‘Reel Love Film Fest’ 2021: My Most Anticipated Films at the Festival, Including Capsule Summaries & Films to Watch

Love is in the air. Presented in collaboration with the Indie Street Institute, the 2021 Reel Love Film Fest is coming our way, taking place virtually from February 10—February 14. Founded by veterans of the Brooklyn Horror Film Festival, the Reel Love festival aims to bring the best new love stories of the year to the United States, screened virtually. 

The festival will be open to virtual viewing, with tickets being available in three different tiers: the ‘Film Lover’ all access pass ($75), the Just Friends six-film package ($55), and the Events Pass ($10). Note: the ‘Film Love’ and ‘Just Friends’ packages are geo-locked to the United States only. You can buy passes here. 

The Reel Love festival means to explore the best that love has to offer, in addition to celebrating the legacy that films about love have left in popular culture thus far. With an abundance of feature films and shorts—as well special events and podcasts (‘Lovecasts’)—the festival looks to celebrate its theme in many formats, featuring filmmakers from the U.S., Switzerland, Japan, and more. 

Below are my ten most anticipated films of the festival. Note: I have not watched the trailers for any of the listed movies. Continuous festival coverage of films and programs during its run will be found on The Movie Buff. If you have any questions or comments, use the ‘contact us’ link at the top of the menu. For more information about Reel Love, visit www.reellovefest.com. 

‘Dinner in America’ 

“Dinner in America” looks to be a fun film. Starring Kyle Gallner (“Veronica Mars,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street”) and Emily Skeggs (star of the Broadway show “Fun Home”), the film positions itself as an enjoyable romantic buddy adventure that pits two people—one, a punk rocker on the run and the other a woman obsessed with his band—with each other on a tour of America’s decaying suburbs. I just love films like this…ones that pit unlikely people together and look to say things about not just their characters but the people and locales they come in contact with. The film has already received positive critic reviews and a favorable following, so I’m eager to see the film for myself. 

‘Golden Arm’ 

Okay. This movie looks like tons of fun. A buddy comedy through and through, “Golden Arm” stars Mary Holland (“Happiest Season”) as Melanie and Betsy Sodaro (“Hubie Halloween”) as Danny, and follows a tough lady trucker who trains her best friend to compete in the National Ladies Arm Wrestling Championship as Melanie deals with divorce and a struggling bakery. I’m all about healing and introspective comedies, and this one looks like just the ticket. The film is directed by Maureen Bharoocha of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” fame and written by Ann Marie Wilson and Jenna Milly. 

‘Your Monster’ 

This movie looks wonderful. I’m a big fan of short films, and “Your Monster” looks to explore love from a familiar yet unusual angle. The film stars Kimiko Glenn (“Orange is the New Black”) and is written and directed by Caroline Lindy (“Kindred Spirit,” “Seven Days”). The story follows Laura (Glenn), who moves back home, sick and broken-hearted, and discovers that the terrifying monster who lived in her closet as a kid is still alive…and wants to talk about life. Movies like this draw me like a moth to a flame. So much of our adult psyche is tied into things that happened to us as children, and “Your Monster” looks like a fun way to go back to childhood and confront our demons, wrapped up in the confines of a romantic drama/personal healing package. Count me in. 

‘My Little Sister’ 

While films that have the capacity to be tearjerkers are sometimes hit or miss, “My Little Sister” looks like a heartfelt and winning film, written and directed by Stéphanie Chaut and Véronique Reymond. The film, which won seven award nominations, including ‘Best FIlm’ at the Berlin International Film Festival, presents itself as both one of healing and one of letting go of old wounds. The film centers around a woman, Lisa (Nina Hoss, “Phoenix”), who had to give up her dream of being a playwright, and now lives in Switzerland with her husband who runs an international school. However, when her brother Sven (Lars Eidinger, “Personal Shopper”) is diagnosed with cancer, Lisa returns home to care for him, and learn about life, love, and loss. I always have a keen interest in films that celebrate life and love, and “My Little Sister” is one that has definitely caught my eye. 

