"I Kind of Think Like a Rock Band": Hal Hartley on Self-Distribution, Personal Filmmaking and His New Feature, "Where to Land"

"Joe Fulton (Bill Sage), a filmmaker referred to as "the quiet and unassuming elder statesman of American romantic comedies," decides to prepare his last will and testament while also jockeying for a job as a cemetery groundskeeper. The timing of his estate planning combined with the drastic professional pivot concerns some of the people in Joe's life, most of whom assume that he's near death."

"But unlike the screwball pace of Hartley's early '90s work, Where to Land adopts a slower tempo reflective of his characters' wistful attitudes: they speak deliberately and sensibly about Proudhonist philosophy, new developments in light beer, and the direction of their respective lives. As the world succumbs to climate change and fascism, Joe and his friends weigh the possibility of major changes, knowing that time might be running out for new experiences."

Joe Fulton, an aging filmmaker, prepares his last will while pursuing a job as a cemetery groundskeeper, prompting assumptions that he is near death. Friends and family react with panic, coolheadedness, or opportunism as long-buried tensions emerge, including a possible paternity scheme to reach his actress girlfriend. The film culminates in an extended single-space sequence where the cast gathers to clear up misunderstandings and chart a path forward. The tone is slower and more reflective than earlier work, with characters discussing philosophy, minor cultural developments, and the urgency of experience amid climate and political threats.

Read at Filmmaker Magazine