Eephus
| Eephus | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Carson Lund[1] |
| Screenplay by |
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| Produced by |
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| Cinematography | Greg Tango |
| Edited by | Carson Lund |
| Music by |
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Production companies |
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Release dates | |
Running time | 98 minutes |
| Countries | |
Eephus is a 2024 sports film directed by Carson Lund about the final game of an amateur New England baseball league before their stadium is demolished. The film debuted at the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, where it was eligible for the Caméra d'Or award.[1]
Premise
[edit]In a small Massachussetts town in the 1990s, the Adler's Paint baseball team, led by Ed Mortainian, face the Riverdogs, led by Graham Morris, in one last game before their stadium is demolished to make room for a new school.[2][4]
Cast
[edit]- Keith William Richards as Ed Mortanian
- Frederick Wiseman as Branch Moreland
- Cliff Blake as Franny
- Ray Hryb as Rich Cole
- Bill "Spaceman" Lee as Lee
- Stephen Radochia as Graham Morris
- David Pridemore as Troy Carnahan
- Keith Poulson as Derek Dicapua
- John Smith Jr. as John Faiella
- Pete Minkarah as Glen Murray
- Wayne Diamond as Al
- Theodore Bouloukos as Chuck Poleen
- Joe Castiglione
- David Pridemore
- David Torres Jr.
- Nate Fisher
- Chris Goodwin
- Pete Minkarah
- Conner Marx
- Russell J. Gannon
- Brendan "Crash" Burt
- Tim Taylor Ethan Ward
- Jeff Saint Dic
- Patrick Garrigan
- Ari Brisbon
- Johnny Tirado
- Joe Penczak
- Paul Kandarian
- Lou Basta
- Timber Holmes
Production
[edit]Eephus was filmed on location at Soldiers Field in Douglas, Massachusetts. While the film's story centers on this real-life baseball field, the plot concerning the demolition of the field and the construction of a school was fictional. Lund cited Goodbye, Dragon Inn as an influence on the film's story.[5]
Lund co-wrote the screenplay for Eephus with Michael Basta and Nate Fisher. Due to his experience as a director of photography, Lund had hoped to serve as cinematographer on the film, but chose Greg Tango for the role when this proved impractical.[5]
Release
[edit]Eephus premiered on 9 May 2024 during the Director's Fortnight section of the Cannes Film Festival.[2] The film also screened during Filmfest München and was selected for the Main Slate of the 2024 New York Film Festival.[3][6]
Reception
[edit]Critical reception
[edit]On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 11s critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.4/10.[7]
In a review for IndieWire, critic Christian Zilko praised how Eephus approached social relationships between men. He lauded the filmmakers' choice to make a school the cause of the stadium's demolition, arguing this decision takes the focus off of a potential villain eroding social space and keeps the emphasis on the passage of time.[6] Echoing these sentiments, Jessica Kiang of Variety characterized Eephus as an "adorably existential, off-kilter take on the sports movie."[2]
Accolades
[edit]| Award | Ceremony date | Category | Recipient | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannes Film Festival | 25 May 2024 | Camera d'Or | Eephus | Nominated | [1] |
| Filmfest München | 06 July 2024 | Cinevision Competition | Nominated | [3] |
See also
[edit]- Eephus pitch, the baseball pitch from which the film takes its name
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Eephus". Quinzaine des cinéastes. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d Kiang, Jessica. "'Eephus' Review: A Wry and Lovely Baseball Movie That Pitches Slowballs of Quiet Wisdom". Variety. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ a b c "Eephus". Filmfest München. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ Zilko, Christian. "'Eephus' Review: Not Even Beer League Baseball Is Spared the Cruel Passage of Time". Indiewire. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ a b Goi, Leonardo. ""I've Always Been Interested in Making My Own Version of Goodbye Dragon Inn: Director Carson Lund on His Cannes-Premiering Eephus". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ a b Lattanzio, Ryan. "NYFF Reveals Main Slate: Sean Baker, Mike Leigh, Brady Corbet Join Lineup". Indiewire. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ "Eephus". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 6 August 2024.