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OzLand
Ozland poster.jpg
Release poster for OzLand
Directed by Michael Williams
Produced by Michael Williams
Written by Michael Williams
Starring Zack Ratkovich
Glenn Payne
Music by Keatzi Gunmoney
Cinematography Michael Williams
Editing by Michael Williams
Studio Shendopen Productions
Distributed by Indie Rights
Release date(s) September 4, 2014 (2014-09-04)
Running time 105 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $10,000 (estimated)

OzLand is a 2014 American science fantasy drama independent film starring Zack Ratkovich and Glenn Payne. It was written and directed by Michael Williams in his feature directorial debut.

The film's story and characters are inspired by and are references to characters and events that appear in L. Frank Baum's 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

Plot

Two men, Lief (Ratkovich) and Emri (Payne), wander through the fields and abandoned homes of a post-apocalyptic Kansas searching for food. Lief, the younger of the two and the only one who can read, finds a copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and begins to treat the novel as if it were historical nonfiction, using their surroundings as proof. Leif comes to question whether OzLand is "home" as described by Dorothy Gale, while Emri suggests every day is a journey through "home".

Cast

  • Zack Ratkovich as Lief
  • Glenn Payne as Emri
  • Dunlap Peeples IV as Loi/FM
  • Casey Heflin as Dee (voice)

Production

The film was shot entirely on location in Minneola, Kansas and Northern Mississippi.

Release

OzLand held its premiere in Columbus, Mississippi on September 4, 2014, followed by screenings at the Magnolia Independent Film Festival, Oxford Film Festival, Tupelo Film Festival and FestivalSouth Film Expo throughout the following year. It made its theatrical debut in Hollywood on October 16, 2015, followed by its release on internet streaming platforms four days later. It was released to DVD on July 26, 2016. The film made its United Kingdom debut on Flix Premiere on October 4, 2016.

In 2018, the film's distribution rights were reverted back to the filmmaker and his company, Shendopen Productions, LLC. At this point, the film was re-released on Amazon Prime in the US and UK, Vimeo on Demand Worldwide, and a limited edition Blu-ray release with hours of bonus features and never-before-released content.

Awards

  • Best Feature at Magnolia Independent Film Festival (2015)
  • Best Cinematography, Magnolia Independent Film Festival (2015)
  • Best of Show, Tupelo Film Festival (2015)
  • 1st Place Feature, Tupelo Film Festival (2015)
  • Elvin Whitesides Director's Award, Tupelo Film Festival (2015)
  • Best Feature Film, Real to Reel Film Festival (2015)
  • Best Narrative Feature, Offshoot Film Festival (2015)
  • Best Cinematography, FestivalSouth Film Expo (2015)
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