DON’T COME BACK FROM THE MOON
FEATURE FILM DRAMA | SCI FI & FANTASY | 2019
Mickey, a wayward teenager living on the fringe of the California Desert, is filled with angst. His father has disappeared. One by one other men also vanish from his decaying working class town. One man props open the door to his bar and leaves a note. “I’m going to the moon,” it reads. “I took the cash.”
Mickey tries to escape the bleakness of life by causing trouble with his friends but his rage becomes too much to contain. His rash choices leave him careening towards damaging consequences. Would a budding love relationship be enough to save him?
The lure of just giving up and running away is palpable. Mickey, like his father, face the decision to resist or to heed the call of “heading to the moon.”
Scene from "Don't Come Back From the Moon"
Feature Film directed by Bruce Thierry Cheung based on the novel by Dean Bakopoulos.
Awards:
- James Lyons Award for Best Editing, Woodstock Film Festival
- Special Mention for Best Feature, Woodstock Film Festival
- Jury Award in Directing, Los Angeles Film Festival
- Best Narrative Feature, Southampton Film Festival
- Best Cinematography, Southampton Film Festival
DIRECTED BY BRUCE THIERRY CHEUNG
WRITTEN BY DEAN BAKOPOULOS & BRUCE THIERRY CHEUNG
starring JEFFREY WAHLBERG, ALYSSA ELLE STEINACKER, JEREMIAH NOE, HALE LYTTLE, ZACKARY ARTHUR, CHEYENNE HAYES, RASHIDA JONES, JAMES FRANCO
PRODUCED BY JAY DAVIS, LAUREN HOEKSTRA, JAMES FRANCO, VINCE JOLIVETTE
PRODUCTION COMPANY ELYSIUM BANDINI, KALAMALKA PRODUCTIONS, GREAT POINT MEDIA
CINEMATOGRAPHY CHANANUN CHOTRUNGROJ
MUSIC BY JOHNNY JEWEL
EDITOR JOE MURPHY
REVIEWS
"The movie’s emotional potency is undeniable, its crescendo of wounded feelings and shimmering photography leaving unexpected imprints on the eyes and heart." - Jeannette Catsoulis, NY Times
"From its opening moments through its pitch-perfect closing notes, 'Don’t Come Back from the Moon' is a stunning and stark and beautiful thing to behold. The direction and the screenplay from Bruce Thierry Cheung are both first-rate” - Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times
“Cheung’s dreamlike drama is fascinating and affecting. The performances, running the gamut from Wahlberg’s implosive Mickey to Steinacker’s feisty but needy Sonya, are pitch-perfect across the board.” - Joe Leydon, Variety
"Poignant and visually striking. Cheung’s unaffected compassion for his characters grows more powerful as it proceeds. The cinematography, with its thick shadows and saturated colors, is fully attuned to the wild beauty of the edge-of-the-world setting. " - Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter
AWARDS
NEW YORK TIMES CRITICS’ PICK
SPECIAL MENTION FOR DIRECTING, LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A FEATURE FILM - ALYSSA ELLE STEINACKER YOUNG ARTIST AWARDS, 2018
JAMES LYON AWARD FOR BEST EDITING, WOODSTOCK FILM FESTIVAL
SPECIAL MENTION FOR BEST FEATURE. WOODSTOCK FILM FESTIVAL
BEST FEATURE FILM, SOUTHAMPTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY, SOUTHAMPTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
EACH MOMENT IS THE UNIVERSE
SHORT FILM directed by bruce thierry cheung
OFFICIAL SELECTION TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL
VIMEO STAFF PICK
A boy is reborn with memories of his previous lives and tries to fix the mistakes of the past.
Tribeca Film Festival 2011
Toyota Film Award Film Expo Asia
Director: Bruce Thierry Cheung
Writer: Jeremy Craig Cheung
Producer: Jacob Robinson
Starring
Vittavas Teeta
Salitgaeert Jeemoon
Natthakan Wiwatkitsakul
Chananon Chomphusri
Songwut Chomphusri
Supoj Insamean
Thitima Pothaya
Pitsanu Srimongkol
Voice Over by Pratya Mothan
Song is "Svefn-G-Englar" from Sigur Ròs
Shot on Canon 7D.
Cinematographers: Bruce Cheung and Jacob Robinson
Associate Producers: Ananwat Phuwiban and Lauren Santiago
Production Manager: Chin Tangsakulsathaporn
Transportation: Peeratat Pothawin
Production Assistant: Tossapol Tangpitaksamer
Special Thanks: Visra Vichit-Vadakan, Chananun Chotrungroj, Pornmanus "Bo" Silpasart, Raksak Kongseng, Andinh Ha, Brantley Jones, and my family
DANCE FILM FOR OPENING CEREMONY
Directed by Bruce THierry Cheung
VIMEO STAFF PICK
Featuring Bad News from the Bronx
Creative Direction - Humberto Leon
Producer - Rory Satran
Director - Bruce Thierry Cheung
Editor - Andinh Ha
Art Direction - Su Barber
Styling - Daria Radlinski
Cinematography - Pedro Gomez Millan
Hair & Make-Up, Animation - Kate Tsang
Styling Assistance - Enid Peralta
Camera Assistant - Brendan Burdzinski
Gaffer - Jeff Brink
Sound Recording - Brantley Jones
Boom Operator - Dylan Goodwin
Still photography: Brayden Olson
Shot at Milk Studios, New York.
All clothing by Target GO Collective.
Special thanks: Converse, Kevin Holmes, Gina Salamone, Streeter Phillips, Sofia Cavallo, Spike Jonze, Kathy Minh Bach, Carol Lim.
FASHION FILMS FOR KAAREM
DIRECTED BY BRUCE THIERRY CHEUNG
REEL
