Watch the First Trailer for 'Tangerine,' the Buzzy New Film Shot Only on an iPhone
Behold the fresh, juicy, and definitely NSFW red-band trailer for Tangerine, the Sundance Film Festival sensation that was shot entirely on iPhones.
Directed by Sean Baker, the film — which stars newcomers Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor as transgender prostitutes living through one particularly dramatic day — is an expert exercise in clandestine film production. Baker placed a $150 lens on several iPhones and hit the streets of Los Angeles, staging raucous scenes inside local businesses, buses, and hotels.
“I was on my bicycle doing 360s around [the actors], getting shots and realizing this actually really helped us define a style,” Baker told the audience during a Q&A at Sundance last year. “And everyone out there has a mobile phone with a video camera and everyone is shooting video of themselves every day. That allowed us to be inconspicuous and not intimidate first-time actors and people on the street.”
Related: How One Director Shot His Buzzy New Sundace Movie Using iPhones
Baker shot the film on the busy streets along Santa Monica Boulevard in L.A.’s unofficial red-light district where the movie is set. The authenticity was crucial given the subject matter and performers involved, most of whom were local members of the trans community and nonprofessional actors.
As you can see in the trailer, the viewer almost immediately forgets the unconventional production, because the story is so compelling, funny, and unfiltered. Rodriguez plays Sin-Dee, who hits the streets after a short prison stint, only to find out that her pimp boyfriend Chester (Jams Ransone) has been cheating on her — a development that surprises no one. She convinces her best friend Alexandra (Taylor) to join her on a mission, which leads to a very unpredictable day.
Tangerine hits select theaters on July 10.
