Rockaway (2017 film)

Rockaway is an American 2017 drama directed and written by John J. Budion.[1][2][3]

Rockaway
Directed byJohn J. Budion
Written byJohn J. Budion
Starring
  • Keidrich Sellati
  • Maxwell Apple
  • James DiGiacomo
Music byAaron Gilhuis
CinematographyMatthew Santo
Edited byDenis Henry Hennelly
Release date
  • August 2017 (2017-08) (Rhode Island International Film Festival)
Running time
83 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Plot

Anthony and John are two brothers who are abused by their father. John, the younger brother, suffers from seeing his mother beaten by his father.

They befriend Sal, Billy, Dom and Brian at a basketball court and spend time playing baseball together. John is noticed for his obsession with New York Knicks star, John Starks. They form a close bond.

Anthony and John's mother decides to move away while the two conceive a plan of revenge against their father by slingshotting a light bulb and pushing the boiler towards him. One night, Anthony, John, and their friends watch a Knicks game; their father becomes angry after finding out his refrigerator is empty. Their friends side with the two brothers.

As the story develops, the gang keeps mentioning the movie, Stand By Me. They also mention that John is just like Gordie, the kid who was a talented writer, since John is good at drawing. If Gordie hadn't shot Ace to death, he would never have become a successful writer.

Anthony and Billy have a confrontation, because Billy thinks that Anthony is no different from his father. The night before moving, the boys spend time together at Sal's house watching a Knicks game, without knowing their house is on fire. Anthony and John return to find that their mother has fainted, but Anthony saves her, and later decides to save his father from the basement. However, he fails and is trapped with no way out, resulting in his and his father's deaths.

The boys grieve over Anthony's death. John does not tell them where he goes and never returns.

Twenty years later, an adult John returns to Rockaway East by train, rents a bicycle, and cycles the places where he used to stroll with the gang. He meets Dom who now teaches in high school. He finds out that Brian, Billy and Sal, are fathers.

Cast
  • Keidrich Sellati as young Anthony
  • Maxwell Apple as young John
  • James DiGiacomo as young Dom
  • Tanner Flood as young Brian
  • Colin Critchley as young Sal
  • Harrison Wittmeyer as young Billy
  • Nolan Lyons as Bradley
  • Sophia Rose as Gina
  • Wass Stevens as Dad
  • Marjan Neshat as Mom

Production

Rockaway is the first feature film of director John Budion, who previously worked as a visual effects artist and director for television commercials. Filming took place in July 2016, with most of the shooting taking place in East Rockaway, New York.[4][5]

Release

Rockaway debuted at the Rhode Island International Film Festival in August 2017.[6] After showing at festivals in 2017 and 2018, winning 9 awards including several Best Feature Film awards, the film landed a distribution deal with Gravitas Ventures and officially released worldwide in 2019.[7] The film also attained a theatrical distributor and release with Paladin, opening at the Village East Cinema in New York City on January 11, 2019.

References
  1. Richard Brody (January 11, 2019). "What to Stream This Weekend: 'Rockaway', a Boy's Stark and Moving Tale of Surviving Domestic Violence". The New Yorker. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  2. Joshua Speiser (January 18, 2019). "Rockaway". Film Threat. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  3. Nick Allen (January 11, 2019). "Rockaway Movie Review & Film Summary (2019)". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved August 4, 2019.
  4. Nick Ciccone (July 6, 2016). "East Rockaway native directs coming-of-age film in his hometown". LIHerald.com. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  5. Rafer Guzmán (July 27, 2018). "LI director relives his childhood with 'Rockaway'". Newsday. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  6. Mike Smollins (August 3, 2017). "Local director's film about growing up in East Rockaway to premiere at international film festival". LIHerald.com. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
  7. Mike Smollins (January 31, 2019). "East Rockaway director's 'Rockaway' shows around the world after distribution deal". LIHerald.com. Retrieved August 27, 2019.
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