Burt (film)
| Burt | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Joe Burke |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Daniel Kenji Levin |
| Edited by | Joe Burke |
| Music by | Tim Rutili |
Production companies |
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Release date |
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Running time | 77 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $7,000 |
Burt is a 2025 American comedy-drama film directed by Joe Burke and starring Oliver Cooper, Burt Berger, Steven Levy, and Catlin Adams. Produced by Burke and Cooper and executive produced by David Gordon Green, Berger portrays a fictionalized version of himself, a 69-year-old musician with Parkinson's disease who finds out he has a son named Sammy (Cooper).[1] The film is shot in black-and-white.[2]
Burt premiered at the Cinequest Film Festival on March 16, 2025.[3]
Premise
Burt, a 69-year-old street musician living with Parkinson's disease, meets Sammy, a wayward young man from New York who shows up claiming to be his son. Having always dreamed of being a father, Burt embraces Sammy and invites him to stay for the weekend at his home, where he lives with his grumpy landlord, Steve.
Cast
- Oliver Cooper as Sammy
- Burt Berger as Burt
- Steven Levy as Steve
- Catlin Adams as Sylvia
- Brenda Vaccaro as Patty Green
- Olivia Luccardi as Heide
- John Karna as Punk's Friend
- Louis Lombardi as Patty's Husband
Production
Burke and Cooper both grew up together in Sylvania, Ohio. Burt is their second collaboration on a feature film, following Four Dogs (2013).[2]
Burke based the film off of the real-life experiences of musician Burt Berger, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself. Berger suffers from Parkinson's disease. Speaking to Metro Silicon Valley, Burke stated, "The movie is a love letter to him, his wonderful music, and to my own dad, who is also living with Parkinson’s." The film is shot in black-and-white, and filming was completed in seven days.[4][2] The film's production budget was $7,000.[5]
Release
Burt premiered at the Cinequest Film Festival on March 16, 2025.[3] The film screened at the Phoenix Film Festival from April 4–6, 2025, and at the Florida Film Festival on April 12 and 18.[6][2]
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Cinequest Film Festival | Best Comedy Feature | Burt | Won | [7] |
| Phoenix Film Festival | Best Picture | Won | [7] | ||
| Best Ensemble | Won |
References
- ^ "Burt The Movie". joeburke. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Filmmakers Started in Toledo, Now Running the Festival Circuit". Toledo City Paper. March 13, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
- ^ a b "BURT". Cinequest. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
- ^ "Cinequest Serves Up a Cinematic Kaleidoscope". Metro Silicon Valley. March 12, 2025. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
- ^ "Burt | 2025 Florida Film Festival". Eventive. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
- ^ "Burt 4/4/2025 4:30 PM". BrownPaperTickets. Retrieved March 13, 2025.
- ^ a b "Prodigal sons: Sylvania native actor, director return to area to premiere touching indie film 'Burt'". The Toledo Blade. Retrieved April 20, 2025.