June is LGBTQ pride month, and for the second time, Halloween Boutique Psychotronic Reviews heads to the arthouse to deliver part two of our June episodes that focus on LGBTQ cinema. This second episode is on the film AWOL (2016), a movie that debuted at Tribeca Film Festival before playing a limited run at arthouse theaters. This piece of cinema stars Lola Kirke (GEMINI) in her breakout role as well as a powerful performance by costar Breeda Wool (MR. MERCEDES).

Joey (Lola Kirke) is a recent high school graduate living in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Poor and not sure of her future, her mother suggests the U.S. Army. While working at a country fair, she meets Rayna (Breeda Wool), a free spirit wild child who catches her eye. Soon they begin a passionate affair. With an age difference of fifteen years and Rayna married with two children, Joey wonders whether the love and passion between them will last.

The film was co-written and directed by Deb Shoval from a short she made six years prior. She fought to keep Breeda Wool in the movie who would reprise her role from the short. During a casting process, she found Lola Kirke who she felt would be pivotal to play the complex Joey. First time cinematographer, Gal Deren, shot the film. Your co-hosts take a look at this quiet yet heartrending film and give their thoughts.