screening no.3: WUSS - june 26

WUSS (2011)

Directed by Clay Liford

A high school English teacher is beaten up by his students. That makes him a wuss.

Clay Liford is a festival darling. His first short film, My Mom Smokes Weed, premiered last year at Sundance, and then two months later his first feature, Earthling, had its world premiere at SXSW, going on to garner acclaim at more prestigious festivals (including Spain's Sitges Fest).

This year, he's back with a story about the little engine who couldn't, WUSS. Nate Rubin (My Mom Smokes Weed, Blood On The Highway) stars as Mitch, bullied high school teacher by day, beaten high school teacher by night. Having nowhere else to turn, he teams up with rebellious high school student Maddie (Alicia Anthony), and they fight back and attempt to turn the bullies into the bullied.

Featuring Tony Hale (TV's "Arrested Development"), the film is a dark comedy that almost plays as a horror film, albeit one where nobody dies (except a little on the inside). 

Says Liford, "In most comedies, when characters do harebrained schemes they’re never held accountable for them. I hold them accountable."

http://www.wussmovie.com