Going Nowhere is a small indie film that has roots going back to the start of the pandemic but the satire speaks to a need to create.

The pandemic has been tough for many of us. It might not officially be over but the question for many artists was how could one be creative. Not just that but how could one create and do so safely. For filmmaker/actress Izzy Shill, it meant going from California to Kentucky to film a low-budget feature in the form of a satire about filmmaking. Shill wisely writes a satirical scriptment with room for improv and works friends who star as exaggerated versions of themselves. Not surprisingly, Shill directs the film within the mockumentary film. In any event, they crowd fund The Seed and then drive off to Kentucky days before filming begins with a binder full of Covid protocols in hand. As for The Seed, it’s a neo-noir in which a plant is the solution to ending an apocalypse. I kind of want to see this film now.

You know how a lot of blockbuster films have behind-the-scenes documentaries? The Seed might be lower budget but they still manage to have Izzy’s brother filming footage on set. Of course, the goal is to get the most cringy moments possible. However, it’s a source for the film’s comedy. That and not knowing if the production will reach the finish line. It’s a movie law that anything that can go wrong…will go wrong. Oh yeah, not everyone signs a release form! There are moments in the film where faces are blurry. They’re going for comedy so don’t be expecting something on the level of a Laurent Bouzereau documentary accompanying many films on Blu-ray. The film is more along the line of the Christopher Guest mockumentaries.

This is a film that speaks to me because it’s a satire about filmmaking and produced in my hometown of Louisville. It’s not often that I get to see local landmarks on the screen. Where The Starling Girl features the Louisville skyline and bars, Going Nowhere will be one of the final times that anyone gets to see the Village 8. Unfortunately, the former second-run theater is being demolished. Regardless, I have plenty of memories of dealing with the sound mix fighting the AC system. As soon as the marquee appears on screen, I’m like, I think that’s the Village 8?!? If the marquee wasn’t enough, the restrooms that theater seats confirmed it. I called my mom to make sure my eyes weren’t deceiving me. You can take the girl out of Louisville but you cannot talk Louisville out of the girl!

Outside of the Village 8, they film on location at a farm in Crestwood and a producer’s home in Old Louisville. I’m not sure which producer but Gill Holland, Andy Blieden, Stu Pollard, and Benjamin Worth Bingham Miller are among the executive producers. Anyone knowing anything about film in Louisville ought to know Gill and Stu’s names. Meanwhile, Andy has a fun cameo.

I hope Going Nowhere is able to find an audience. The fact that it’s bypassing theaters and going straight to digital is scary. The lack of theatrical makes it tougher to find an audience. Don’t let the low budget fool you because Going Nowhere is a solid first feature and the satire is worth checking out. Plus, I love to support anything that will Keep Louisville Weird.

DIRECTOR/SCREENWRITER: Izzy Shill
CAST: Izzy Shill, Diana Irvine, Geoff Marslett, Devon Wycoff, Felipe Dieppa, with Matt Ransdall Jr., Stefan Singh, Alec Richker, Andy Blieden, and Zachary Webber

Gravitas Ventures released Going Nowhere on Digital/VOD on April 25, 2023. Grade: 4/5

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