PAST FILM WORK
New Channel
New Channel
The Date (2019)
BROKEN CRAYONS (2019 VISUAL REMASTER)
Phoebe in Wonderland (Scene)
Phoebe in Wonderland (Audition Take)
PARA LA PAZ (For Peace...) FAUX TEASER
PARA LA PAZ (For Peace...) - BONUS PROMO TEASER SCENE- Ellie and Armando-HD
PARA LA PAZ (For Peace...)- BONUS PROMO TEASER SCENE- GUNNAR AND ANGEL -HD
PARA LA PAZ (For Peace...)- BONUS PROMO TEASER SCENE- Armando and Frank-HD
PARA LA PAZ (For Peace...)- BONUS PROMO TEASER SCENE - Becky & Michelle-HD
"Broken Crayons" Trailer
REVIEWS & ACCOLADES
Broken Crayons was the Winner of the "Golden Palm" from the 2010 Mexico International Film Festival
and an Honorable Mention at the LA Movie Awards. The Date and The Glass Waltz were, respectively, official selections at the 2019 La Neo Noir Novel, Film and Script Festival, and the 2007 New York International Independent Film and Video Festival.
Excerpts from "OC Movie Reviews" of The Date
(8.5 out of 10!!)
"...a wonderfully wicked short film, full of questions and promise, it, as all good short films should, leaves you wanting more, wishing it was longer so you could follow that rabbit for longer."
"Cappelletti, and Esper who served as first assistant director, handles things beautifully. The film barely moves from this café table, yet you never feel hemmed in or claustrophobic, you certainly don’t feel like you’re watching something cheap."
"Gonza is absolutely astonishing as this shy, awkward, retiring man. When the end occurs, and you have more of an idea of what’s really going on, you look back at his performance and realise it’s even better than the first watch."
"Marybeth Paul is equally as delightful, sure-footed and with none of the hesitation or uncertainty that appears to plague Gonza’s character. Paul sweeps in, gets what she needs and then transforms into this…well, that would be telling, but it’s a fantastic second-half performance that is poles apart from the first.
"The Date is a sure-footed and fantastically well-made piece of work. It leaves you wanting more, and that’s exactly what it should do."
Excerpts from "UK FILM REVIEW" of The Date
(4 out of 5 Stars!!)
"Alessio Cappelletti’s short film (a mere 9-minutes in length) is an intelligent and thought-provoking socially charged #thriller, whose finale penetrates the heart and destroys any trace of warmth the second act may have built-up..."
"Marybeth Paul is outstanding!"
"The Date is exceptionally minimalistic in its aesthetic design. #NahuelAttar’s (editor) snappy editing works perfectly in tandem with #JamesWoodbury’s (Director of Photography) unpretentious framing and simple, yet effective, color palette...".
"The dialogue between the characters is brilliantly written and purposefully misleading, while #PatrickODonnell’s score – the first in his career – is moody and atmospheric. Sometimes, less is more. And that certainly seems to be the case here..."
"The Date brilliantly plays with the expectations of its audience: it promises hope, maybe even love, but then cruelly snatches it from us. The sudden switch from hope to hate is violent and shockingly nonchalant. It somehow seems alarmingly relevant to today’s social-political climate; as if reflecting upon the isolationist nature of modern society and its tendencies towards casual violence and self-alienation..."
"Provocative, poignant and staggeringly honest filmmaking; complete with solid and well-rounded performances from a small but talented cast. Alessio Cappelletti's, The Date, is a marvelous short film you'd be mad to miss..."
Excerpts From "SCREEN CRITIX" Review of The Date
(4 out of 5 Stars!!)
"Shot over the course of just one night, Cappelletti’s latest short film is a seriously well-crafted piece of work. You cannot tell that The Date was shot with little to no money, a skeleton crew and time constraints. It looks great, it sounds great and it is performed great. These are the hallmarks of a talented team, coming together to create something they can be proud of...."
