{"id":24530,"date":"2023-01-23T00:18:34","date_gmt":"2023-01-23T05:18:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/?p=24530"},"modified":"2023-01-23T13:01:20","modified_gmt":"2023-01-23T18:01:20","slug":"whos-annie-2023-film-review-by-greggwmorris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/whos-annie-2023-film-review-by-greggwmorris\/","title":{"rendered":"Review of WHO&#8217;S ANNIE? \u2013 Pilot for a Surreal Dark Comedy Series by Sophia Peer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Who&#039;s Annie | Web Series Trailer | Slamdance Film Festival In-Person and Online January 20-29\" width=\"860\" height=\"484\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VxQt_-79cgs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Creator\/Director:<\/strong> Sophia Peer<br \/>\n<strong>Written by<\/strong> Sophia Peer &amp; Annie Sicherman<br \/>\n<strong>Executive Produers<\/strong>: Ryan Cunningham, Troy Thompson<br \/>\n<strong>Co-Executive Producer:<\/strong> Randy Stulberg<br \/>\n<strong>Produced by:<\/strong> Manon Carri\u00e9<br \/>\n<strong>Cinematographer:<\/strong> Adam Uhl<br \/>\n<strong>Production Designer:<\/strong> Erica Magrey<br \/>\n<strong>Editor:<\/strong> Matt Posey<br \/>\n<strong>Starring:<\/strong> Annie Pisapia, Sofia Dobrushin, Sophia Peer<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr align=\"center\" noshade=\"noshade\" size=\"5\" width=\"40%\" \/>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/slamdancefest.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-24560\" src=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/slamdancefest.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"475\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/slamdancefest.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/slamdancefest-300x119.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/slamdancefest-1024x405.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/slamdancefest-768x304.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/slamdancefest-560x222.jpg 560w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/slamdancefest-260x103.jpg 260w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/slamdancefest-160x63.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/slamdance.com\/passes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">[Slamdance Ticket Info: Click here]<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Around mid-December, Slamdance 2023 announced the Jan 22 and 26 screenings of WHO\u2019S ANNIE?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The series was inspired by the real-life events of a close encounter of a wacky kind. Annie Pisapia stars as Annie who \u2013 despite prison time, 12-step programs and five marriages \u2013 begins an acting career with a film director she inadvertently meets at a Burger King in Queens, NYC. In real life, the series director of WHO&#8217;S ANNIE? \u2013 Writer-Director-Co-star Sophia Peer \u2013 really did inadvertently meet Annie Pisapia in a Burger King in the Queens neighborhood where they both grew up.<\/p>\n<p>Annie Pisapia, having played in countless non-speaking roles in some of the biggest TV shows of the day, was ready for a starring role. Sophia Peer eyed Annie as a real life Joe Pesci type character \u2013 and absolutely hilarious. Annie Pisapia has beaten the odds of not caving in to cruel fates. Peer has been creating narratives since childhood, even directing her parents in the same neighborhood where Annie Pisapia was born and raised.<\/p>\n<p>Peer, according to publicity info, felt that it was a terrible waste that someone with so much charisma, natural talent and straight up chutzpah was only getting cast in student films or background roles.<\/p>\n<p>WHO&#8217;S ANNIE? includes scenes with Sophia and Annie reenacting how the series got started. In the course of things, there are altercations \u2013 numerous. They can be in each other&#8217;s face while battling the odds that the series could flop. There are frenzied attempts navigating the trials, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/news\/newsletters\/2023-01-02\/last-year-was-brutal-for-hollywood-will-2023-be-any-better\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tribulations and exigencies of the film industry.<\/a> There are potential misfortunes and landmines galore in the forms of theft, money laundering, injuries, betrayals and misunderstandings as they try to make their series.<\/p>\n<p>Annie and Sophia, despite the challenges, never stray from the path to their dreams.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/work.chron.com\/chances-making-actress-27205.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">{<strong>Must Read: What Are the Chances of Making It as an Actress?}<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<hr align=\"center\" noshade=\"noshade\" size=\"1\" width=\"60%\" \/>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>WHO&#8217;S ANNIE? Background Information<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_24537\" style=\"width: 210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/SophiaPeerbyMatthew-Spiegelman-500.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24537\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-24537\" src=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/SophiaPeerbyMatthew-Spiegelman-500-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/SophiaPeerbyMatthew-Spiegelman-500-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/SophiaPeerbyMatthew-Spiegelman-500-260x390.jpg 260w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/SophiaPeerbyMatthew-Spiegelman-500-160x240.jpg 160w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/SophiaPeerbyMatthew-Spiegelman-500.jpg 333w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-24537\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Director-Writer -Co-Star Sophia Peer. PIcture by Matthew Spiegelman<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Creator and Director: Sophia Peer<\/strong> (she\/her) was born and raised in Flushing, Queens, where she began her career as filmmaker, directing her parents in scripted-doc hybrids before she knew that was even a thing. She was awarded the NY Foundation for the Arts &#8216;Made In NY&#8217; grant, a finalist for the ScreeCraft Film Fund, accepted into The Gotham\u2019s Episodic Lab, and invited to Gotham Week, for WHO\u2019S ANNIE?, a series she\u2019s creating, writing and directing.<\/p>\n<p>Sophia is currently pitching a doc-scripted hybrid series created in collaboration with Jigsaw Productions.