More often than not, when an Indie Rights flick crosses my desk I know to expect a well-made yet difficult to market motion picture that has experienced some degree of festival success.
It simply hasn't found its audience.
In quite a few of these cases, Indie Rights can and does help.
Finding Joy, an indie flick written and directed by Valeri Bates, may very well be one of these motion pictures.
In the film, Bates herself portrays Roni. Roni is an aspiring artist whose life is hindered by PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, marked by serious occurrences of sleep paralysis. This is all rooted in Roni's buried childhood trauma, a trauma that no matter how deeply it's buried is still ever present.
As you can probably guess, Finding Joy isn't multiplex movie fodder nor is it the easiest to market motion picture despite strong production values and a top-notch ensemble led by Bates's vulnerable, aching performance in the lead. As a trauma survivor myself, and one whose very first memory is one of violence, I resonated with Bates's drama meets thriller storytelling and matter-of-fact storytelling. Lensing by David M. Watson is emotionally honest, setting a visual rhythm for the film's emotions without defining them. The same is true for the original music by Dane Gerous Schmidt.
It's difficult to dive into Finding Joy without giving too much away, though Bates's storytelling givcs us a film that takes its subtle twists without ever toying with our emotions. In some ways, Finding Joy is exactly the film you expect it to be. In other ways, Finding Joy discovers its own unique yet vital place to land.
In addition to Bates's terrific performance, Heather Elaine Rafferty is tremendous as Trish while Davis DeRock shines as a sleep tech with whom Roni connects. Truthfully, though, this entire ensemble shines.
While I can't say I give preference to Indie Rights films, the truth is that Linda Nelson and Michael Madison know what they're doing and they do it well. I consistently, with very few exceptions, enjoy the low and modestly budgeted films under the Indie Rights banner. The same is true here with Finding Joy, a film that deserves a wider audience thanks to Bates's disciplined direction, impactful storytelling, and terrific team. It's not always the easiest film to watch, but Finding Joy is a film not easily forgotten. While I love going to the movies to be entertained, sometimes we need the cinema that alters our DNA. That's where Finding Joy lands - in ways big and small, it alters the DNA.
You can currently catch it on Prime Video. Per the usual Indie Rights routine, it'll no doubt expand over time.
Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic
