Vulcanizadora Trailer: Joel Potrykus and Joshua Burge Astonish the Senses

      While the concept of independent cinema has evolved to embrace larger budgets and wider scopes, Joel Potrykus remains committed to his punk origins. The director of Buzzard and Relaxer made a return to the festival circuit last fall with Vulcanizadora, collaborating once again with frequent partner Joshua Burge on a film that defies categorization, exploring a deteriorating friendship. Set to launch the summer movie season with great impact, the first trailer has been released in advance of Oscilloscope’s May 2 debut at NYC’s IFC Center.

      Here’s a brief synopsis: “Two friends wander through a Michigan forest with the goal of fulfilling a troubling pact. When their plan takes an unexpected turn, the disturbing repercussions of their failure cannot remain concealed for long.”

      In his review, John Fink remarked, “Similar to the punk-rock cousin of Kelly Reichardt’s Old Joy, Joel Potrykus’ Vulcanizadora also depicts a journey through the woods that captures the precise moment an old friendship abruptly ends. The film signifies a certain maturation for the Michigan-based provocateur, revisiting characters first introduced in his 2014 film Buzzard along with themes from his lesser-known 2016 feature, The Alchemist Cookbook. Like many artists transitioning from early to mid-career, Potrykus delves into themes of family— or, in this instance, its abandonment—while still preserving the sharpness found in his earlier works. It presents a sort of dilemma, but unlike other indie filmmakers who start small and gradually expand, this filmmaker has remained refreshingly consistent. (His 2018 masterpiece, Relaxer, took place in the confines of an apartment rather than broadening his slacker universe).”

      Check out the trailer and poster below and read our interview with Potrykus here.