Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea
| Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea | |
|---|---|
Poster | |
| Directed by | Tony Olmos |
| Written by | Brian Patrick Butler |
| Produced by | Tony Olmos |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Justin Burquist |
| Edited by | Brian Patrick Butler |
| Music by | Anton Elms |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | BayView Entertainment |
Release dates |
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Running time | 89 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $29,000 |
Hemet, or the Landlady Don't Drink Tea is a 2023 American satirical dark comedy film directed by Tony Olmos and written by Brian Patrick Butler. Butler also leads the ensemble cast that includes Kimberly Weinberger, Aimee La Joie, Randy Davison, Merrick McCartha, and Nick Young. Olmos and Butler produced the film together through their companies Rosewood Five and Charybdis Pictures. The story focuses on tenants who grapple with each other while attempting to oust their fascistic landlord.
The film is set in a fictional dystopia in Riverside County, California but was filmed in San Diego County with a microbudget in 2021. Some key aspects of the film involve capitalism and fairy tales, as well as slasher film and zombie apocalypse tropes. The film premiered in 2023 at Digital Gym Cinema for San Diego Film Week, screening at Oceanside International Film Festival and Hemet Film Festival in 2024. It was released on video on demand on November 26, 2024 where it was distributed by BayView Entertainment.
The film was received as a political satire with mixed reviews from critics. Some complimented the originality, humor, special effects, and performances of Weinberger and Butler, while others found issues with pacing, some dialogue, and unlikable characters. Butler received nominations for acting, screenplay, and editing at the 13th Oceanside International Film Festival.