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Chandler International Film Festival Day 9: Driving Through the Worst Day of Your Life

(02/03/26 9:28pm)

SPOILER WARNING“Miles Away” is the directorial feature film debut of Jackie Quinones, and was shown at the Chandler International Film Festival on Saturday. The film follows Jessica (Jackie Quinones), a rideshare driver who finds herself in a rough spot in her life after moving halfway across the country and failing to become a filmmaker. Her family has split apart after the death of her father caused her sister Melissa (Jessica Pacheco) to develop a severe drug addiction.The movie takes place over the course of a day, with each of the passengers Jessica picks up reflecting on different aspects of her character. The first few rides mostly focus on her flaws, like her social awkwardness, her loneliness, and her tendency to make bad decisions.Then at around 11 a.m. she drives Julio (Luis Guzmán) who encourages her to take care of her mental health, and a drag queen named Laurél (Salina EsTitties) who tells her to work on being more confident. In the final scene of the movie (which takes place the next day) the audience watches her take their advice to heart as she goes to the beach and dresses in a nicer, more confident looking outfit. Throughout the movie Melissa is constantly texting and trying to call Jessica. She doesn’t pick up until near the end when we hear Melissa’s insane rhetoric, talking about microchips being put in her head and the Obamas’ trying to steal her identity. The call shows that part of the reason Jessica moved was to get away from her.Jessica hangs up and calls her mom when Melissa starts spamming the family group chat, and they get into an argument about her mom never helping Melissa. The theme of family dysfunction is at its strongest here as Jessica’s connection to her family erodes. One of the final riders she picks up that night is an actress, Bridgette (Jennifer Bartels), who’s up for some awards, representing what could have been for Jessica had things turned out differently. Jessica is initially hostile toward Bridgette, but they end up bonding over both having a terrible day. The film clearly delivers the message that you never know what struggles someone is going through. If you had Jessica as your Uber driver in real life, you’d probably think she’s really annoying without ever knowing about her situation.The next morning, Jessica finds a note from Bridgette in the back of her car telling her to be honest in her art, and the film ends on a happy note as Jessica calls Bridgette to presumably make this movie.Miles Away is a good movie that delivers on its themes well with good performances and writing. Its themes of family dysfunction and not knowing what others are going through serves its main character, and adds layers of depth.

https://www.blazeradioonline.com/article/2026/02/chandler-international-film-festival-day-9-driving-through-the-worst-day-of-your-life

The Chandler International Film Festival Celebrates its 10-Year Anniversary; Driving Audience Connection

(01/27/26 9:16pm)

WARNING: This article contains spoilers and references to trauma. Reader discretion is advised.From Jan. 23 to Feb.1, Pollack Cinemas in Tempe and Chandler Gilbert Community College will host the 10th iteration of the Chandler International Film Festival, with the same decade-long mission: “to bring international films to a local audience.”Showcasing 120 films from 35 countries, the Chandler International Film Festival opened its arms to cinephiles and movie industry professionals, including Vernell Varnado, the father of the well-known artist Snoop Dogg, who made an appearance on the festival’s opening night. The Chandler International Film Festival is one of the many festivals that aredesigned to foster direct interaction between locals and the film industry. Not only are these festivals the perfect way for individuals looking to break into the film industry to network and showcase their work, but it is also a way to walk away with new skills via workshops such as their “How to Stand Out in Casting: A Step-by-Step Framework” workshop, hosted by casting director Bella Hibbs. In the grand scheme of cinema, everything boils down to the audiences and audience reactions. After every screening, the audience is given a chance to ask questions to the representatives from each movie, whether they are actors, filmmakers, cinematographers or other staff. Audience members get a chance to talk directly to the talents behind the movies they watch, which rarely happens with big Hollywood films.This kind of intimacy between audiences and filmmakers is what sets the Chandler International Film Festival and other local festivals apart from the disconnect that large-scale Hollywood films can sometimes foster. While there were many brilliant films, a few stuck out from the masses. Notably, “For One Night Only,” which Blaze Radio’s reporter Angel Garcia discusses extensively here, along with an exclusive interview with the lead actor, Tristian Prawong. One of the festival’s main attractions was the 10th anniversary screening of “Fragile Storm,” directed by Dawn Fields. The film opens up with leading audiences to believe that an old man had kidnapped and tied up a young woman in his house, and forced her to eat, sleep, etc. The young woman try to escape and stab the man with the knife, only to end up locking herself in the bathroom. In an amazingly twisted scene, the young woman sees her reflection in the mirror and realizes she’s older now, maybe 60s or 70s, and she slowly starts realizing that she wasn’t kidnapped, and the man she was running away from was not her captor, but her husband. The audience learns that the woman has Alzheimer's, and made her husband promise her years ago that no matter what he had to do, he would still manage to get her to sleep in the same bed as him, eat with him, and live under the same roof as him. After a flashback, the older woman unlocks the door and embraces her husband, finally remembering him. Just when audiences felt relief and happiness for the couple, the old woman started forgetting again and panicked when she no longer recognized her husband. The film then fades to black with a single message, "Alzheimer's caretakers suffer too.”The tension in the room after the film ended was evident, as no one expected a drama short that started as a kidnapping film to end with such a powerful message.Through films like “Fragile Storm,”the Chandler International Film Festival illustrates the importance of filmmaking and audience connection. As the festival continues to grow, it secures its spot within local and international film communities. For tickets and more information, visit: https://www.chandlerfilmfestiv...

https://www.blazeradioonline.com/article/2026/01/the-chandler-international-film-festival-celebrates-its-10-year-anniversary-driving-audience-connection