"Krisha", shown at the Cannes festival, is based on events
that happened to Shults's family over the years and stars
numerous family members, including his mother, Robyn
Fairchild, and his aunt, Krisha Fairchild in the eponymous
title role.
Krisha returns to the family to celebrate the
Thanksgiving holiday after years away, hoping to make amends
for past troubles she has caused.
Shults said drafting in his family had been essential.
"I knew that was the only way I was going to make this
movie because it's so personal ... telling that personal
family story literally with family members, shooting in my
mum's house in nine days ... That's the way we had to do it
and I think that's what made the movie special. I wouldn't
have done it any other way."
The film even features Shults's maternal grandmother, who
suffers from Alzheimer's. During shooting, she was not aware
she was appearing in a film.
The film received favorable reviews and picked up the
prestigious Grand Jury Award at the SXSW (South by South
West) film festival.
It was shown in the Critics' Week selection at Cannes and
was purchased during the festival by the U.S. distributor
A24.
(Editing by Michael Roddy and David Gregorio)
