“An amazing, touching, and hilarious look at the world of Harry Potter fandom. One of the 10 best films of the year!”
- Laremy Legel, Film.com
WE ARE WIZARDS
CREDITS //
Director: Josh Koury Animation: Gaia Cornwall
Producer: Gerald Lewis Original Score: Stan Oh
Editor: Myles Kane Starring: Brad Neely, Draco & the Malfoys, Harry and the Potters, The Hungarian Horntails,
Released in 2008 – 79 mins. Heather Lawver, Melissa Anelli, & The Whomping Willows.
SYNOPSIS //
“There is a raging Wizard Rock scene in this country, and I had no idea until watching the film We Are Wizards. The documentary profiles some of the power players in the underground Harry Potter creative community. I’m not talking sinister meetings in the woods about the Dark Arts. Instead, the film offers us a seven-year-old rock star and his teen pop idols, hilarious audio-commentary set to the movie and online creative writing sites waging war with corporate agents. The books’ themes of good versus evil and using inner strength to overcome challenges serve as a catalyst for many to face personal obstacles, or just to meet like-minded folk and have fun. It is staggering to learn of the different ways people touched by J.K. Rowling’s book series are honoring the characters and story with their own ideas, passion and talents. The Harry Potter mythos allows the nerdy, the average, the young, the downtrodden, and the bored a chance to borrow a little inspiration and step out of their respective worlds to be a part of something BIG. Not to say the aforementioned groups are lacking in talent. The fan arena is simply a staging ground for sharpening skills and surprising oneself with the results – much like the epic story of a boy wizard.” – Adrienne O’Keefe (courtesy of the SXSW Film Festival)
FESTIVALS //
SXSW Film Festival – World Premiere
Sheffield Documentary Film Festival
Independent Film Festival of Boston
Chicago Underground Film Festival
Cucalorus Film Festival
Sarasota Film Festival
Camden Film Festival
New York Underground Film Festival
Maryland Film Festival
Pop Montreal Musci Festival
Revelation Perth Int’l Film Festival
Sidewalk Film Festival – Special Jury Prize
Adelaide Int’l Film Festival
Toofy Film Festival – Best Feature Award
Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival
Atlanta Film Festival
THEATRICAL//
Cinema Village, NYC- Theatrical Premiere
Denver Film Society at the Starz FilmCenter
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Australian Centre for the Moving Image
Ragtag Cinema, Columbia MO
Winnipeg Cinematheque, Canada
PRESS//
“An amazing, touching, and hilarious look at the world of Harry Potter fandom. One of the 10 best films of the year!” Laremy Legel, Film.com
“Heartfelt and hugely entertaining!” Aaron Hillis, IFC News
“A highly enjoyable illustration of how, even in the limited universe of pop culture, people create, refract and remix their own stories.” Andrew O’Hehir, Salon.com
“A film with considerable charm that depicts its characters with affection and integrity.” Nick Dawson, Filmmaker Magazine
“You can’t take your eyes off this fascinating documentary.” This Week in New York
“Even if you’re not a fan of the series, the characters in WE ARE WIZARDS will charm you and maybe even convert you to their perspective on the fantasy world of witches and muggles.” Tim Basham, Paste Magazine
“A marvelous sideways glance at our pop culture in all its fragmented, self-referential, nerdy glory.” Shahnaz Habib, The Brooklyn Rail