Film School Radio hosted by Mike Kaspar

Quest, Director Santiago Rizzo

Slamdance Film Festival narrative featureQuest,” starring: Dash Mihok (“Ray Donovan,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” and “Romeo + Juliet”),  and Lou Diamond Phillips (“La Bamba,” “Courage Under Fire,” and “Young Guns”) is included in the Slamdance 2018 Special Screening section. “Quest,” a beloved audience award winner that debuted at the Mill Valley Film Festival this fall, and has continued to win award after award throughout it’s festival journey. Quest’s will debut on Monday, January 22nd, 2018, at the Slamdance Film Festival. This powerful film addresses the brutality of child abuse in a way we haven’t seen before, winning praise from the foster child community, among others who see the plight of this epidemic firsthand. Quest is a story that speaks to the power of love, and it’s ability to reach us even through the darkness and pain that surround us. Based on a true story, the film follows an uncertain friendship between a 12-year-old graffiti addict “ Mills” (Greg Kasyan, in his debut role), who faces abuse from his stepfather (Lou Diamond Phillips), and a devoted teacher & coach named Tim Moellering (Dash Mihok), who believes there is no such thing as a bad kid – only a bad situation. Based on the stories of their lives in the Bay Area of California, the first draft of Quest was written together by first time director Santiago Rizzo, and his mentor & teacher Tim Moellering (whom has sadly since passed away from Pancreatic Cancer before he could see the film made). Director, producer and writer joins us for a conversation on his debut film.

For news and updates go to: quest.film

For more on Director Santiago Rizzo’s story go to: quest.film/filmmaker

SLAMDANCE SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Monday, January 22, 6:30 PM
Wednesday, January 24, 12:30 PM

Treasure Mountain Inn — Ballroom

Awards:

Berkeley Video & Film Festival

Won, Grand Festival Award for Best Film

Mill Valley Film Festival

Won, Audience Award for U.S. Cinema Indie

Napa Valley Film Festival

Won, Audience Award for Favorite Narrative Feature

Won, Audience Award for Favorite Actor

Won, Jury Award for Best Lounge Feature

Oldenburg Film Festival

Won, Seymour Cassel Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor

Nominated, German Independence Award – Audience Award for Best Film