Immigration, Disabilities Take Center Stage in Dark Comedy at Detroit Film Theatre

“Give Me Liberty” is directed by Russian filmmaker Kirill Mikhanovsky and tells the story of Milwaukee medical transport driver Vic on a hectic day.

Jake Neher/WDET
Jake Neher/WDET

The 2019 fall season of movies screening at the Detroit Film Theatre is in full swing.

This weekend, the theatre inside the Detroit Institute of Arts will screen “Give Me Liberty” — an emotionally-charged dark comedy from Russian director Kirill Mikhanovsky with an 89% certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film follows medical transport drive Vic, played by Chris Galust, who is racing against time to make his pick-ups and drop-offs on time while escorting his Russian-born grandfather and his gang of elderly friends to a funeral. Featuring a breakout role by Lauren “Lolo” Spencer, “Give Me Liberty” showcases the camaraderie of immigrant communities in the United States and gives a stage to first-time actors with disabilities in a way that few films ever have before.

For tickets and showtimes, visit the official Detroit Film Theatre website.

Click the audio player above to hear Detroit Film Theatre curator Elliot Wilhlem discuss “Give Me Liberty” with CultureShift’s Ryan Patrick Hooper.

Author

  • Ryan Patrick Hooper inside the WDET studio.
    Ryan Patrick Hooper is the award-winning host of "In the Groove" on 101.9 WDET-FM Detroit’s NPR station. Hooper has covered stories for the New York Times, NPR, Detroit Free Press, Hour Detroit, SPIN and Paste magazine.