Clara Rugaard – ALLIANCE OF WOMEN FILM JOURNALISTS

I AM MOTHER – Review by Susan Granger

August 14, 2023August 14, 2023 Susan Granger Clara Rugaard, Grant Sputone, hilary swank, I Am Mother, Luke Hawker, netflix, new zealand, rose byrne, Weta Workshop

Sci-fi movies about AI and robotics can be terrifying or tortuous – I Am Mother falls into the latter category. Set in a massive, automated, underground laboratory, the story begins with an angular, one-eyed android – embodied by Luke Hawker (who supervised its manufacture at New Zealand’s Weta Workshop) and softly voiced by Rose Byrne. Calling itself Mother, it chooses one test-tube embryo out of thousands in cryogenic stasis to begin the job of repopulating humanity after a horrific global extinction event.

Reviews

PRESS PLAY – Review by Marina Antunes

June 14, 2022June 19, 2022 Marina Antunes Clara Rugaard, Greg Björkman, James Bachelor, Lewis Pullman, Press Play

Press Play is a story of coming to terms with loss. Music-related time-travel is an interesting device that leads to character growth and ultimate acceptance of grief and working through it in a healthy way. While it’s not re-writing the book on either the romance or time-travel genres, director Greg Björkman’s debut feature is a lovely drama about relationships and how sometimes, the only way to move on is to let go. It also happens to feature a pair of memorable performances from two leads on the brink of stardom.

Interviews

Greg Björkman on PRESS PLAY, Finding the Perfect Cast and Music – Marina Antunes interviews

June 14, 2022June 17, 2022 Marina Antunes Clara Rugaard, Greg Björkman, James Bachelor, Josh Boone, Lewis Pullman, Press Play

The story of a couple who find love only for it to be “paused” by trauma, Press Play spans the gamut of emotions, and is kept wonderfully grounded by Clara Rugaard and Lewis Pullman, a pair of up-and-coming stars who breathe life into their compelling characters. Director Greg Björkman recently shared some insights into his feature film debut, including his unconventional break into the industry, working with a writing partner, and finding the perfect cast to bring the story to life.