KinoTopia 064: The Sweet East (Sean Price Williams, 2023)
A film as art, as entertainment, film as film, for the love of cinema
The Sweet East
Sean Price Williams
DCP Courtesy: Static Vision
Classification: MA15+
The Sweet East is screening at Nova, Lido and the Pivot in Geelong from today
Words by Armani Hollindale
Few people are making things I am eager to consume. Approaching my third watch of Sean Price William’s The Sweet East – I am here more so to understand what keeps drawing me back. Sweetness. Yes. Sweetness… We’re always shopping for something that sticks. To justify the experience. A tagline is more important now than ever before. I read:
“Sean Price Williams (cinematographer – Good Time) makes his directorial debut with a hilarious surrealist odyssey across the east coast of contemporary America”
Firsts always behold something precious in their ambition. Like an author’s debut novel, the film is revealing of eager artistry. Experiments, ever more vulnerable, in this - tangible. Pure. With the same intensity, critic Nick Pinkerton pours his lifetime of experience into his first screenplay. The filmmakers, as best friends, return to ‘the world viewed’ with a frivolous expedition built on the insistence just to make something - consolidating a world of passion. As their unimpaired infancy uncoils – audiences are charmed by wonder and ridicule.
The Sweet East wastes little time in pursuit of the essential ingredients of early surrealism. A teenage girl named Lillian Wade is the centre of desire; characters appear at her allure and vanish to absurd coincidence. Earnest attempts at traditional filmmaking techniques carry Lillian into every new excess; cocaine snorting party monsters, clay model houses and cartoon animations… she stands in a painting on a precipice. In satisfying feature length, each act is in arms-reach of the next, carrying itself with comical speed.
As no surprise, Sean exposes the lens in such a way which captures a sensation. Goosebumps rise in a rapid fire of dialogue—the camera cuts between two rolls of film, focusing, getting closer. A fanciful dreamscape, violent and tender, with just enough intellectual stimulation and pop culture that you’re never too far from the core.
Eyes peer into the lens and beg you share this state of bliss one has with themselves. When you’re alone, there is nothing to hide. The screen becomes a two-way mirror and soon we’re lost in this vast intuition of eternal events. With every watch you find another mirror. And with such intimacy comes transparency, revealing the affection between filmmaker and character, a pleasure of which we are invited to share.
In the same way dreams compensate for the days sorrow and dejection, the film reads itself aloud and gives us the strength to survive. Williams and Pinkerton together have a tight grasp on true storytelling – showcasing a succinct illusion to our current era and a complete devotion to it. In a perfect unity of nature, nostalgia, premonition, desire and fame – they galvanise the adventure story with new demands, without looking left or right.
And yes, in more or less classical exercises, Lillian, like the rest of us, is troubled by herself only; moments of insolent luxury repeatedly lend themselves to redundancy. Action passes and too, forgives immoral tendencies - comforting the viewer. The present lasts no longer than the time it takes to reach the memory. A dice thrown across the east coast of America will never annul chance! Bliss and torment are both within your reach.
A film as art, as entertainment, film as film, for the love of cinema; capturing the unknowingness, the interminable despair one has in deciding to do any one thing, or think any one thing – that impossibility, scattered with moments of euphoria. Sixteen seconds happy. It all just happens to be heavily steeped in Americana and American images, which seems to act as bait for cocksure audiences who will be quick to call the film a modern ‘Wizard of Oz’ or ‘Alice in Wonderland’.
Alas, the stylisation of the film will likely be dubbed as a tumblr-ification of cinema. Victorian costume embellished with loaded guns, soft academia set against quilted swastikas and 90’s plastic chokers under a haze of cigarette smoke. Be careful not to reveal your rather boring and very narrow frame of reference. Have we despoiled are bodies insofar as to deny the arousal of aesthetics? I am enchanted. This song is stuck in my head. Lines are written to be recalled. Everything will go down in film history. As we should — endeavour to satisfy ourselves —I avoid the incoherence of political discussion which is typically set forth upon this film. Whose viewership is spent in moral compass will only encoffin the senses.
Besides, there will always be correlations which are realised long after the film has been released. For example, Lawrence’s character, the white-supremacist, moth-nurturing neo-Nazi was in part born to Pinkerton’s interest in the racially driven terror of the ‘other’ baked into the weird fictions of Edgar Allen Poe. And so, Lawrence, in all his disturbingly fleshed out development – is a Poe aficionado. Pinkerton later admitted that he failed to remember Lolita’s Humbert was too, provoked by such Poe-etics. He also admitted they spent more money to get the rights to Culture Beat’s “Mr. Vain” than Sean was paid to shoot and direct the film. I guess he knew what he wanted.
What draws the viewer back to the film again and again is its mysterious ability to comfort a life out of control – warming us with the characters fate for as long as our own cannot.
