The Californer - "The Rocket Man" Transforms Childhood Grief Into Mesmerizing Adventure at Dances With Films

Trending...

LOS ANGELES - Californer -- "The Rocket Man," a profoundly personal 18-minute science fantasy drama that director Laurence Cohen began crafting in response to losing his mother to cancer, will make its world premiere at the prestigious Dances With Films festival on Sunday, June 22nd at 2:45 p.m. at the TCL Chinese Theater.

The film stars Connor Price in a breakthrough dramatic performance, delivered years before his emergence as a celebrated recording artist, alongside Samantha Somer Wilson, John Boylan, Drew Nelson, Ingrid Haas, and Shawn Reynolds. The casting emerged during the film's nearly two-decade development process, during which Cohen edited major studio releases including Netflix's "Blackout" (starring Josh Duhamel and Nick Nolte), Lionsgate's "Guest House," contributing to Apple TV+'s "Invasion" and NBC Universal's "Endgame," while editing theatrical campaigns for Sony Pictures' biggest tentpole films.

More on The Californer

"The Rocket Man" weaves together parallel narratives following Benji, a troubled boy forced to spend a day at his father's mysterious workplace, and The Rocket Man, a young hero preparing for a one-way journey to save an alien world. When Benji discovers a caged girl in the basement, both stories converge exploring themes of loss, acceptance, and saying goodbye.

"This film came from the hardest moment in my life - losing my mom to cancer and being unable to say goodbye," says Cohen. "Every minute essentially represents a year's worth of learning, 1 minute per year. So 18 minutes, 18 years of work, step by step. There were no elevators on this one. Having this film about the most difficult time of my life premiere through Dances With Films, a prestigious showcase for independent cinema, at the Chinese Theatre, the world's most famous cinema, is a dream come true."

Shot by transforming university spaces into otherworldly environments, the film demonstrates Cohen's signature ability to create expansive emotional landscapes within intimate constraints.

More on The Californer

Cohen's credits include editing Netflix's "Blackout," which reached 15 million viewers in its first week and debuted at #2 globally, and "Guest House," which topped Amazon's charts for 37 days. His directorial work has screened at Festival de Cannes, with "Rusted Pyre" winning the National Screen Institute's prestigious Drama Prize and recognition among the Top 100 Films of 2011.

Cohen is currently slated to direct the horror-comedy "The Cheerleaders Must Die!" with Emmy-nominated producer David Cormican under his Fun Republic Pictures banner.

"The Rocket Man" was completed in November 2024 and will screen Sunday, June 22nd at 2:45 p.m. at the TCL Chinese Theater as part of Dances With Films.

Trailer and tickets here: https://www.instagram.com/laurencecohenfilm
Photo Link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fXc4BFxJP7FTNdib0AumSV6Y5Y-ER9Xt?usp=drive_link