Invention (film)
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| Directed by | Courtney Stephens |
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| Cinematography | Rafael Palacio Illingworth |
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Running time | 72 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Invention is a 2024 American drama film, directed and produced by Courtney Stephens, from a screenplay by Stephens and Callie Hernandez. It stars Hernandez, Sahm McGlynn, Lucy Kaminsky, Tony Torn, James N. Kienitz Wilkins, Joe Swanberg and Caveh Zahedi.
It had its world premiere at the 77th Locarno Film Festival on August 11, 2024, and was released on April 18, 2025.
Premise
[edit]Following the unexpected death of a conspiracy-brained father, his daughter gains access to his patent for an experimental healing device.
Cast
[edit]- Callie Hernandez as Carrie
- Sahm McGlynn as Sahm
- Lucy Kaminsky as Babby
- Tony Torn as Tony
- James N. Kienitz Wilkins as The Executor
- Joe Swanberg as John
- Caveh Zahedi as Henri
Release
[edit]It had its world premiere at the 77th Locarno Film Festival on August 11, 2024, where Hernandez won the Pardo for Best Performance in the Present section.[1][2][3] It will also screen at the Los Angeles Festival of Movies on April 4, 2025.[4][5] and New Directors/New Films Festival on April 5, 2025.[6][7] It is scheduled to be released on April 18, 2025.[8] Prior to, Mubi acquired streaming rights to the film.[9] It began streaming on Mubi on July 4, 2025.[10]
Reception
[edit]On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 19 critics' reviews are positive. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 67 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
Josh Slater-Williams of IndieWire gave the film a B+ writing: "A playful and perceptive film that does achieve its own sort of magic in seeing just how far you can test the boundaries between metafiction and explicit documentary."[11]
References
[edit]- ^ Ntim, Zac (August 17, 2024). "Locarno Film Festival Winners: Lithuanian Teen Drama 'Toxic' Takes Top Prize". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ Newman, Nick (July 29, 2024). "Callie Hernandez Follows Strange Paths In Exclusive Trailer for Courtney Stephens' Locarno Premiere Invention". The Film Stage. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ "Invention". Locarno Film Festival. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ Kim Murphy, J. (February 26, 2025). "Los Angeles Festival of Movies Unveils 2025 Lineup, Including Chloë Sevigny's 'Magic Farm' as Opening Night Screening". Variety. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ "Invention". Los Angeles Festival of Movies. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ Goldsmith, Jill (March 5, 2025). "MoMA, Film At Lincoln Center Unveil New Directors/New Films Lineup: Sarah Friedland's 'Familiar Touch', Alex Russell's 'Lurker' To Bookend April Fest". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ "Invention". New Directors/New Films Festival. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ Bergeson, Samantha (March 27, 2025). "Callie Hernandez and Courtney Stephens Blur Fact and Fiction with Autobiographical Homage to the Depths of Grief in 'Invention' Trailer". IndieWire. Retrieved April 2, 2025.
- ^ Kim Murphy, J. (April 15, 2025). "Mubi Acquires Courtney Stephens and Callie Hernandez's 'Invention' for Streaming in North America (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved April 15, 2025.
- ^ Spilde, Coleman (June 7, 2025). "In "Invention," conspiracy is the glue that holds a family together". Salon.com. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
- ^ Slater-Williams, Josh (August 11, 2024). "'Invention' Review: Callie Hernandez and Courtney Stephens Take the Grief Drama to Strange New Places". IndieWire. Retrieved April 2, 2025.