I keep telling people to watch this movie. To get over themselves. Everything will happen.
WEEKLY FILM LISTINGS
May 02 - May 08
TILDE – Melbourne Trans & Gender Diverse Film Festival
Friday 3 May
[SOLD OUT] Opening Night — First Nations curated by Merryn Trescott & Jamie Connor
6:30—10pm
Opening night of TILDE will bring First Nations trans folk, brotherboys and sistergirls together in celebration of our creativity, diversity of experience, and storytelling.
Saturday 4 May
[SOLD OUT] Our Future — Screening & filmmaker in-conversation
2—4pm
There is a wave of trans and gender expansive culture building strength. Featuring the world premiere of the delicately beautiful Black Trans Miracle by Tinaye Nyathi, with screenings and in-conversations with filmmakers Luka Gracie (More Than This), AP Pobjoy (Unerased), Jasper Caverly (HEDGEHOG).
Our Elders — Screening
6—7:40pm
Celebrating our icons. Celebrating elders who ensured future spaces like TILDE. Through rarely seen experimental and archival hidden gems, we open up an opportunity for our elders to look at us, as much as we look at them.
[SELLING FAST] GAY24 Presents TRANS DOMESTICITY — Screenings Guest Curated by Jini Maxwell & Samantha Eckhardt
9—10:40pm
GAY24 are hosting the international premiere of Henry Hanson’s DOG MOVIE; a film about a tenderqueer couple whose eternal couch surfer who seems immune to their passive-aggressive insinuations that it might be time for her to find a new place.
Sunday 5 May
Premiere Shorts — Screening
1—2:45pm
From the sublimely absurd Australian premiere of In their dreams all jellyfish are wet to the visionary mind of director Karimah Zakia Issa in Scaring Women At Night, when we disrupt the norms of filmmaking the results are exquisite!
AFTRS Presents Women on Set — Conversational Panel
3:30—5pm
Consent educator, intimacy coordinator and performer Bayley Turner (Neighbours, Krystal Klairvoyant) sits down with leading actresses for a frank in-conversation about how we as a community can play a critical part in supporting trans women to thrive in the film industry.
[SELLING FAST] Our Desires Lines: Community Night — Screening & Panel Discussion
6—8:30pm
A cinematic pairing that provides refreshingly honest perspectives on sex and relationships through a trans masculine lens. It is a rare occurrence to feel seen and understood, hopeful and motivated, deeply grateful for and connected to community, whilst also entertained and aroused, all at once.
Screening at the Footscray Arts Centre
ACMI
Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus
Neo Sora, 2023
Encore screening Thurs - Sun
Focus on Lily Gladstone
Lily Gladstone Shorts
Multiple directors
Screening Thurs 02 May
Certain Women
Kelly Reichardt, 2016
Screening Thurs and Mon
Quantum Cowboys
Geoff Marslett, 2022
Screening Fri 3 May
Killers of the Flower Moon
Martin Scorcese, 2023
Screening Sat 4 May
The Unknown Country
Morrisa Maltz, 2022
Screening Sun 5 May
Matinees
Fallen Leaves
Aki Kaurismaki 2023
Screening Fri - Sun
No screening this week
Star Wars Films (Various)
George Lucas
Screening Thurs - Sun
Perfect Days
Wim Wenders, 2023
+
First Cow
Kelly Reichardt, 2020
Screening Mon
BBBC CINEMA (GALLERYGALLERY BRUNSWICK)
Coming soon (May / June)
Star Wars Films (Various)
George Lucas
Screening on the weekend
CHINATOWN CINEMA
Nothing Can't Be Undone by a Hotpot
Ding Shen, 2024
Limited Screenings
Spy X Family Code White
Takashi Katagiri, 2024
Limited Screenings
Viva La Viva
Yan Han, 2024
Limited Screenings
CINÉ-CLUB (Carlton)
Closed for winter
No screening this week
New Release
Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus
Neo Sora, 2023
Weekend Screenings
Fremont
Babak Jalali, 2023
Screening Daily
The Taste of Things
Tran Anh Hung, 2023
Screening Daily
Good Time
Safdie Brothers, 2017
Screening for a week only
The Witch
Robert Eggers, 2015
Screening for a week only
General Release
Mad About the Boy: The Noel Coward Story
Barnaby Thompson, 2023
Screening Daily
The Teacher’s Lounge
Ilker Çatak, 2023
Screening Daily
Jeanne Du Berry
Maïwenn, 2023
Screening Daily
Challengers
