A film director and editor with ties to Kansas City will start off the Kansas City FilmFest International with his documentary “Love, Antosha,” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 10.
The film paints a portrait of the life and career of actor Anton Yelchin and the impact he had on so many around him. Yelchin was a Jewish actor well-known for his role as Pavel Chekov in the “Star Trek” film series. Born in what is now Saint Petersburg, Russia, Yelchin and his family fled religious oppression and came to the U.S. when he was 6 months old. Yelchin died in a freak accident involving his SUV in 2016.
Director Garret Price became involved in the documentary when his friend, who was close friends with Yelchin, recruited him to make a movie about Yelchin’s life. Price met Yelchin’s family and was instantly mesmerized by the stories they told of Yelchin and his creative drive that pushed him toward a successful acting career. Price had always been an editor by trade, working on the TV series “Nashville,” a Janice Joplin documentary and other films, but after hearing Yelchin’s story, he was hooked on the idea of shaping it.
“I thought it was a story that needed to be shared and told to a larger audience,” Price said.
Yelchin’s parents always knew one day they might want to find a filmmaker to tell his story, so they collected home videos and personal letters he had written that Price would later dig through to turn into a film. Price said the most challenging aspect of his directorial debut was crafting a well-rounded story that showcased Yelchin as an awesome person who is, like everyone else, still just a human with flaws instead of putting him on a pedestal.
“I think trying to carve a story that people can connect with at the same time as showing respect the artist deserves … that’s always a challenge but I think we found a balance in the film,” he said.
“Love, Antosha,” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2019 with many celebrity appearances. Nicholas Cage, a close friend of Yelchin’s, narrated his words and letters in the film. Actors such as Chris Pine, Jennifer Lawrence, Kristin Stewart and Jodie Foster provided on-screen interviews.
“The list goes on and on of people that he worked that with were deeply affected by him in their lives,” he said.
Premiering the film at Sundance was surreal to Price, especially since Yelchin himself had been a part of so many projects showcased at the festival over the years. He said that since “Love, Antosha” was essentially Yelchin’s last film, that night at Sundance felt magical and emotional.
“You could feel his presence still there, and the amount of people he affected is just staggering,” he said.
Those who aren’t familiar with Yelchin will become interested in learning more about him as they watch the film, Price said. In introducing viewers to Yelchin, he hopes they are left with a desire to watch all the movies Yelchin’s been a part of.
The most rewarding part of Price’s directorial debut was sharing the film with Yelchin’s parents. At dinner after the premiere, Price said Yelchin’s father, Russian figure skater Viktor Yelchin, pulled him aside.
“(He) said, ‘You know, what I love most about this is that I get to spend an hour and a half with my son every time that I watch it,’” Price said. “There’s nothing stronger than that and that’s why I did it. No matter what happens with this movie, that tops it all. (I have) at least some comfort knowing they had this tool that I helped make to help share their son with the world.”
Unbeknownst to Price at the time, programmers for the Kansas City FilmFest International were at the premiere at Sundance in Park City, Utah. They watched his directorial debut and wanted Kansas City to experience it, too. Price is especially excited to show his film in the city his father, Steve Price, was raised in. His father grew up in Prairie Village and graduated from Shawnee Mission East High School. Garret Price is the grandson of Janet and Harold Price.
“Kansas City holds a special place in my heart because my father’s from there and my grandparents still live there,” he said. “I grew up my whole life visiting … being able to invite my grandparents to come see it in Kansas City is just really special to me.”
The Kansas City FilmFest International will take place April 10-14 at Cinemark on the Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri. 2019 VIP Passes offering priority access to panels, seminars, after-parties and the VIP Filmmakers Lounge are available and start at $80. Gold Festival Passes, granting unlimited films, are $45. To buy passes or tickets to a film, visit kcfilmfest.org.