Sam Now
*Winner Documentary Competition 2022*
The two brothers Sam and Reed have always made movies together. Even back when Sam was 14 and his mother left the family one day without any explanation. While father, grandmother and aunts keep silent for years about what happened, and brother Jared loses his drive for life, Sam seems to suffer no pain. Until Reed suggests he go find his mother. What follows is a road trip through Washington, Oregon and California – the beginning of an emotional roller coaster. Using his own Super 8 footage and home movies from his rich family archive, filmmaker Reed Harkness tells with subtle humour of the wounds of separation and the power of reconciliation.
About the director(s)
Reed Harkness is an America Filmmaker from Portland. He worked as a director on, among others, the award-winning short documentary FOREST ON FIRE (2018) and the documentary series HOUSE ON FIRE (2020). At the age of 18, Reed began shooting a series of short films with his younger brother, Sam, in the lead role. This led to his debut feature-length documentary film SAM NOW, which had its world premiere at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.
Filmography (selection): Sam Now (doc, 2022) | House on Fire (TV series, doc, 2020) | Forest on Fire (short film, doc, 2018)
- Genre: DOC: Family & Relationships
- Country, Year: USA, 2022
- Runtime: 86 Min
- Languages: English
- Subtitles: German
- Director: Reed Harkness
- Cast: Sam, Jois, Reed, Randy, Jared, Doris
- Cinematography: Reed Harkness
- Editors: Darren Lund, Jason Reid
- Music: Roger Neill
- Producers: Jason Reid, Reed Harkness, Lois Vossen, Sally Jo Fifer, Heather Hawksford, Adam Spiro Brown, Andy McDonough, Colin Harper Plank, David J. Cornfield
- Production Companies: HA/HA, ITVS, 2R Productions
