American writer and director Joel Potrykus resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan. BUZZARD (SXSW, Locarno 2014) is the latest installment of its ANIMAL TRILOGY, following the feature film APE (winner of the Best Emerging Director of the Locarno Festival) and the 2010 Super 8 short COYOTE. Along with his production team, Joel teaches screenplay at Grand Valley State University and writes for an annual review of the films.

The Alchemist’s Cookbook about this movie: Sean, a young outcast has been isolated in a trailer in the forest, starting in alchemical activities, with his cat Kaspar as his only companion. Filled with disdain for authority, he has fled from his daily routine and hidden himself in nature, escaping from a society that has no place for him. But when it goes from chemistry to black magic to decipher the secret of nature, things go wrong and wake up something much more sinister and dangerous.

USA | 2016 | Color | Contact Us | 82min

Director: Joel Potrykus. Screenplay: Joel Potrykus. Producers: Bryan Reisberg, Andrew D. Corkin, Ashely Young and Joel Potrykus. Photography: Adam J. Minnick. Sound: Sasa Slogar Edition: Joel Potrykus Cast: Ty Hickson, Amari Cheatom, Fiji. Production Companies: Oscilloscope Laboratories

Festivals Champs-Elysees Film Festival, Fantastic Film Festival

Buzzard. About this movie: Marty Jackitansky, a boring employee in a mortgage office, is looking for what he thinks he deserves. He will cheat corporations only for the thrill. Soon Marty will open a scheme to steal small reimbursement checks from his mortgage company, thinking that he will somehow trick the banks into charging them. He will reveal his plan to his only working friend, Derek, who has seen Marty fail in the past. Marty’s growing suspicions force him to hide in Derek’s basement for a week, terrified by the outside world. His anxiety diminishes temporarily with absurd party games in the basement, but eventually he will be in a dangerous state of aggression. After a fight with Derek, Marty gets on a bus to Detroit, a city victim of the same kind of corporate oppression of Marty fears. Derek nights are spent in abandoned motels or in a luxurious high place, depending on how much money he had in he´s pocket at that time. As soon as he reaches the money, he spends it. Marty’s misguided paranoia comes to a psychotic state, as he becomes a man willing to draw blood from those he sees as parasites.

USA | 2014 | DCP | Color | 97min

Director: Joel Potrykus. Screenplay: Joel Potrykus. Producers: Michael Saunders, Ashley Young Photo: Adam J. Minnick Sound: Peter Fox Joel Potrykus Starring: Joshua Burge, Joel Potrykus, Teri Ann Nelson, Katie Call, Scott Baisden, Joe Anderson Company: Sob Noisse Movies

SXSW Festivals, New Directors / New Films, Maryland Film Festival, Sarasota Film Festival.

Ape. About this movie: Trevor Newandyke is a distressed comedian. Not only he fails on stage, but he fails in his everyday life. For him, it’s the little things that matter the most. He’s fed up with the cable company’s threats, that 7-11 raise the price of the Slurpee, and all the idiots who think they can upset him. All he wants is a break, and someone that understands him. Not everyone, just someone. But instead of taking a break and recovering or taking his anger to the stage, he wraps himself in the noise of his headphones and the glow of the fire to relieve his mind. He is not only a bad comedian, but also a pyromaniac.

USA | 2012 | DCP | Color | 86min

Director: Joel Potrykus. Screenplay: Joel Potrykus. Producer: Joel Potrykus, Kevin Clancy Photo: Joel Potrykus. Sound: Justin Vanhaven, Michael Green, Charley Vanportfliet. Joel Potrykus Cast: Joshua Burge, Gary Perrine, Gary Bosek, Benjamin Riley, Daniel Falicki and Teri Nelson. Studio: Sob Noisse Movies

We will receive the visit of this great filmmaker, who from 19 to 24 of September will enjoy the Canvas experience where we will offer a retrospective of his work, all this within this year’s programming and also will present “The Alchemist Cookbook” within the section headlight.