One of the many films to world premiere at this year’s SXSW festival was writer-directorAnnabelle Attanasio’s feature debut,Mickey and the Bear. Set in Anaconda, Montana, the film is about a strong-willed teenage girl (Camila Morrone) trying to navigate a loving but volatile relationship with her veteran father (James Badge Dale) as he struggles with an opioid addiction and grief over the loss of his wife. Secretly, Morrone’s character fantasizes about going to college on the west coast and finally living life on her own terms. When her father’s controlling, jealous behavior turns destructive, she must decide between familial obligation and personal fulfillment as she puts everything on the line to claim her own independence. The film is a coming-of-age story, told from the unique perspective of a strong, unrelenting female protagonist.
Before I got to see the film, Annabelle Attanasio, Camila Morrone, James Badge Dale,Ben Rosenfield,Calvin Demba, andRebecca Hendersonstopped by the Collider studio in Austin. They talked about being at SXSW, their characters, what the film is about, the opioid crisis and how it’s intertwined with veteran issues, memorable moments from filming (including one of the actors’ first “tongue-kiss”), and if the film changed in the editing room.
Check out what they had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about.
Finally, I’d also like to take a moment to give special thanks to our Collider Studio partner, A-List Communications. At the Supper Suite venue in Austin, libations were flowing courtesy of El Tesoro Tequila, Blue Moon Belgian White, and Hint Water. Without these fine folks, we wouldn’t be able to share conversations about movies likeMickey and the Bearwith all of you, so another big thank you to our partners for their support.
Annabelle Attanasio, Camila Morrone, James Badge Dale, Ben Rosenfield, Calvin Demba, Rebecca Henderson:
