Movies News
'Transatlantic Coffee' sweeping film festivals across globe (VIDEO)
By April MacIntyre Jun 28, 2012, 1:04 GMT
Since hitting the festival circuit, Transatlantic Coffee has earned multiple awards. The film premiered in New York this past fall where it claimed Special Jury and Best Actor Awards, and recently won Best Picture at the Los Angeles New Wave International Film Festival.
Inspired by a true story, Transatlantic Coffee is a tale of boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl ... only the boy is a 41-year-old clown, the girl, a teenage stripper from London.
Since hitting the festival circuit, Transatlantic Coffee has earned multiple awards. The film premiered in New York this past fall where it claimed Special Jury and Best Actor Awards, and recently won Best Picture at the Los Angeles New Wave International Film Festival.
The film continues to play at U.S festivals and has been an audience favorite in London, Chicago and Park City.
Haunted by the loss of a loved one, Alex Howard (Kevin Pinassi), a 41-year-old man with a seemingly older disposition, is forced to live a lonely, miserable life amidst a dark and confused New York City setting. He is socially and psychologically awkward. His best friend, Ronnie (Marcel Torres), exacerbates the problem after taking Alex to an alternative nightclub where they meet two domineering young women, neither of which entices Alex’s sexual frustrations. At the same time, his profession as a children’s clown is dull and vacuous, and his alcoholic tendencies appear to resurface. There is, however, one subtle ray of hope.
After encountering a young woman on the Internet, Alex is able to start filling in at least some of the empty, colorless void he has recently attained. He anxiously anticipates his arrivals home at night to find her messages on the computer. There is, of course, one minor issue; she’s only a teenager and lives in London.
One particular morning, in which all desire and anticipation are seemingly lost, Alex treats himself to several drinks and inevitably contacts his young friend, Mandie (Rachel Marie Lewis), over the phone and invites her to stay in his Brooklyn apartment.
Upon the nearest glimpse of sobriety, Alex slowly begins to understand the magnitude of his actions. Later that evening he meets up with Ronnie at their favorite coffee shop (“Transatlantic Coffee”) and spills the beans, so to speak.
Ronnie is encouraging at first, but after learning Mandie’s age, he’s convinced that Alex must call her back and cancel their plans. Alex, however, is not so convinced. Regardless of her age, he knows that something about her makes him feel good, a feeling he has not experienced in some time. He knows that he cannot let that slip away again and thus remains committed to being a good host upon Mandie’s arrival.
As a young, aspiring painter, Mandie arrives in New York, canvas in hand and ready to take on the world. Alex, on the other hand, is a nervous wreck. Amongst the pristine, immaculate surroundings of Alex’s apartment, Mandie rolls through like a bulldozer with seemingly no control or care.
Alex quickly regrets his decision but only briefly. There is something alluring about this girl. On the surface there is nothing but outrageous, perhaps risqué, attire and bad make-up, but underneath a certain quality exudes itself, which Alex cannot quite put his finger on but knows it makes him feel good.
Enthralled by the emergence of Mandie into his life, Alex struggles to follow the advice of his best friend, Ronnie to yield his desires and do what is seemingly right.
Transatlantic Coffee Official Web Page:
Social Pages:
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