Podtalk: Emma Thatcher’s 'Provo' is July 27 Opening Night Film at CUFF 2022

Submitted by PatrickMcD on July 26, 2022 - 1:58pm

CHICAGO – The 29th Chicago Underground Film Festival (CUFF) is back from July 27th-31st, 2022, and the Opening Night film is “Provo” – about a road trip to the title city – written, directed and lead acted by Emma Thatcher.

Emma portrays Liz, an aimless underemployed ne’er-do-well in Chicago who finds out that her estranged father is dying in Provo, Utah. He is a Mormon bishop, and Liz left the religion long ago. She reluctantly decides to go to his deathbed, mostly to tell him how horrible her life was with him during her developmental years. Accompanying her on the trip is her boyfriend-she-will-not-call-boyfriend Geoffrey (Hunter Bryant), and that conflicted designation will ride along with them. As Nico the Weed Man (Nick Davis) told them before their road trip began, “may your journey take you on a path you were meant to walk.”

Emma Thatcher in ‘Provo’
Photo credit: 29th CUFF

Emma Thatcher is a veteran shorts filmmaker and stage-trained actor. Although the character of Liz shares some traits with Emma – including a former association with the Mormon religion – the names, events and locations have all changed. “Provo” is her debut feature film, and she is currently working on her second, which will center on the Chicago music scene.

The 29th edition of CUFF, the longest running underground film festival in the world, teams up with OnlyFans, Unstoppable Domains, and The Visible Project to bring back five days of film/five nights of screenings at Chicago’s Logan Theater from July 27-31st, 2022, as well as their famous afterparties. A ticket to CUFF doesn’t just get you access to more than 100 films and video artworks, it’s an admission to a subculture.

Additional programming at CUFF includes four world premieres, three regional premieres, panel discussions examining crypto and DAO (click CUFF Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO)), in addition to after-party performances from La Armada at The Burlington Bar and The Enigma at Chicago’s Insect Asylum.

In PART ONE of a Podtalk with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, Writer/director/lead actor Emma Thatcher of “Provo” talks autobiographical elements of the film and other production notes …

In PART TWO, Emma dishes on Nico the Weed Man and Mormonism …

Trailer for CUFF 29 …

”Provo” is the Opening Night Film at the 29th Chicago Underground Film Festival (CUFF), which takes place from July 28th through the 31st, 2022. Screenings are at the Logan Theater, 2646 North Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago. For all information, click CUFF 29.