31-Year-Old Newcomer Evan Glodell Directs, Writes, Produces, Edits, and Stars

The buzzed-about coming-of-age film Bellflower, which caused a sensation when it was screened at last year's Sundance Film Festival, a showcase for independent cinema, finally arrives in Japan.


Directing, writing, producing, editing, and starring in the film is 31-year-old newcomer Evan Glodell. Based on his own past heartbreak, he penned the script, channeling his restless anger and sorrow into his directorial debut. Forming the production company "Courtwolf" with friends, he filmed this work, personally modifying off-the-shelf digital cameras to achieve his unique visual aesthetic. The psychedelic and surreal visuals, with their blurred colors, deep shadows, and soft focus, are one of the film's highlights.

A Frenzied World of Delusion Driven by Despair and Anguish

Woodrow and Aiden, best friends who idolize the villain "Humungus" from Mad Max 2 rather than the protagonist. Living in the "Bellflower" district on the outskirts of Hollywood, they spend their days drinking beer from morning without working. They dream of driving modified combat vehicles equipped with flamethrowers in a post-civilization world they believe will one day arrive, and spend their time pursuing the destructive power of firearms and conducting experiments with larger flame emissions.


One night, Woodrow meets a woman named Milly at a bar and unexpectedly falls passionately in love. However, their happy days are short-lived. Upon discovering her betrayal, he loses his sanity from anger and despair, and plunges into a frenzied world of delusion with a flamethrower in hand.—.


Bellflower, which depicts the state of youth in modern America, will captivate us with a vividness reminiscent of the birth of American New Wave cinema, with its themes of male friendship that ignite the hearts of all who watch, and the despair and anguish of heartbreak that leave deep scars on the soul.