The Woods (2011 film)


The Woods is a 2011 film written and directed by Matthew Lessner and starring Toby David and Justin Phillips. The script was written by Lessner with contributing writer Adam Mortemore, and additional dialogue by David and Phillips.
The film was co-produced by Lessner, Jett Steiger and Max Knies, and made history as the first film to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival that used Kickstarter for production financing. The film premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The Woods premiered in New York at the BAMcinemaFest held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. The Woods premiered internationally at the Cologne Conference in Cologne, Germany.

Premise

A group of young Americans, disillusioned by the world's many problems, move to the wilds of the Pacific Northwest with hopes of creating their own utopian society. Despite their idealistic goals of revolution, the group comes ill prepared for their new life, bringing a wide assortment of consumer electronics, recreational vehicles and snack foods. After catastrophic events in the outside world sever their electricity and Wi-Fi, and their leader's once-inspiring rhetoric fails to hold them together, the group is forced to find a way to live in harmony with the natural world.

Cast

The film was filmed over 30 days in Oregon. To make the film, the director and cast lived in a tent-city in the forest.

Music

The film features songs by
DateVenueLocationPremiere Status-
20 January 2011Sundance Film FestivalPark City, Utah USAWorld Premiere-
24 February 2011Portland International Film FestivalPortland, Oregon USA-
26 June 2011BAMcinemaFestBrooklyn, New York USANew York Premiere-
16 July 2011Maine International Film FestivalWaterville, Maine USA-
26 August 2011White Sands International Film FestivalLas Cruces, New Mexico USA-
26 September 2011Cologne ConferenceCologne, GermanyInternational Premiere
7 October 2011Rio de Janeiro International Film FestivalRio de Janeiro, Brazil-
10 November 2011Stockholm International Film FestivalStockholm, Sweden-
10 November 2011Napa Valley Film FestivalNapa, California USA-
15 November 2011American Film FestivalWrocław, Poland-
1 March 2012The Queens World Film FestivalJackson Heights, New York USA-
26 October 2012Impakt FestivalUtrecht, The Netherlands-
16 November 2013Clair-Obscur FilmfestivalBasel, Switzerland--

University/ College screenings

DateInstitutionLocation
1 April 2011Swarthmore CollegeSwarthmore, Pennsylvania USA
31 May 2011University of ChicagoChicago, Illinois USA

Miscellaneous screenings

DateLocationEvent
1 October 2011Vienna, AustriaWALDflimmern, die 1. Filmschau zum Wald
8 October 2011Linz, AustriaWALDflimmern, die 1. Filmschau zum Wald
15 October 2011Salzburg, AustriaWALDflimmern, die 1. Filmschau zum Wald
3 November 2011Los Angeles, California USADowntown Independent, Film Finds
02-8 March 2012Brooklyn, New York USAreRun Theater, 1 Week New York Theatrical Release