Millie Lies Low
Millie, an architecture student from Wellington, New Zealand, has landed a competitive internship with a prestigious firm in New York. After telling everyone she knows about the opportunity, she suddenly suffers a panic attack as her plane is about to take off, and misses her flight. In a desperate pivot, Millie decides to save face by hiding in plain sight around Wellington, suitcase in tow, using Instagram and the power of denial to depict a trip to New York City that never happened. Trapped in a spiral of hilariously uncomfortable self-inflected scenarios, Millie will have to dig deep to restore her mental health and her dignity. Praised for capturing "the chaotic self-destruction of Fleabag and the anxious missteps of Eighth Grade," (FilmDaze), Millie Lies Low is a poignant cringe comedy for our time.
"A unique entry into the cringe comedy subgenre, MILLIE LIES LOW bursts with unexpected but delightful moments. Media libraries that feature indie comedies or New Zealand cinema will want to include Millie Lies Low, a gripping comedy, in their film collections...MILLIE LIES LOW could easily fit into a variety of film series. It would suit a series of movies of social media deceptions, like INGRID GOES WEST and NOT OKAY or the “quasi-documentary” CATFISH. It could also be included in a showcase of New Zealand comedies, including several films that cast members from MILLIE LIES LOW appear in, like THE BREAKER UPPERERS or HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE." - Video Librarian
Cast
- Ana Scotney
- Jillian Nguyen
- Chris Alosio
- Rachel House
- Sam Cotton
DVD Features
Audio Commentary by director Michelle Savill
Bonus Short Film
Ellen is Leaving
Directed by Michelle Savill
New Zealand | English Language
16 minutes
Ellen is cool. She is recycling stuff before she heads overseas, including her boyfriend. She decides to gift him to a new girlfriend, but can she really give him up?
Discs: 1
- "From goofy grins to anxiety-ridden wide eyes, Scotney’s range and talent is clear: her comic timing and commitment to Millie’s mania are exemplary."
- "A shrewd and promising debut."
- "Michelle Savill's congenial first feature takes its likeable protagonist deep into a cringing nightmare. [T]he film and its characters win our sympathies without reservation."
- "Millie Lies Low sits somewhere between the chaotic self-destruction of Fleabag and the anxious missteps of Eighth Grade. It takes the popular tropes of messy women, social media, and an impending sense of existential anxiety, and lets it make our skin-crawl in new ways. "
- "In her first feature, the director, Michelle Savill, presents Millie’s motivations as self-destructive but understandable. Scotney, never quite mugging for sympathy, plays her well."
- "Occasionally a film comes along where both the writing and the acting strike such a magical chord that you lose yourself in the sublime beauty of the movie and the performance. Millie Lies Low is one of those films, and Ana Scotney as its titular character turns in one of the most refreshing performances to hit the screen this year...[T]here’s something about the pacing, beats, and emotional atmosphere of Millie Lies Low that stands out, making it something of a special pleasure. Bravo to all and here’s to Savill, who will undoubtedly generate buzz with this jewel of a debut."
- "One bad decision leads to another in this well-acted and sharply filmed comedy. "
- "Millie Lies Low represents a fabulous start for two relatively unknown talents. Writer-director Michelle Savill makes her feature debut behind the camera, bringing to life an endearing story with an unapologetically awkward lead. In her first lead film role, Scotney shows that she’s capable of being funny and carrying a movie...."
- "Director Michelle Savill wraps up the arrested development, coming-of-age cringe comedy in a moment of joy that spells big things for the first-time feature filmmaker."
- "Millie Lies Low is a work of real humanism, an Agnes Varda portrait of anxiety. I can't wait to see what Savill does next."
- "Ana Scotney embodies the taut desperation at the heart of this film with an exhilarating performance as Millie, leaning into the cringe comedy that underpins the most excruciating moments of action."
Gallery
Awards & Recognition
Crystal Bear Generation 14plus
Berlin Int'l. Film Festival
Emerging Filmmaker Award
Minneapolis St. Paul Int'l. Film Festival
SXSW Film Festival
Milwaukee Film Festival
Cleveland International Film Festival
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