| Riley | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Benjamin Howard |
| Written by | Benjamin Howard |
| Produced by |
|
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Michael Elias Thomas |
| Edited by | Benjamin Howard |
| Music by | Jerik Centeno |
Production company | Windsor Film Company |
Release date |
|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Riley is a 2023 American coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Benjamin Howard in his feature film debut. The film stars Jake Holley, Colin McCalla, Riley Quinn Scott, Connor Storrie and Rib Hillis.
Plot
Dakota Riley's life of being a high school jock becomes complicated once he discovers that he identifies as queer.
Cast
- Jake Holley as Dakota Riley
- Colin McCalla as Jaeden Galloway
- Riley Quinn Scott as Skylar Braxton
- Connor Storrie as Liam Hauser
- Rib Hillis as Carson Riley
- J.B. Waterman as 'Obi Wan' Hookup
- René Ashton as Miriam Riley
- Marcus Winchester-Jones as Desmond
- Nigel Siwabessy as Hector
- Dallas Perry as Caleb Mitchell
- Alyssa Latson as Courtney
- Caroline Amiguet as Madame Dupont / French Teacher
- Miranda Guiles as Student
- Hunter Linton as Football Player
- Jose Rico as Football Player
- Sadie Scott as College Student
- Luca Vega as Football Player
- Kaleti Williams as Coach Drey
Production
The film is Howard's feature film debut[1] and based on his own experience as a student athlete.[2] It was crowdfunded with the help of Seed&Spark[3] and principal photography took place in East County, San Diego.[2]
Release
Riley held its world premiere at Calgary International Film Festival on September 24, 2023.[2] The US premiere took place at Bend Film Festival in Bend, Oregon.[4] It later screened at San Diego Film Week.[5]
Reception
Critical response
Ris Fatah at Queerguru scored the film 9/10 and said "Howard’s feature-length drama is an impressive, authentic debut."[6]
Accolades
| Festival | Year | Award | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BendFilm Festival | 2023 | Best Cinematography | Michael Elias Thomas | Nominated |
| Best Directing, Narrative Feature | Benjamin Howard | Nominated | ||
| Best Narrative Feature | Benjamin Howard | Nominated | ||
| Calgary International Film Festival | 2023 | International Narrative Competition | Benjamin Howard | Nominated |
| San Diego Film Week | 2023 | Best Drama Feature Film | Riley | Won |
References
- ↑ Scheetz, Cameron (2023-09-26). "WATCH: A closeted football player tackles identity & masculinity in this coming-of-age sports drama". Queerty. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- 1 2 3 Chadive, Sanjana (2023-09-23). "'Riley': A UCLA alumnus' love letter to community and queer youth". Daily Bruin. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
- ↑ Bernstein, Paula (2023-10-30). "BendFilm Festival 2023: What Filmmakers Need to Know Before Applying to Film Festivals | Filmmaker Magazine". Filmmaker Magazine. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
- ↑ Fortner, Jillian (2023-10-13). "Bend Film Festival moviegoers celebrate two decades of captivating cinema". KTVZ. Retrieved 2023-10-14.
- ↑ Kahnert, Eric (2023-11-15). 'Riley' premieres at San Diego Film Week. KFMB-TV. Retrieved 2023-11-18.
- ↑ Fatah, Ris (2023-10-01). "Queerguru's Ris Fatah reviews RILEY a beautiful queer coming-of-age film from Benjamin Howard". Queerguru. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
External links
- Riley at IMDb
- Riley at Letterboxd
- Riley at Rotten Tomatoes
- Interview with Holley at ECHO