The Color Wheel

The Color Wheel, directed by Alex Ross Perry, is a low budget independent American film, written by Perry and Carlen Altman, who also star, about a woman aiming to become a news anchor who drags her younger brother along on a road trip. Shot in black and white on 16mm in just seventeen days, Perry chose the format because the story was meant to evoke a nostalgic, almost imaginary version of America. The film was voted Best Undistributed Film of the year in both the Village Voice and Indiewire critics' polls during its 2011 festival run, and holds a 79 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes. Its final scene, a nine minute unbroken shot of the siblings growing close, proved highly divisive among viewers. Who it's for: anyone curious about a bold and unsettling independent American comedy, shot in black and white 16mm in just seventeen days, that built a cult following on the festival circuit. Who it's not for: those wanting a calm, comfortable viewing experience, since the film's final choice is deliberately designed to unsettle its audience.