PRATFALL, A Film by Alex Andre

Joshua Burge (“The Revenant,” “Buzzard”) stars in award-winning filmmaker Alex Andre’s PRATFALL, where two strangers embark on a sleepless adventure across New York City

Week-long theatrical release begins April 26 at Laemmle Royal in Los Angeles, same day as Freestyle Digital Media releases the film on all major VOD platforms in North America

Described as “Buster Keaton-like” by Indiewire, Joshua Burge (who previously starred in Joel Potrykus’ “Buzzard” and soon in his Vulcanizadora as reported by Variety) stars in Alex Andre’s award-winning feature film directorial debut PRATFALL, which opens for a week-long theatrical release in Los Angeles at Laemmle Royal beginning April 26, and will also be released the same day on all major VOD platforms in North America including Apple TV (available for pre-order here), Amazon Prime and more via Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group.

Pratfall made its World Premiere at Brooklyn Film Festival 2023 where it won the Best Feature Narrative Spirit Award, and most recently made its UK premiere at Manchester Film Festival 2024 on March 23, where it won the Best Actress Award for Chloé Groussard.

Pratfall centers around Eli, a deeply troubled New Yorker grappling with a devastating loss. His life becomes an unending cycle of sleepless nights, relentless self-conversation, and a diet of coffee and hot dogs. Eli's daily routine is disrupted when he crosses paths with Joelle (Chloé Groussard “in her memorable feature debut” per Vague Visages; and she previously starred in Andre’s short film Sada, which won multiple awards at film festivals in 2022), a captivating yet down-on-her-luck French tourist. Stranded in Central Park, Joelle yearns to explore the city but finds herself trapped among its misfits. Despite Eli's initial hostility, she latches onto him, seeking a guide in this foreign urban landscape.

What ensues is a sleepless tour of the city, an unusual yet poignant journey led by Eli, who embellishes his narrations, painting an image of New York that is as compelling as it is haunting. Joelle's curiosity and unwavering optimism serve as a beacon of light in Eli's world of darkness, initiating an unlikely bond between these two disparate souls. However, their shared journey is not without its perils. The sinister forces that shape New York City loom large, threatening to engulf both Eli and Joelle. 

Andre served as a one-man crew on location as both director and cinematographer, working with his ensemble of actors. “This intimate involvement enabled me to shape the film in its minutiae, crafting a narrative that is as intimate as it is grand, much like New York City itself,” said Andre. “Pratfall is a darkly comedic and tragic exploration of loss, loneliness and the profound longing for connection that lives within us all. The juxtaposition of our two lead characters, Eli and Joelle, both stunningly portrayed by Joshua Burge and Chloé Groussard, allows us to venture into the raw corners of the human psyche against the beautifully frenetic backdrop of New York City.”

Director Bio:

Alex Andre is an award-winning Director, Cinematographer, Writer & Producer based in Los Angeles. He is recognized for SADA (2022), which won 12 awards and received Official Selection in over 20 festivals worldwide. His feature film debut is PRATFALL starring Joshua Burge and Chloé Groussard. Andre also has producing credits on Alison Bagnall's FUNNY BUNNY (2015) and Erin Li's KEPLER X47 (2013). Andre was raised in the South of France and the English countryside before moving to Los Angeles. He cites Alan Clarke, Nicholas Roeg and The Dardennes as early cinematic influences.

Star Bios:

Joshua Burge, a Michigan native, has appeared in THE REVENANT opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, 20TH CENTURY WOMEN opposite Greta Gerwig, and BURDEN opposite Garrett Hedlund, which won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival. RELAXER, Joshua’s third collaboration with filmmaker Joel Potrykus, premiered to great reviews at SXSW. This collaboration follows APE (2012) and BUZZARD (2014), the latter of which also made its world premiere at SXSW and was named one of Indiewire’s top films of the year.

Chloé Groussard is a French actress, born in Bretagne. She took her first theater classes at the age of 10 in her hometown. After graduating from a business master degree, she decided to turn her passion into her everyday life. Chloé intensified her acting training in Paris and New York and she started performing both on stage and on screen - in France, Italy and the United States. After giving her the role of Valérie in his short film Sada, Alex Andre chose her to embody Joelle alongside American actor Joshua Burge in his first feature film, Pratfall, marking also the feature debut of Chloé - for which she won the award of best actress at the Manchester Film Festival. Chloé is also part of the upcoming Netflix series of Stefano Sollima, Il Mostro, and she’s now represented by French prestigious agency, Time Art.

Credits

Director/Writer/Cinematographer/Editor/Producer - Alex Andre

Co-Producer - Jordyn Barber

107 minutes, USA, 2023

Follow:

PRATFALL Instagram: @pratfallmovie

Alex Andre Instagram: @thatalexandre

Joshua Burge Instagram: @joshuatheburge

Chloé Groussard Instagram: @craph

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