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Relative is a 2022 American drama/comedy feature film written and directed by Michael Glover Smith. The film is about a family reunion centered on a college graduation party in Chicago.[2] It premiered at the 2022 Gasparilla International Film Festival in Tampa, Florida where actor Cameron Scott Roberts won the Grand Jury award for Best Performance.[3]

Relative
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Michael Glover Smith
Written by	Michael Glover Smith
Produced by	Aaron Wertheimer Clare Cooney
Starring	Wendy Robie Francis Guinan Cameron Scott Roberts Clare Cooney Keith D. Gallagher Emily Lape Melissa DuPrey Elizabeth Stam
Cinematography	Olivia Aquilina
Edited by	Eric Marsh
Distributed by	Newcity/Chicago Film Project
Release date	March 12, 2022 (2022-03-12) (Gasparilla International Film Festival)
Running time	97 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$18,155[1]

Plot

Karen Frank and her husband, David, are retirement-age progressive activists who have lived in the same Victorian home in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood for 30 years. It’s the house in which their four children grew up and where two of their children, adult sons Benji and Rod, still live. On the eve of Benji’s graduation from college, daughters Evonne and Norma return home from out-of-state for a weekend celebration. Evonne brings her daughter, Emma, and newly separated wife, Lucia; Norma arrives alone, with thoughts of wasted potential as she reconsiders her suburban life; Rod, an unemployed burnout, pines for Sarah, the “cam girl” ex who left him years ago; and all Benji wants to do is escape the party to rendezvous with Hekla, a free-spirited actress he met the night prior. As David and Karen announce the potential sale of their home, each member of the Frank family finds their bonds with the others being tested – and strengthened – in surprising ways.[4]

Background and production

It was announced in 2021 that the film was being produced by Newcity/Chicago Film Project and would star Twin Peaks' Wendy Robie and Steppenwolf Theater Ensemble member Francis Guinan.[5]

In an interview with Split-Tooth Media, Smith said, "[A]ll of my films are really about love, which is the only subject that interests me". He noted that the inspiration for Relative was to stretch himself as a writer/director by examining, for the first time, familial relationships, which he claimed "are a lot more complicated than the ones you have with a friend or a romantic partner". Smith also cited, as influences, films such as Arnaud Desplechin's A Christmas Tale, Yasujirō Ozu's Late Spring and John Ford's How Green Was My Valley.[6]

Relative was shot over a span of two weeks in the summer of 2021 in Chicago and the near-north suburbs.[7]

Cast

• Wendy Robie as Karen Frank
• Francis Guinan as David Frank
• Cameron Scott Roberts as Benji Frank
• Clare Cooney as Evonne Frank
• Keith D. Gallagher as Rod Frank
• Emily Lape as Norma Frank
• Melissa DuPrey as Lucia Aguirre
• Elizabeth Stam as Hekla

Release

The film received a limited theatrical release beginning on June 8, 2022.[8] It was the 23rd highest grossing movie in the U.S. during its first week in release.[9]

Reception

Relative has received very positive reviews for its writing, acting, and directing. This includes a three-and-a-half (out of four) star review by the Chicago Sun-Times' Richard Roeper who called it "a wickedly funny, occasionally poignant and authentic-to-its-core drama/comedy about three eventful days in the life of a totally relatable extended family",[10] a three (out of four) star review by RogerEbert.com's Matt Zoller Seitz[11] who compared it to the work of British filmmaker Mike Leigh, and a 7.5/10 star review by Ray Lobo at Film Threat.[12] Matt Fagerholm, writing at Indie Outlook, called it "one of the year's best films".[13] As of October 2022, Rotten Tomatoes shows an approval rating of 100%, based on twelve reviews.[14]

Awards

Year	Award	Category	Result
2022	Gasparilla International Film Festival Jury Award[15]	Best Performance (Cameron Scott Roberts)	Won
	Festival of Cinema NYC Jury Award[16]	Best Director	Nominated
		Best Ensemble Cast	Won
		Best Narrative Feature	Nominated
	Full Bloom Film Festival[17]	Best Narrative Feature	Won
	Hell's Half Mile Film & Music Festival Jury Award[18]	Best Feature	Nominated
		Best Screenplay (Drama)	Nominated
		Best Ensemble Cast	Nominated
		Best Supporting Performance (Emily Lape)	Nominated
	Buffalo International Film Festival Jury Award[19]	Best Narrative Feature	Won
	Midwest Film Festival[20]	Best Actor (Francis Guinan)	Won

External links

• Relative at IMDb
• Relative at Letterboxd
• Official trailer on YouTube
• Classic Chicago Magazine interview with Smith

References

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