‘Through the Night’ 

“Through the Night” is that type of slice-of-life film that I just live for. The film, directed by Loira Limbal, is a look at two working mothers and a child-care provider, following them as their lives intersect at a 24-hour daycare center. The film shines a light on income inequality in America, and focuses on the toll financial struggles and working long hours have on families. “Through the Night” won a ‘Cinema Eye Honors Award’ at the Cinema Eye Honors Awards, and has gotten positive reviews thus far. The film co-stars Nunu and PopPop, and looks to be a thorough look at the hardships people undergo, and the lengths that some will go to provide for their families…all while creating empathy for the caregivers who are forced to step up when governing bodies fail to step up and fix system issues. 

‘Summer White’ 

Loneliness is a good comparison to the theme of love, and “Summer White,” the film by Rodrigo Ruiz Patterson, seems a good entry-point and a film I’m greatly looking forward to. The film focuses on mostly two characters—a mother and a son—as the son tries to come to accept his single mother as she brings her new boyfriend home to live with them. The film is described as Patterson’s “reflection on loneliness and love,” and takes a hard look at how a change in close relationships can be hurtful to different parties, often unintentionally. The film co-stars Sophie Alexander-Katz, Adrián Ross, and Fabián Corres. 

‘I Love Your Guts’ 

Yet another film from the short program I’m excited to see is David Janove’s “I Love Your Guts.” The film, at just 16 minutes, seems to blend the themes of love and comedy, but exploring not romantic love, but friendship. The film’s plot revolves around two friends who ward off a belligerent, drunk man from the graveyard crew at a fast food restaurant, while also confronting their own friendship. I’ve found that shorts can often be as powerful as feature films in distilling their ideas into emotional take-a-ways, and I’m eager to see this film as its premise is right up my alley. The film stars Danielle Kay, Jimmy Shields, Allie McCarthy, and Scott Shilstone. 

‘Lorelei’ 

A film festival about love would not be complete without one of old flames and redemption; and it seems that Director/Writer Sabrina Doyle means to do just that with her feature film “Lorelei” starring Pablo Schreiber (“Orange is the New Black”) and Jena Malone (“The Hunger Games” franchise). The story follows Wayland (Schrieber) who tries to reconnect with his old flame Dolores (Malone) after 15 years in prison. I’m very excited to see this film; it has many of the elements that make romantic dramas excel, as well as a plot that seems to center on redemption and forgiveness, which the best films on the subject often make character studies on. Director Doyle has completed in the past a number of shorts, and I’m also very curious how she moves from shorts to full-length cinema. 

‘True Mothers’ (original title, ‘Asa ga Kuru’)

Wrapping up the anticipated feature films section, I must say that “True Mothers” has caught my eye as well. While the premise seems heartbreaking,—a married couple’s life is interrupted by a woman who claims to be the birth mother of their adopted child—scenarios like this often have the most capacity for a healing journey. So far the film has four film festival nominations, including a nom for ‘Best Feature’ at the Chicago International Film Festival. It appears to be a purposeful, emotion-driven film that takes its time to get where it’s going—all things which peak my interest. I’m also driven to the film out of the need to know what happens. The best stories leave this itch; and if this is any evidence of “True Mothers’” success, then I certainly have to tune in. 

‘Sloan Hearts Neckface’ 

I love the premise of this short: “a love story told in letters that are exchanged by an anonymous public artist and an admirer who wants to know the man behind the murals” (IMDb). This seems like a fun short, a film aimed at painting the emotions of falling in love before we ever get to see the couple tougher—to see if they work—and has the hallmarks of being a fulfilling, unusual take on a familiar formula. And it’s a new story by a new writer (Ian Grody), wrapped up in the experience of Director Justin Fair that I hope meshes as well in the result as the project feels. A definite watch for me, and a great way to close out this festival. 

Of course, the Reel Love Film Fest has many more feature films and shorts. You can check out the full lineup here. Follow me on The Movie Buff for film coverage throughout the festival, including reviews, capsule summaries, and more.