"(the) conclusion that sideswiped me out of nowhere. I wasn’t expecting the ending and that is a sure sign of both good writing and good direction..."
"The Date is pristinely lensed for such a low budget, one-night shoot. Props need to go to the director of photography James Woodbury. The grading works very well too. The score, which definitely takes influence from the synth movement of the 1980s goes well with the visuals and, according to director Alessio Cappelletti, it was scored by a first-timer in Patrick O’Donnell. It really does sound like it was composed by someone with a lot of experience."
"The Date is a well-made film that is even more impressive when taking in the constraints the team had. It’s certainly recommended."
Excerpts From "One Film Fan" Review of The Date
“...The Date” is indie short film at its finest, at least to this critic, in that it so sublimely exhibits the true magic that can be accomplished thanks to the ongoing originality and passionate heart that indie filmmakers, their casts, and crews all put into it in order to illustrate that nine minutes is more than enough time to give us as viewers a full story, even fuller entertainment value, and do so in abbreviated fashion with flare and astute skill...."
"...wonderfully dramatic and intentionally, creatively deceiving...with the perfect pacing and totally unassuming tone..."
"...Gonza brings a fantastically understated and completely believable presence to the screen..."
"...Throughout, Gonza enacts this character with such ease and realistic delivery it deftly aids in allowing all that is to happen to remain a secret to the end...."
"....With that same level of blatant, grounded realism and an entirely flawless performance, Paul delivers the goods... Paul is so elegantly enjoyable to watch.".."
"...the film’s climax arrives and totally blasts any and all ideas you might have had right out of the water, leaving you both shocked and yet desiring more..."
"...It’s beautiful, effective, engaging, and original, which are all hallmarks of well-executed indie cinema...."
"...It’s the ideal exercise in misdirection and twist endings that this critic has always appreciates in film overall, and this one delivers with style and cleverness that’s excellent to see portrayed in such a short timespan. The film is visually smooth, which makes the general presentation easy to watch and take in...."
Excerpts From "Indy Red" Review of The Date
"...I've always been a sucker for a good ending. Never enough good things can be said, about sending an audience off feeling good about what the just watched - especially if the film managed to bamboozle them a little. The trick is to get us to that point. Get the audience to actually make it to the final act, and want to see what's next. A film is like a chain. Link to link to link, with the hopes none are broken along the way. In "The Date" those links are intact... Strengthening this theory is what Kris Salvi and Alessio Cappelletti do best."
"...As a micro budget movie, these guys used a great location for atmosphere and lighting - perhaps enhanced it a little, and went to work. Keeping things simple actually raised the perceived production value quite a bit. "The Date" really does look good - but also includes one other important aspect, often forgotten about. It also sounds good. Great even. The dialog is clear, on top of the score and easy to understand..."
"...Speaking of the scoring, another pleasant surprise. It was low key, composed nicely, and remembered it's place in the movie. Never overpowering the onscreen happenings or the cast performances... that also happened to be pretty spot on. "
"....Our two leads... were great! Even better, when considering the misdirection "The Date" sets out to provide. The double meaning of not only the spoken words, but also the actions of the characters - are delivered loud and clear. Very nicely done. "
"...At the end of the day, this is the perfect example of a low budget indie - thought to maybe be alright - shattering expectations...a clever film, handled nicely and fun to watch. What more does an audience need?"
Excerpts from "Scott's Movies" review of The Date.
"The desolate, nighttime, urban streetscape has the resonance of an Edward Hopper painting..."
"This nine-minute drama is impressively executed, which is not a surprise given that the director, Alessio Cappelletti, has worked as an actor, director and acting coach in New York for several years."
"The lead actors, Marybeth Paul and Michael Gonza, are nothing less than convincing and never strike a false note..."
"An evocative electronic score by Patrick O’Donnell sets the mood nicely."
"Though we would like to know more of what led up to this date and the deeper motivations of all involved, the story as told stands quite well on its own..."
