LA Film Fest: Ponder the Possibilities in David Fenster's Pincus Poster Debut

Writer-director David Fenster's PINCUS is earning raves at the LA Film Fest, where it debuted this weekend in narrative competition. Drawing acclaim for its naturalistic documentary-style storytelling, Pincus follows one man's spiritual search — part autobiographical film, part fiction, part slacker comedy — using footage of filmmaker Fenster's conversations with his real life father, who lives with Parkinson's disease.

Pincus premiered to kudos last weekend at the LA Film Fest, and screens again on Thursday. Find more info on the film here. Previously, Fenster made his directorial debut with 2004's Trona, which also starred actor David Nordstrom. Bonus endorsement: Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs/21 Jump Street co-director Phil Lord serves as executive producer and has been enthusiastically supporting the film on Twitter.

Synopsis:

Pincus Finster is in way over his head: trying to find a way to stall his father’s Parkinson’s, halfheartedly taking up yoga to meet girls, and letting his only friend Dietmar, an aging German illegal alien, get drunk and sleep in the homes they’re supposed to be remodeling. Pincus spends his time stoned and fumbling for some sort of spiritual truth. Drawing from his own life, director and writer David Fenster has cast his family and friends (including his father, Paul Fenster, who has been living with Parkinson’s for 13 years) and woven documentary footage shot in and around his hometown of Miami, Florida into the story. Seamlessly combining naturalistic storytelling with documentary elements and hints of metaphysic mystery, PINCUS is a soulfully handcrafted film that explores the gulf between cynicism and wonder with quiet revelation.

Read more of Movieline's coverage of the LA Film Fest here.

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