Very Different + Very Alike

March 19, 2021

Don’t let the juxtaposition fool you. Our films Cusp and The Blazing World may seem like polar opposites, but they actually share vast similarities. The films, one a documentary, the other a narrative, respectively, debuted this year at Sundance Film Festival. Both films are by first-time filmmakers — something we at Wavelength are always on the lookout for. But more importantly, they both explore the effects of childhood trauma and sexual abuse on young women.

The films, both shot in Texas, are artistically bold, with Cusp demonstrating the most exciting aspects of true vérité filmmaking and The Blazing World exhibiting a refreshing ability to paint outside the lines of traditional film structures.

Cusp came to us in its earliest stages, providing us an opportunity to engage with the filmmakers in a meaningful way. Wavelength was able to shape the course of the film and encourage the filmmakers to trust their instincts and to make bold choices. Cusp won the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Emerging Filmmaker at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Previously awarded to our film, Feels Good Man, this marks the second consecutive year a Wavelength film received the accolade.