Luca Guadagnino, 2024
Screening Daily
Freud’s Last Session
Matt Brown, 2023
Screening Daily
Evil Does Not Exist
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, 2023
Screening Daily
Robot Dreams
Pablo Berger, 2023
Screening Daily
La Chimera
Alice Rohrwacher, 2023
Screening Daily
Late Night with the Devil
Cairnes Brothers’, 2023
Screening Daily
Civil War
Alex Garland, 2023
Screening Daily
DOGMILK DEGUSTATIONS: @ Miscellania
No screening this week
Two Men in Manhattan
Jean-Pierre Melville, 1959
Screening Monday 6 May
ArtsWest Building 353 - Melbourne Uni Parkville Campus
GAY24 (Bar Flippy’s)
See TILDE listing
HITLIST (9 Gertrude St, Fitzroy)
No screenings this week
Fantastic Film Festival Australia
Program Here
New Release
Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus
Neo Sora, 2023
Weekend Screenings
Fremont
Babak Jalali, 2023
Screening Daily
The Taste of Things
Tran Anh Hung, 2023
Screening Daily
General Release
The Teacher’s Lounge
Ilker Çatak, 2023
Screening Daily
Spy X Family Code White
Takashi Katagiri, 2024
Screening daily
Challengers
Luca Guadagnino, 2024
Screening Daily
Freud’s Last Session
Matt Brown, 2023
Screening Daily
Evil Does Not Exist
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, 2023
Screening Daily
Robot Dreams
Pablo Berger, 2023
Screening Daily
Late Night with the Devil
Cairnes Brothers’, 2023
Screening Daily
Civil War
Alex Garland, 2023
Screening Daily
Monkey Man
Dev Patel, 2024
Screening Daily
Origin
Ava DuVernay, 2024
Screening Daily
Perfect Days
Wim Wenders, 2023
Screening Daily
OVA CLUB
No screening this week
THE MELBOURNE CINÉMATHÈQUE (ACMI)
"ALL ART IS ONE": THE VISIONARY CINEMA OF MICHAEL POWELL AND EMERIC PRESSBURGER
A Canterbury Tale
Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, 1944
Screening from 7pm
+
The Edge of the World
Michael Powell, 2037
Screening from 8:55pm
TOP OF THE HEAP (Tramway Hotel)
No screening this week
No screening this week
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY: SCREENING IDEAS
No screening this week
PALACE BALWYN / BRIGHTON / COMO / KINO / PENTRIDGE / MOONEE PONDS / WESTGARTH
New Releases
Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus
Neo Sora, 2023
Weekend Screenings
Fremont
Babak Jalali, 2023
Screening Daily
The Taste of Things
Tran Anh Hung, 2023
Screening Daily
General Release
Mad About the Boy: The Noel Coward Story
Barnaby Thompson, 2023
Screening Daily
The Teacher’s Lounge
Ilker Çatak, 2023
Screening Daily
Evil Does Not Exist
Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, 2023
Screening Daily
Jeanne Du Berry
Maïwenn, 2023
Screening Daily
Challengers
Luca Guadagnino, 2024
Screening Daily
Freud’s Last Session
Matt Brown, 2023
Screening Daily
La Chimera
Alice Rohrwacher, 2023
Screening Daily
Late Night with the Devil
Cairnes Brothers’, 2023
Screening Daily
Civil War
Alex Garland, 2023
Screening Daily
Monkey Man
Dev Patel, 2024
Screening Daily
Perfect Days
Wim Wenders, 2023
Screening Daily
No screening this week
New Releases
Fremont
Babak Jalali, 2023
Screening Daily
The Taste of Things
Tran Anh Hung, 2023
Screening Daily
General Release
Challengers
Luca Guadagnino, 2024
Screening Daily
Freud’s Last Session
Matt Brown, 2023
Screening Daily
Robot Dreams
Pablo Berger, 2023
Screening Daily
La Chimera
Alice Rohrwacher, 2023
Screening Daily
Late Night with the Devil
Cairnes Brothers’, 2023
Screening Daily
Civil War
Alex Garland, 2023
Screening Daily
Perfect Days
Wim Wenders, 2023
Screening Daily
Civil War
Alex Garland, 2024
Screening Thurs, Mon, Wed
The Taste of Things
Tran Anh Hung, 2023
Screening most days
Desert Hearts
Donna Deitch, 1985
Screening Fri / Sun / Wed
Star Wars 5
Irvin Kershner, 1980
Screening Sat 4
Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus
Neo Sora, 2023
Screening Sat 4 May
Perfect Days
Wim Wenders, 2023
Screening Sat, Wed
Star Wars 1
George Lucas, 1999
Screening on Sun
The Road to Patagonia
Matty Hannon, 2024
Screening on Tues
Late Night with the Devil
Cairnes Brothers, 2023
Screening on Tues
Challengers
Luca Guadagnino, 2024
Screening on Wed
UNKNOWN PLEASURES @ TPH
No screening this week