From August 2019 Issue, FLIX Premiere Magazine
Artists hold a unique point of view, one that transforms the material of every day life into inspiration. Beyond the romance of individual genius, though, seeing the world different than others brings with it some challenges. How can a creative soul not only survive, but thrive amidst the cutthroat competition for love, money and attention of twenty-first century urban life?
Olympia tells the story of a young woman who is determined to hold on to an idealized vision of her life and her development as an artist, even while she is afraid to take risks and expose herself to critical eyes. This personal inertia, coupled with her devotion to a chronically ailing mother, is disturbed when rapid developments in her relationship and at work threaten to turn her life upside down.
Will she be able to reclaim, or rediscover, an authentic version of herself? Or will the necessity of change bring about a more dramatic transformation? And what about the book of drawings, a project that she seems to have long abandoned? Whatever the outcome, we can be sure that she will not conform too closely to the knowing admonishments of her older sister - who pressures her to land the perfect job and the perfect man for her economic security.
At the heart of Olympia’s original take on the coming-to-adulthood narrative is McKenzie Chinn’s performance as the title character. Balancing Olympia’s creative vision and determination to lead her own life with undertones of fragility and a lack of confidence, she portrays a complex and fully human burgeoning artist. Her chemistry with Charles Andrew Gardner, as Felix, is palpable. We witness the arc of the development of their relationship via periodic flashback, interspersed with the action. Their story - indeed the entire world of the film - is overlaid with drawings that reflect Olympia’s personal vision of life’s quotidian happenings. The result is a drama of maturation colored by the intimate look at the whimsical musings of its’ protagonist.
For younger audiences, regardless of their individual gifts and talents, Olympia’s confrontation with the onslaught of adulthood is entirely relatable. Cinephiles of all ages, though, will appreciate the universal tension between daring to follow one’s dreams and the comfort of familiarity embodied by her story. Seek inspiration from her tale for yourself, and do not miss Olympia on FLIX Premiere!