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Riddle of Fire

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Riddle of Fire
Directed byWeston Razooli
Written byWeston Razooli
Produced by
  • ANAXIA
Starring
CinematographyJake Mitchell
Distributed by
Release dates
Running time
113 minutes
CountryUnited States
Box office$196,065[4]

Riddle of Fire is a 2023 fantasy film written and directed by Weston Razooli and starring Skyler Peters, Phoebe Ferro, and Charlie Stover.[3] Variety has described the film as a "faux-’70s children’s fantasy adventure."[5]

Synopsis

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Brothers Jodie (Peters) and Hazel (Stover), along with their friend Alice (Phoebe Ferro), devise a scheme to steal a video game from a nearby warehouse. They manage to get away with the game but find themselves unable to play the game because they do not know the password to the television. Jodie and Hazel's mother (Hoetmer) agrees to tell the boys the password if they bring her a blueberry pie. Unable to secure a pie from the local pie-maker, they get her recipe and set out to find the ingredients. While trying to get eggs, the last carton is taken by John Redrye of the Enchanted Blade Gang.

They follow him to the home of the gang, led by Anna-Freya Hollyhock (Tipton), who may be a witch. They stowaway in the back of their truck and ultimately find themselves on an adventure where they team up with Anna-Freya's daughter, Petal, to find a speckled egg, make the blueberry pie, and play their video game.[1]

Cast

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  • Phoebe Ferro as Alice
  • Skyler Peters as Jodie A'Dale
  • Charlie Stover as Hazel A'Dale
  • Danielle Hoetmer as Julie A'Dale
  • Lio Tipton as Anna-Freya Hollyhock
  • Charles Halford as John Redrye
  • Lorelei Mote as Petal Hollyhock
  • Weston Razooli as Marty Hollyhock
  • Rachel Browne as Suds Hollyhock
  • Andrea Browne as Kels Hollyhock
  • Austin Archer as Chip
  • Abigail Sakari as Otomo Angel
  • Chuck Marra as Otomo Pete
  • Lonzo Liggins as Officer Neff
  • Sorhab Mirmont as DJ März
  • Kent Richards as Officer Lucas

Production

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Riddle of Fire was shot on 16 mm film by cinematographer Jake L. Mitchell to emulate the aesthetic of 1970s Disney movies that served as the film's inspiration.[3] Filming took place in Park City, Utah, over a twenty-day period.[6]

Release

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Riddle of Fire premiered in the Directors' Fortnight portion of the Cannes Film Festival and later screened at that year's Toronto International Film Festival[2] and Fantastic Fest. In 2024, Riddle of Fire received a theatrical run in the United States, distributed by Yellow Veil Pictures and Vinegar Syndrome.[3]

Reception

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Critical response

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 82% of 33 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.8/10. The website's consensus reads: "With its charmingly childlike perspective, Riddle of Fire channels the spirit of youthful adventure with enough exuberance to overcome an occasionally shaggy structure."[7] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 52 out of 100, based on nine critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[8]

Accolades

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Award Date Category Recipient Result Ref.
Cannes Film Festival March 25, 2023 Camera d'Or Riddle of Fire Nominated [9]
Cannes' Directors' Fortnight Nominated
Ghent Film Festival October 21, 2023 Official Competition Nominated [10]
Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival November 17, 2023 Official Competition Nominated [11]
Molodist International Film Festival October 21, 2023 Teen Screen Competition Nominated [12]
Mon Premier Festival October 31, 2023 Audience Award for Best Film Nominated [13]
Piccolo Grande Cinema November 12, 2023 International Competition Nominated [13]
Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival November 25, 2023 Audience Choice Award Won [14]
Sitges Film Festival October 15, 2023 Special Mention Won [13]
Warsaw International Film Festival October 15, 2023 Free Spirit Award Weston Razooli Won [13]

References

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  1. ^ a b Gyarke, Lovia. "'Riddle of Fire' Review: A Sentimental Debut Buckles Under the Weight of Its Fancy". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  2. ^ a b Kuplowsky, Peter (2023). "Riddle of Fire". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Zilko, Christian (12 February 2024). "'Riddle of Fire' Trailer: Blueberry Pie Seekers Battle Witches and Huntsmen in 16mm Adventure Saga". Indiewire. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  4. ^ "Riddle of Fire". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. n.d. Retrieved 19 May 2024.Edit this at Wikidata
  5. ^ Goldstein, Gregg (2023-05-19). "'Riddle of Fire' Director Weston Razooli Takes Flight Into Fantasy With Directors' Fortnight Feature Debut". Variety. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  6. ^ "DP Jake Mitchell gives a playful touch to Weston Razooli's 'Riddle of Fire' using 16mm Kodak film". Kodak. Eastman Kodak Company. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Riddle of Fire". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 22, 2024. Edit this at Wikidata
  8. ^ "Riddle of Fire". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 22, 2024.
  9. ^ "The 2023 Caméra D'or: Who are the contenders?". Cinema de Demain. 5 December 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  10. ^ "Riddle of Fire". Film Fest Gent. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  11. ^ "Official Selection – In Competition". Lisboa Film Festival. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  12. ^ "Riddle of Fire". Molodist International Film Festival. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  13. ^ a b c d "Riddle of Fire: Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
  14. ^ "Riddle of Fire". Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
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