Podtalk: Alyssa Thordarson of ‘Paper Planes,’ at AfterImage Film Fest, April 15, 2023

CHICAGO – Another Chicago creator has a World Premiere. Alyssa Thordarson, who makes her director debut with Michael Glover Smith, will present the short “Paper Planes” at the AfterImage Film Fest (Fox Valley, Illinois) on April 15, 2023.

In “Paper Planes” a woman (Shaina Schrooten) – who suffers from agoraphobia – and the Airbnb guest across the hall (Thordarson), strike up a correspondence that becomes something more during the Christmas season. The short film was written by Ms. Thordarson and co-directed by Chicago indie film favorite Michael Glover Smith (“Relative”). “Paper Planes” also marks Alyssa’s directorial debut. Click PAPER PLANES [20] for information and tickets for the World Premiere.

Alyssa Thordarson Makes Her Directorial Debut with ‘Paper Planes’
Photo credit: AlyssaThordarson.com

First-generation Icelandic/American, Alyssa Thordarson grew up in the Midwest, and studied at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York City and at Columbia College Chicago. Her debut screenplay “After (A Love Story),” which she also was featured actor in and produced, was an official selection at 21 festivals, including the Academy-Award qualifying Cleveland International Film Festival and LA Shorts International, and won the 2022 Best Drama Short award at North Hollywood Cinefest and the Sherman Oaks Film Festival.

Co-director Michael Glover Smith is fast becoming Chicago’s Richard Linklater, as a filmmaker, academic and influencer. His first feature film, “Cool Apocalypse,” premiered in 2015, the same release year as his first book, “Flickering Empire: How Chicago Invented the U.S. Film Industry.” His next two films were “Mercury in Retrograde” in 2017, and “Rendezvous in Chicago” in 2018. His latest feature, “Relative,” was completed in 2021 and has had festival and roadshow exhibitions ever since.

Co-Directors Michael Glover Smith & Alyssa Thordarson of ‘Paper Planes’
Photo credit: Michael Glover Smith Archives

In Part One of a Podtalk with Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, co-director/writer/lead actor Alyssa Thordarson talks about the World Premiere of “Paper Planes” …

In Part Two, “Paper Planes” co-director Michael Glover Smith weighs in on the film and the state of the Chicago indie film scene …

[22]	By PATRICK McDONALD [23] Editor and Film Critic/Writer HollywoodChicago.com pat@hollywoodchicago.com [22]