GIRLFRIEND premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival and was one of 13 films to sell to a distributor in the first week. In 2011, Shaun and his fellow producers won an IFP Gotham Award for the film as well as a host of other awards* both internationally and here in the U.S.
*See list of Awards below.
QUOTES ABOUT THE FILM
"Accomplished and tense...[newcomer] Evan Sneider handles scenes of tenderness, mystery, and anger with much skill. [Shannon] Woodward matches him."
-- Ray Bennett, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
"Evan Sneider and Amanda Plummer are wonderful together...Plummer is quite brilliant."
-- John Anderson, VARIETY
"The most important film I saw at Toronto this year."
-- Janice Page, THE BOSTON GLOBE
"GIRLFRIEND is exactly the kind of brave little film one goes to a festival hoping to find. It’s memorable and moving – an unexpected backyard treasure with an irresistible star."
-- Janice Page, THE BOSTON GLOBE
"A sweet, beguiling, and at times wrenching debut from writer-director Justin Lerner."
-- Steve Pond, THE WRAP
"GIRLFRIEND is warm, sharp, funny, complex...I saw it four months ago and it’s still under my skin."
-- Jane Schoettle, programmer, TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
"[Evan] Sneider shines in his first feature-length role...It’s a part that requires subtlety and sophistication and Sneider’s nuanced performance is a cornerstone for the entire film."
-- Raphael Brusilow, METRO CANADA
SPECIFIC REVIEWS:
RAY BENNETT, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/girlfriend-film-review-30032
RAFAEL BRUSILOW, METRO CANADA
http://metronews.ca/news/191151/girlfriend-lets-sneider-show-off-he-has-acting-chops/
ANDREW O’HEHIR, SALON.COM
http://www.salon.com/2011/07/15/girlfriend_2/
DREW MCWEENY, HITFIX.COM
BRETT MICHEL, BOSTON HERALD