Arpa International Film Festival Q&A with the Best Short Film Award Nominee THE CRITIC (USA) Filmmakers: Stella Velon (Film Director, Writer, and Lead Actress) and Alan Smyth (Lead Actor) Moderator: Nicholas Talarico (Festival Programmer).
The 23rd edition of the festival will stream live on Seed & Spark November 12-22, 2020. Get your tickets here.
Read Stella’s interview on thriveglobal.com
Read More“Through the skill of her performance and ingenuity of the filmmaking, Velon brings us to an uncomfortable arena that’s all too easy to forget — the inevitable pressures, self-doubts and scathing criticism that comes with fame, with one’s own inner critic often the darkest of all.” Read the full review on Medium here.
Read MoreStella was interviewed by Authority Magazine as part of the “Inspirational Women in Hollywood” alongside Alicia Silverstone, Kerry Washington, and more. Read Stella’s full interview on Medium.com.
Read MoreStella Velon and Jean Gabriel Kauss (of The Punk Floyd Company) spoke with The Webby Awards about the making of ‘The Critic’. The film earned Stella a 2020 Webby nomination for Best Individual Performance and has won over 20 festival awards to this day. Read the interview here.
Read More“If you’ve seen the short (that is streaming for Amazon Prime subscribers!), then you know how good this film is. Five star reviews are great, but a fan-voted award to put on the shelf is even better. Voting for The Critic tells The Punk Floyd Company how much you adored the short.
If you’ve been convinced to go vote for Stella Velon’s performance in The Critic, go now!” — Film Daily
All Webby nominees compete for two awards in their respective categories, the Webby Award selected by the Academy, and the Webby People’s Voice Award voted for by internet fans worldwide.
Webby Awards distinguish newcomers and well-knowns like Leonardo DiCaprio, National Geographic, and Ellen DeGeneres for their excellence.
Read More“Nominations have gone out to some well-known personalities from various industries in the 24-year history of the Webby Awards. They include Tom Hanks, Trevor Noah, The Rolling Stones, Billie Eilish, Idris Elba, Serena Williams, LeBron James, Celine Dion, and Leonardo DiCaprio…
Read More“Los Angeles-based actress and filmmaker Stella Velon has been nominated for Best Individual Performance in the Video: Performance & Craft Category In the 24th Annual Webby Awards for ‘The Critic’.” Read more on newstrail.com.
Read More“So let me begin with this. I rarely write in the first person. Rarely. But this is an exception to my rule, because there’s a back story to what’s ahead…”
Read More“Written, directed by, and starring Stella Velon, “The Critic” is an indie short that, painted in vibrant colors and rife with symbolism and underlying meaning, is an emotional ride that is immediate and powerful.”
Read MoreStella talks to Keely Gelineau during the 2019 Catalyst Content Festival (in Duluth, MN) about the genesis of the short and what’s next for the feature version of the film. Velon took home the Best Breakout Performance Award there. Watch the interview here(videolightbox).
Read MoreSo, as you know, we’re impressed with Stella Velon – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
“Currently, the project I am most proud of and known for is, as you may have guessed, ‘The Critic,’ which premiered at the 34th Boston Film Festival last September. You can now watch the short on Amazon Prime (available in the US & UK), as well as on the UK Film Channel (ukfilmchannel.co.uk/the-critic), and we have more exciting announcements coming soon!
Also, stay tuned for the comedy series I wrote. It’s a girl-powered ‘Entourage’ meets ‘Friends,’ set in the NYC fashion world, and the show is fully fleshed out! We are looking for investors/backers at the moment, so if that’s you and you are reading this, call us! We promise you it’ll be lots of fun, and you won’t regret it!”
Read MoreNominated for Best Short Film and Best Actress in the company of screen legends such as Martin Sheen (for ‘Princess of the Row’) as well as Ethan Hawke (for ‘Stockholm’, also starring Noomi Rapace and Mark Strong), ‘The Critic’ took home the Best Short Film award at the 2019 Method Fest (celebrating outstanding performances in independent film) at an awards ceremony at the historic Ahrya Fine Arts in Beverly Hills on March 28th, 2019.
Read More“Of all the films of 2018, we had some unique entries and never-seen-before shorts, but, perhaps, the best of it all had to be ‘The Critic’, for its sheer content and consistency with regards to performance and execution from all quarters. Stella Velon’s ‘The Critic’, a poignant, insightful look into the soul of an actress, with the measured performance of Velon is a 14:55 minutes long film that gently peels off the veneer of glamour.” — Indie Shorts Mag
Read More“She grabs you from the start, establishes an emotional connection with the audience, and then straps you in on an emotional roller coaster ride.” - ★★★★ Film Threat
Read More“The Critic’ remains Stella Velon’s show. From her writing & direction to acting, she has done it with such finesse, that it’s a pity that we can’t rate her any higher. At a time of #Metoo & #Timesup, ‘The Critic’ remains an honest dissection of what it takes to be a star…“ – ★★★★★ Indie Shorts Mag
Read More“Gloriously fierce and packed with substantial emotional heft, The Critic is a short film that benefits from a powerhouse performance. Velon is incredible in this role she wrote and is able to direct herself through a wonderful selection of intense and compelling scenes with skill....” - ★★★★★ UK Film Review
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