On the eve of the release of Spike Lee’s next joint ("Chi-Raq") comes news that an indie feature he executive produced will be getting a one-week exclusive theatrical run, opening Friday, December 11th, in NYC, at the Made in NY Media Center in IFP Screen Forward.
Titled "Cronies," the drama made its world premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival in its NEXT <=> section. From director and screenwriter Michael Larnell, the film follows Louis (George Sample III) and Jack (Zurich Buckner), 2 young men who’ve been friends since childhood, who find that friendship challenged, with the introduction of Andrew (Brian Kowalski), a new friend of Louis’.
From Sundance’s writeup on the film: "In his first feature, writer/director/producer Michael J. Larnell catches a universal moment, then makes it completely and utterly his own. The three young actors crackle with energy—kinetic, potential, everything—their moves and words curved by the distinctive lope of urban St. Louis. Growing up is something we do on our own, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do it next to someone we love."
As noted, the film is executive produced by Spike Lee.
Michael Larnell, a native of St. Louis, Missouri, is a New York based writer, director and producer. He is currently an MFA candidate at NYU’s graduate film program on a Dean’s Fellow and Kanbar Television scholarship. He has directed over 20 documentary and short films since he started his filmmaking journey six years ago.
From his director statement: "I have always had an interest in showing the difficulty and awkwardness of young men expressing their love for one another. The simplicity of childhood friendship becomes complicated as old friends develop new relationships, and the tension and competition, resulting from these growing pains is real. In hindsight, it’s also funny and enlightening. I wrote ‘Cronies’ to tell a different story of male friendship – one that was rooted in love, enriched with my own experiences, and brightened by the universal humor inherent in growing pains."
To pre-purchase tickets, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ifp-screen-forward-presents-cronies-tickets-19640705880.
A trailer for "Cronies" is embedded below:
