OVERVIEW: LAST: The Loving Angels Super Team is an independent film written and directed by Rome Romanne, a Hollywood, California-based actor and filmmaker who aims to make content-rich stories. Producing intimate, story-driven films in an industry bent on making big, flashy motion pictures, LAST is Romanne's latest filmic opus, with continued plans to submit to festivals, primarily in Boston and Los Angeles but also nationwide. 

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STORY ANALYSIS: Set in present-day Boston, Massachusetts and filmed entirely on-location in the Boston neighborhood of Charlestown, LAST is, in essence, about a well-intended united front, both literal and possibly existential, on behalf of one self-destructive yet sympathetic soul named Harry (portrayed by Romanne). His personal dissent mobilizes unexpected help from five people in his life (as played, collectively, by Alexis Dominique, Francis McGinny, Natalie Vane and Fred Wright), including one unassuming, quiet person among the "loving super team," of whom, strangely, no one seems to acknowledge (performed by acting newcomer Sudesh Shetty). Spearheading the rally on Harry's behalf is a mysterious sixth "angel": a foreign benefactor of sorts (portrayed by leading actor Marinko Radakovic) who is revealed to be much more than Harry anticipates. A realistic noir melodrama, the film also explores the ethereal, with the help of a choragic, omniscient narrator (performed by Maurice Wilson), who prompts us to look within ourselves and take into account our judgment of people we all tend to label as "other," as we lay witness to Harry's unsettling journey. The presence of The Narrator also challenges us to perhaps explore our own faith and to what extent each of us relies on a higher order, if at all. In addition, the film also touches upon a number of topics, most notably self esteem, drug use, sexuality, alienation, abandonment, mortality and race.

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CINEMATOGRAPHY: Shot at 1080p, the film's cinematic vision (thanks to the film's director of photography, Ian C. Placido), is a quasi-blend of cinema verité, with careful stylistic respect of and homage to the relevant tenets of the Danish Dogme 95 movement: acting, story and theme. Scenes were carefully filmed predominantly through a natural, non-artificial blue haze filter, the combined product of subtle studio lighting and the use of natural overcast light.

 

ART DIRECTION: Both ethereal yet purgatorial, the look and feel of the film is fluid, but also rustic and raw, with every effort to capture gritty, honest realism. Every peel of paint on the walls, unwelcome emptiness of cold spaces, down to the grit under Harry's nails are intentionally laid bare, illustrating with uncomfortable honesty the quiet, persistent struggle of Harry's world.

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DIRECTION: Having previously directed the Los Angeles-based full-length indie feature, Just Close Your Eyes and Go To Town and the fantasy foreign-language film short, Zakutsu, LAST is Romannes' third directorial effort. Directing LAST has been a slight directorial departure for him, with his focus on close-ups and direct--to-camera acting techniques required of his actors. It added challenges to the films' performances, although Romanne has always prioritized creative vision over convenience. Romanne utilized his inspiration from Jonathan Demme's style of dramatic close-ups, a direct attempt at inspiring viewer/film relationships so that the audience can feel more connected to the action of the moment. This method is grounded in his work as a trained professional stage actor and considers live entertainment as sacred of an experience for both the audience, as well as the actor(s). The hope is for the viewer to be able to experience the same in LAST. 

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PRODUCTION: LAST: The Loving Angels Super Team is a Hollywood, California-based production filmed in Boston. 

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RIUNNING TIME: 30 Minutes

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CONTENT WARNING: strong sexual situations, graphic nudity, drug use, violence, AAPI racism & strong language.

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THIS FILM HAS BEEN PRODUCED UNDER VERY STRICT CDC-COMPLIANT COVID-19 SAFETY REGULATIONS

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