Angela (1995)

Angela is a 1995 American independent drama film, directed by Rebecca Miller (in her directorial debut), starring Miranda Stuart Rhyne (as the lead title character), Charlotte Eve Blythe, Anna Thomson and John Ventimiglia.

Plot
The movie is about a 10-year-old girl named Angela (Miranda Stuart Rhyne) who comes from a dysfunctional family; her mother Mae (Anna Thomson) suffers from mental illness with frequent mood swings and her father Andrew (John Ventimiglia) is trying his best to keep the family together.

Believing that the reason of Mae's mental illness is because of her sins & having visions of Lucifer coming to take her and her little sister Ellie (Charlotte Eve Blythe) away, Angela creates religious rituals and stories to purify herself and Ellie so her mother will get better.

Eventually, Mae is hospitalized for attempting suicide & the girls are left in the care of a babysitter (Hynden Walch) while Andrew works.

After their babysitter goes into labor, the girls explore the neighborhood, meeting unusual people along the way.

As Mae's condition takes a turn for the worse, Angela's obsession to absolve herself of her sins intensifies and she becomes more determined to rid herself of them once and for all.

Cast

 * Miranda Stuart Rhyne as Angela
 * Charlotte Eve Blythe as Ellie
 * Anna Thomson as Mae
 * John Ventimiglia as Andrew
 * Ruth Maleczech as Sleepwalker
 * Vincent Gallo as Preacher
 * Garrett Bemer as Tom
 * Peter Facinelli as Lucifer
 * Hynden Walch as Darlene
 * Henry Stram as Man at the Fair
 * Sara Caitlin Hall as Anne
 * Frances Conroy as Anne's Mother
 * Gerard Lyons III as Anne's Father
 * Rodger L. Phillips as Frank
 * Io Tillett Wright as Sam
 * Wil McKnight as Greg
 * Carl Nick Reighn as Fair Attendant
 * Jack O'Connell as Man at the Bar
 * Nurith Cohn as Makeover Woman
 * Constance McCord as The Virgin Mary
 * Roxana Stuart as Saleslady

Production
The filming took place in Poughkeepsie, New York.

The movie is also known for showing a boom mic in various scenes.

Critical Reception
The New York Times called the movie "a disturbing film" that is "at its best when looking at the world through Angela's eyes before she has gone numb".

The San Francisco Chronicle praised Miranda Stuart Rhyne's performance in the movie, saying, "She gives an impressive performance as a skinny, resourceful kid whose resolve to help her troubled mother is aided by a curiosity about good and evil".

The Austin Chronicle gave the movie three stars, saying, "Despite a few weak spots, Angela is a combination of intriguing images and subtle themes, a film that lingers long after the last image fades from the screen".

Accolades
1996 Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film
 * Silver Raven: Rebecca Miller (won)

1995 Gotham Awards
 * Open Palm Award: Rebecca Miller (won)

1995 Sundance Film Festival
 * Cinematography Award- Dramatic: Ellen Kuras (won)
 * Filmmakers Trophy- Dramatic: Rebecca Miller (won)
 * Grand Jury Prize- Dramatic: Rebecca Miller (nominated)