A New Trailer Series For A24's The Beach Promises A 'Continuous Streaming Experience' Lasting One Week
Australian filmmaker Warwick Thornton ("Firebite," "Sampson and Delilah") and independent film company A24 are two of the biggest innovators in movies today, so it makes sense that they would team up for a project. Their upcoming collaboration, "The Beach," is about as innovative as it gets.
The upcoming documentary follows Thornton as he gives up his fast-paced lifestyle for a life of isolation on a remote and gorgeous beach. And that's really all the plot there is. It's based on the Norwegian style of "slow TV," a filmmaking style that de-emphasizes storytelling in favor of depicting events slowly, almost in real-time, and focusing on the lived human experiences (via Scandinavia Standard).
As reported by Deadline, Thornton and his son, cinematographer Dylan River, shot "The Beach" in April and May 2019 on Jilirr, located on Western Australia's Dampier Peninsula. "One of the most important things about the show is that it ... doesn't have that sort of general television reason for being," Thornton told The Guardian. "It's not trying to sell anything. I make a lot of mistakes in it. And I try to be as honest as possible about who I am and why I'm there."
Today, A24 released a trailer for the six-part documentary series, as well as information on how you can check it out. It'll be an unconventional viewing experience, just like the movie itself.
The Beach will make you feel like you're living by yourself on a beach
The newly released trailer gives a condensed look at what "The Beach" looks like. The only identifiable structure to the film is the passage of time, as Warwick Thornton lives his life, day in and day out on the island. The trailer dubs the documentary as a "new viewing experience for the senses," and it's definitely that. There are vibrant tropical colors, a rhythmic music track made from real-world sounds like a revving car engine and a knife chopping onions, and lots and lots of gourmet food. The food in particular is one area of emphasis, as Thornton puts time and care into creating five-star restaurant-worthy meals from simple ingredients, like fresh-caught fish and eggs from the three chickens he shares the island with.
One of the trailer's recurring symbols is Thornton driving his rusted-out jeep in circles in the sand, starting out perfectly concentric but eventually veering off in a tangent. It's repetitive, non-linear, and most of all, imperfect — like the movie itself. At one point, Warwick says, "I have no idea what I'm doing," reflecting Thornton's overall goal for the movie.
The trailer for "The Beach" promises a "continuous streaming experience" lasting a week, but the movie isn't actually that long — although it might feel like it. A24 will be playing the documentary on a continuous loop from November 22-28, 2021, so you can tune in and out as you please. It will be available on A24's Screening Room, the company's virtual cinema platform.