Allen Sunshine

Recipient of the Werner Herzog Award, the first feature by 25-year-old Harley Chamandy is a pleasingly gentle character study set in Lake Country, where music producer Allen has retreated to recover from a grievous turn of events. His cottage in the woods is a world away from his former glamorous life, and he divides his time between recording ambient nature sounds and trying his hand at baking blueberry pie. Befriended by a couple of eager ten-year-old boys, he’s lured into fishing, cowboys and injuns, and disquisitions on female beauty. Gradually, we learn what he’s running from, but it’s the simple steps of his psychological rebuild that are the point here.

Directed with a sense of tranquil serenity and grounded maturity one might be accustomed to finding in the work of a seasoned director, Allen Sunshine is, quite remarkably, the debut feature of 25-year-old Harley Chamandy. At barely over 75 minutes, [his film] may be miniature in scale, but he’s created a full-bodied exploration of grief with a world of feeling.

Jordan Raup, The Film Stage

A disarming simplicity and aura of benevolence… the film displays a pleasing self-possession simply bathing in the sense of goodness Allen is trying to nurture in his life, from teaching Kevin to ride a bike to getting a pie-making lesson from Bill the delivery man (Joseph Whitebird). None of it seems hokey or forced or ironically intended; just essential, embroidered discreetly by Vincent Leclerc in the lead role.

Phil Hoad, The Guardian