*This week at the Sundance Film Festival, EUR correspondent Fahnia Thomas spoke to “First Date” lead Tyson Brown and (one of the directors) Manuel Crosby about the script, auditions and their dating experience. Click here to watch!
About The Film: Mike (Tyson Brown), a high school kid with a crush, finally summons the courage to ask Kelsey (Shelby Duclos) out on a date. With a date but no wheels, Mike borrows money and gets duped into buying a clunker ’65 Chrysler. Although many a first date goes awry, Mike’s swiftly descends into a surreal misadventure that finds him inexplicably targeted by a pair of cops, a criminal gang, and a vengeful cat lady – with all roads leading to a showdown.
“First Date” is a purely entertaining throwback, billed by newcomer directing duo Crosby and Darren Knapp as a dark comedy and coming-of-age thriller (“Superbad” meets “True Romance”). As an ode to the bygone movies of the directors’ youth, the film takes unexpected turns through a mishmash of genres without losing its way, deftly balancing tone and playfully reimagining the collision of teenage incorruptibility and real-world cynicism.
Meet the Artists: Growing up in Valley Springs, California, Manuel Crosby discovered filmmaking around age twelve and has since written, directed, shot, edited, and produced numerous projects. While volunteering at Calaveras County Public Access TV during college summer vacation, he became friends with Darren Knapp. The two have been making movies with mutual friends ever since. He currently resides in Northern California.
An independent filmmaker for 22 years, Darren Knapp has made several short films with credits including cinematography, editing, writing, directing and producing. Over the years, he has collaborated with his sister, Brenda Norris, and longtime friends Lucky McKee, Kevin Ford, James Miller, Manuel Crosby, and Jammes Luckett. He currently resides in Valley Springs, California, where he was born and raised.
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