"This is the kind of film that you immediately want to re-watch with the foreknowledge of where it is going. Its dark and sombre theme also causes us to reflect..."
Excerpts from "Unseen Films" review of The Date.
"...this is a really good film that you should see when it plays at a festival near you..."
"It’s a ride that you need to buy a ticket for and take... Trust me- its an 8 minute trip that’s worth taking."
Excerpt from "Michael Haberfelner" review of The Date.
"Interesting little movie that has its smart story basically carried by its actors, their gestures and body language, which leads one astray for the longest time - and even if the movie is obviously driven by its surprise resolution, the way to get there is more than just entertaining."
Excerpt from "Amos Lassen" review of The Date.
"For eight minutes this film will own you completely and it will probably hold you for a bit longer after it is over."
Excerpts from "Cinema Smack" review of The Date.
(4.5 out of 5 Stars!!!!)
"The Date from Alessio Cappelletti is an expertly crafted short film that captures your attention and leaves you wanting more"
"Due to the storytelling and direction, the film’s plot is turned on its head and is more than meets the eye. This leaves viewers clamoring for more of the story from before and after the main characters meet. It feels like there’s more to be explored here. Even so, The Date hits a sweet spot and never once feels like it drags."
"Marybeth Paul is electric onscreen and viewers will be drawn in by her in the same way that Vernon is...Both Michael Gonza and Marybeth Paul command attention from the audience and bring you on an interesting, albeit brief, ride."
"The Date is also very technically sound. Even though the story takes place almost entirely at a cafe table, there’s something mesmerizing about it. Firstly, the film’s editor, Nahuel Attar, does an excellent job dictating the pace of the film through his deliberate cuts. This allows the actors time to effectively develop their characters. Alongside some good camerawork, this is a credit to director of photography James Woodbury for putting together such photogenic shots. In addition, Patrick O’Donnell’s score works to complement the visuals with its entrancing synth tones. Similarly to the look of the film and the woman’s gentle composure, O’Donnell’s music soothes viewers and builds a level of trust before the film’s payoff."
"Overall, The Date is simply a great short film that accomplishes everything that it needs to....Backed by some excellent technical aspects and some quality filmmakers at the helm, The Date is a film that requires more than one viewing to appreciate its subtleties and attention to detail. The good news is that you’ll be glad to watch the film again the very second after it’s over."
"It’d be interesting to see what Cappelletti and company would do with these characters in a feature length adaptation."
Excerpts from "Reel Romp" review of The Date
"The Date is told quickly. In under 10 minutes my take on this title was challenged twice. That's more than some 90 minute titles manage. It's all smartly shot, captured and edited using basic techniques, but doesn't feel small..."
"...Cappelletti's title dangles the most basic emotions in front of our eyes. Love, being lonely and even hate. This title even manages to push these emotions onto us only to flip them around and use them against us; in an effort to catch us off guard. All this from a mostly single location, very short title with only 3 actors..."
"...When it comes to micro indie titles, especially really short films, The Date is one of the better ones I've seen in a while. This isn't an iPhone movie or a Youtube video; but it's also surprisingly personal. Much like phone videos often are. The small but talented group of people in front of, and behind the lens had a clear vision here and the heart to make it a reality..."
"...The Date had me. I was fooled and thought it was a great turn of events. At under 10 minutes there is no excuse not to watch this when the time comes."
Excerpts from "Sonic Cinema" review of The Date
"Alessio Cappelletti’s short film is a terrific example of writing a scene with enough detail to hold our interest, and still maintaining some element of surprise with what is taking place. It helps that Michael Gonza (as Vernon, the guy who is waiting) and Marybeth Paul (as Alice, the one who comes into to diner) play the scene just right to make us think we know what’s going on, and feel for what these characters are doing. It’s hard to do something like this really well; Cappelletti makes it look easy."
The Final Cut Review (Video Review of "The Date")
Interview by Michael Haberfelner for the Film "The Date"