "Movie Review: Midnight Delight". DopeChef. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  24. M, Roopa (June 17, 2016). "Midnight Delight wins six awards in Accolade Global Film Competition!" (Featured). Urban A. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  25. "Awards of Recognition Accolade Film Awards 2016". Accolade Global Film Competition. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  26. "Award of Merit Accolade Film Awards 2016". Accolade Global Film Festival. Retrieved 17 June 2016.
  27. "Nominations 2016". BDFFF.
  28. Roopa, Mooda (1 March 2016). "Stoner film Midnight Delight features for eight million viewers". Urban Asian. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  29. "Winners Announced 2016". campcultclassicsfest.com. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  30. Modha, R (April 5, 2016). "Midnight Delight wins Classics award at the 2016 Camp Cult Classics Film Festival!". Urban Asian. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  31. Modha, Roopa (11 Aug 2016). "Rohit Gupta's Midnight Delight is the Most Controversial Film". Urban Asian. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  32. Bakshi, Annuradha (16 Aug 2016). "Midnight Delight picks up Best Drama-Comedy award". Pandolin. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  33. Modha, Roopa (28 November 2016). "Actress Alexandra Hellquist nominated for the Best Lead Actress Award for the comedy Midnight Delight". Urban Asian. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
  34. "Official Selections 2015". BU Art House Fest. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  35. Modha, R (6 October 2016). "Midnight Delight to delight audiences at multiple international festivals!". UA Featured. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  36. M, Roopa (12 July 2016). "Film festival favorite, Midnight Delight, to 'light' up your world with July 21, 2016 release!". Urban Asian. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  37. M, Roopa (18 September 2015). "Film Midnight Delight to premiere in New Jersey!". Urban Asian. Retrieved 28 September 2015.
  38. "Midnight Delight bags six awards in Accolade Global Film Competition". Indusage, Sydney Australia. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
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