<\/p>\n<p>After years of working on series for Nike, Super Deluxe, Nylon, Genius, and Pitchfork, Sophia is now also directing a surreal cooking show, DANNY\u2019S FOOD CORNER, starring queer comedian Lily Marotta (Celebrity Book Club).<\/p>\n<p>Sophia\u2019s work has been screened at the Whitney Museum of Art, Hauser &amp; Wirth, Abrons Art Center, the Giphy Film Festival, Anthology Film Archives, Contemporary Arts Center, The Queens Museum, Indie Memphis Film Festival, and MoMa.<\/p>\n<p>She has directed music videos for artists such as Paramore, Julien Baker, Paramore, The National, Interpol, Yeasayer, and Junior Boys.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Co-Writer: Annie Sicherman<\/strong> (she\/her) is an award-winning queer screenwriter from Queens, NY. She is the co-writer of WHO\u2019S ANNIE?, a pilot that was awarded the NYFA &#8220;Made in NY&#8221; Grant, accepted into The Gotham\u2019s Episodic Lab, and a finalist in the ScreenCraft Film Fund. Recently, Annie\u2019s comedy pilot DOCTOR BABIES advanced in the Austin Film Festival.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Executive Producer: Ryan Cunningham<\/strong> (she\/her) is an Emmy and Peabody award-winning producer who launched the development company Running Woman, with projects set up at FX, Party Over Here, and Swimsuit Edition. She has 20 years experience producing 25 different comedy TV series.<\/p>\n<p>TV producer credits include BROAD CITY, INSIDE AMY SCHUMER, SEARCH PARTY, THE LAST O.G., and stand-up specials for Comedy Central, Showtime, Amazon, Netflix, and HBO. Ryan was also the Director\/EP on specials for Ilana Glazer, Alan Cumming, and the docuseries EXPECTING AMY.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Star and Inspiration for the Series:<\/strong> Annie Pisapia (she\/her) is an award winning actor born and raised in Queens. She can be spotted in many of the big series millions have seen for the past six years as she played roles such as an inmate, police officer, drug addict, bartender and janitor. Annie Pisapia was the recurring character \u201cSmoking Woman\u201d in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0146882\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HIGH FIDELITY,<\/a> scene partners with Bobby Cannavale in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt14852808\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">THE WATCHER,<\/a> and held the role of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt7817340\/characters\/nm7607949\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u201cAgitated Woman\u201d on NEW AMSTERDAM.<\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_24536\" style=\"width: 666px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/AnniebybyMatthew-Spiegelman.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24536\" class=\"size-large wp-image-24536\" src=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/AnniebybyMatthew-Spiegelman-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"656\" height=\"369\" srcset=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/AnniebybyMatthew-Spiegelman-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/AnniebybyMatthew-Spiegelman-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/AnniebybyMatthew-Spiegelman-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/AnniebybyMatthew-Spiegelman-560x315.jpg 560w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/AnniebybyMatthew-Spiegelman-260x146.jpg 260w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/AnniebybyMatthew-Spiegelman-160x90.jpg 160w, https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/AnniebybyMatthew-Spiegelman.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 656px) 100vw, 656px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-24536\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Annie Pisapia who is Annie in the series. Picture by Matthew-Spiegleman<\/p><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/WhosAnnie_poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-24535\" src=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/WhosAnnie_poster-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a>Other shows include INVENTING ANNA, BETTY, MANIFEST, BILLIONS, BLUE BLOODS, ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, CRASHING and THE OA.<\/p>\n<p>There are more than 10 projects that are about to premiere in which Annie plays a major role including, \u201cSenior Biker Chic\u201d in AWKWAFINA IS NORA FROM QUEENS, \u201cSister Joseph\u201d in Jennifer Esposito\u2019s directorial debut FRESH KILLS, and \u201cCathy\u201d in the Netflix A24 comedy series SURVIVAL OF THE THICKEST.<\/p>\n<p>There are more than 10 projects that are about to premiere in with Annie playing major roles, including, \u201cSenior Biker Chic\u201d in AWKWAFINA IS NORA FROM QUEENS, \u201cSister Joseph\u201d in Jennifer Esposito\u2019s directorial debut FRESH KILLS, and \u201cCathy\u201d in the Netflix A24 comedy series SURVIVAL OF THE THICKEST.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Gregg W. Morris can be reached at <a href=\"mailto:gregghc@comcast.net\">gregghc@comcast.net<\/a>, <\/em><a href=\"mailto:profgreggwmorris@gmail.com\"><em>profgreggwmorris@gmail.com<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Despite jail-time, 12-step programs and five marriages, Annie played by Annie Pisapia begins an acting career because of a close encounter of a whacky kind with a director she meets at a Burger King in Queens, NYC. Definitely head spinning. \u2013 Review by Gregg W. Morris<\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-p\"><a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/whos-annie-2023-film-review-by-greggwmorris\/\">Read more &rarr;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":24536,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24530","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-film-tv-reviews","category-film-tv"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24530","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24530"}],"version-history":[{"count":31,"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24530\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24568,"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24530\/revisions\/24568"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24536"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24530"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24530"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hunterword.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24530"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}