• Home
  • Films
    • New Releases
    • In Theaters
    • SHOP
    • Institutional Sales
    • In Production
    • Films A-Z
    • Series A-Z
  • Info
    • About
    • Contact
    • Home
    • Films
    • New Releases
    • In Theaters
    • Shop
    • Institutional Sales
    • In Production
    • Films A-Z
    • Series A-Z
    • Info
    • About
    • Contact

Little Potato (14')

Directed by Wes Hurley and Nathan M. Miller

  • “visually stunning...”
    The Advocate
  • “Superb, affirming and well-worth seeing ”
    i-D Vice

WINNER, Documentary Short Award at SXSW 2017. Struggling to survive in the USSR during the turbulent years of Perestroika, Elena and her young gay son escape into the world of pirated American movies. But soon the movies are not enough and Elena decides to become a mail-order-bride and discover America for herself. Saving its most unexpected twist till the end, this is an inspiring and timely story of two immigrants’ take on the American Dream.

Director’s Statement
I first shared some of my story publicly in the Huffington Post essay titled Growing Up Gay in Russia. The article went viral and got translated into other languages including, ironically, Russian. What I realized after getting an outpouring of personal responses from people all over the world is that life in Russia, especially for gay people, is still very much a mystery to the rest of the world. Now more than ever the story is relevant with its themes of immigrants’ quest for American Dream, government corruption, social oppression, Russia-US politics, violence against women, and gay/trans rights. But despite the heavy subject matter, the story of my mom and I coming to America is as hopeful and positive as any Hollywood happy ending.

"Little Potato on Shortlist Film Festival" In The Press
Shortlist Film Festival: Vimeo Best of the Month Selection Little PotatoMORE +
Metro Weekly: LITTLE POTATO is "funny, emotional and revelatory"MORE +
Little Potato wins Best Documentary Short Audience Award at Outfest LAMORE +
i-D Vice on LITTLE POTATO: "Superb, affirming and well worth seeing." MORE +
Film Independent: LITTLE POTATO is...strangely compelling...prompting me to consider why it is we watch films.MORE +
Fandor: "The Jury Award for Documentary Shorts goes to Little Potato, directed by Wes Hurley and Nathan M. Miller."MORE +
Paste Magazine: "Documentary Shorts Winner: Little Potato Director: Wes Hurley & Nathan M. Miller"MORE +
The Austin Chronicle: Documentary Shorts Winner: "Little Potato"MORE +
Deadline: "Documentary Short Winner Little Potato; directed by Wes Hurley & Nathan M. Miller"MORE +
The LA Times: "Wes Hurley and Nathan M. Miller’s “Little Potato” won the documentary short prize. "MORE +
The Hollywood Reporter: "Documentary Short Winner Little Potato, directed by Wes Hurley"MORE +
Variety: SXSW documentary short winner "Little Potato"MORE +
Kuow: Little Potato "Seattle filmmaker explains how a mysterious Channel 3 changed his life in communist Russia"MORE +
Seattle Magazine: "ittle Potato, which picked up a documentary short Grand Jury prize at South by Southwest, is a love letter to the American Dream."MORE +
Seattle Weekly: "Little Potato is as topical as it is timeless."MORE +
Jet Space Magazine: Little Potato "one sees a small, vulnerable family trying to escape a cold, bitter nation because their own hearts are curious, formidable and warm."MORE +
The Stranger: "Though Little Potato is only 14 minutes long, it packs more life and surprise and beauty and humor and poignancy into those minutes than seems possible."MORE +
VR Today: "“Potato Dreams” is a short narrative mostly focusing on the director’s mother, who moved to Seattle from Russia as a mail-order bride. It’s a simple story of immigration with voiceover narration, which helps tie together the tableux that are arrayed around you."MORE +
The Stranger: "Wes Hurley's Little Potato Has an Evocative Electronic Soundtrack"MORE +
City Arts Online: "Filmmaker Wes Hurley uses animation and archival photos from his childhood in Russia to lend visual oomph to his short autobiographical documentary Little Potato."MORE +
Indiewire: “Little Potato” focuses on a mother and son wanting to find a better life for themselves outside the confines of an oppressive Russian regime.MORE +
The Seattle Times: Seattle filmmaker and performer Wes Hurley scored a hit at the SXSW Film Festival with a movie memoir of growing up gay in Russia, “Little Potato.”MORE +
Advocate: Little Potato "It is rare for LGBT stories to surface from this period in history. It displays unlikely acceptance and a rare glimpse into gay life outside the United States."MORE +
BoingBoing: Great electronic soundtrack for award winning short documentary film, LITTLE POTATOMORE +
The Stranger: Will Wes Hurley's Local Film LITTLE POTATO Win the Oscar for Best Short Documentary? MORE +
Documentary News: LITTLE POTATO is a must-see at Seattle International Film FestivalMORE +

© 2017 CARGO FILM & RELEASING