Interview:
Morrisa Maltz,
writer/director,
"The Unknown Country"
A road trip character study that includes some non-fiction elements, The Unknown Country represents the narrative feature-length directorial debut of part-time Texan and Austin Film Society grant recipient Morrisa Maltz. Lily Gladstone stars as Tana, who travels from Minnesota to South Dakota to attend her cousin Lainey's wedding. The trip affords Tana an opportunity to reconnect with her Native American heritage, inspiring her to make the long drive to Texas to honor her recently deceased grandmother. Maltz conceived the story with Gladstone, editor Vanara Taing, and Lainey Bearkiller Shangreaux, who plays Tana's cousin Lainey. The Unknown Country, which premiered locally during the 2022 SXSW Film Festival, opens Aug. 3 at the Austin Film Society's AFS Cinema with writer/director Morrisa Maltz in attendance for a post-screening Q&A. A part-time Dallas resident, Maltz previously directed the 2019 documentary Ingrid. She is currently completing work on a new narrative feature inspired by The Unknown Country cast member Jasmine Shangreaux, the real-life and on-screen daughter of Lainey Bearkiller Shangreaux and her husband Devin Shangreaux. Posted: Aug. 3, 2023. Web site: https://www.morrisamaltz.com/ https://www.facebook.com/morrisa.maltz https://www.musicboxfilms.com/film/the-unknown-country/ https://www.facebook.com/theunknowncountry |
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