Completely Normal, a dark romantic comedy helmed by first-time feature film director Robert Vornkahl, has won Best Narrative Feature at New York's Metropolitan Film Festival. The movie will screen on Saturday, June 20 at 5:10pm at the Producers Club Theatre in the heart of NYC's historic Theater District.
The movie stars Seth Kirschner (30 Rock, Upright Citizens Brigade Theater) as Greg, an obsessive but awkwardly lovable stalker-type who becomes enamored with Gwen, a 20-something maid who suffers from multiple personality disorder, played by Jenny Grace (Producing Juliet, Summertime in New York). Whitney Kimball Long (The Intern, The Girl’s Guide To Depravity), who previously worked with Vornkahl on the horror comedy short Frank and Barry, plays Gwen’s overprotective sister, Liz.
Geneva Carr, nominated for Best Actress at 2015 Tony Award for her performance in “Hand to God”, stars as Mary, Gwen’s confident, sexy alter ego. Pro wrestler / punk singer, Jym Parella, plays Dylan, the dark and protective side of Gwen’s personality. Rounding out the cast are veteran actors Kate Hodge (Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III) as Gwen’s therapist Dr. Hunter, and Mark Hamlet (Mona Lisa Smile, The Guru) as Greg’s well meaning but ill-advising father.
The film previously screened at the Hoboken Film Festival and Indiana's Alhambra Theatre Film Festival, where Kirschner was nominated for Best Actor. The award from the Metropolitan Film Festival is the first festival win for the Completely Normal team.
Completely Normal had an efficient shoot on a tight schedule, with production lasting three weeks in December of 2013. Vornkahl kept his onset crew small, including producers Andrew Beguin and Molly Beitchman, mixer Brian Yost, and cinematographer Brian Harnick, all of whom have previously worked together on the Food Network series Chopped. A 2006 graduate of Hofstra University’s film program, Vornkahl assembled a large chunk of his pre and post production teams with his fellow alumni, bringing together co-writers Heather Davis, Paul DeKams, and Chris Vespoli; editor Mike Api, producer John Rebecchi, and composers David Beede and Andy McCarthy. Colorist Gene Curley (Garbage Dreams, Wildlife) of Nice Shoes worked with Vornkahl to finalize the stark look of the film, showcasing a depressing side of Queens that is only ever brightened by Greg’s breaks with reality.
