SYNOPSIS
At an age when everyone around them is settling down and finding love, Beck (Renée Felice Smith) and Liam (Matt Bush) are self proclaimed loners, emotionally hibernating through adulthood. After bonding over their mutual disinterest in relationships, they decide to go away together on a 'friend' trip. And that's when things get weird. Really, really weird.
Featuring hands-on practical effects, dynamic storytelling, and one very charismatic puppet, The Relationtrip marks the feature directorial and writing debut of Renée Felice Smith (NCIS: Los Angeles) and C.A. Gabriel (film and television composer). The duo combine their unique voices with fresh innovation to subvert romantic tropes and craft a story that is as playfully heart-warming as it is cleverly surreal.
PANELIST BIOS
Renée Felice Smith
A New York native, Renée Felice Smith moved cross country for her role on CBS' hit, NCIS: Los Angeles. At SXSW in March of 2017, Smith premiered her feature directorial debut, The Relationtrip in which she also starred, co-wrote and executive produced. Smith and co-writer/co-director C.A. Gabriel were nominated for the Adam Yauch Hornblower Award at SXSW. The Relationtrip also won the Grand Jury Prize at the Dallas International Film Festival in April 2017. Smith also starred in and produced, “Baby,” a short film that went to SXSW in 2015.
Recently, Smith guest starred on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Smith is also a regular cast member of UCB's Gravid Water. Additionally, Smith won a SET Award for her Portrayal of a Female in Technology (Nell Jones of NCIS: LA) at the annual NCWIT Summit on Women and IT. Smith graduated with honors from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts where she double majored in Drama and Journalism, minored in History. While at NYU, she studied commedia dell’arte in Florence, Italy, and co-founded Tisch’s first student dance troupe.
In her spare time, Smith enjoys reading design blogs and hugging her three fur children, Hugo, Velma and Mabel. She can be followed on Twitter @reneefsmith and on Instagram @reneefelicesmith.
C.A. Gabriel
Born and raised in New York, C.A. Gabriel is now a Los Angeles based writer, director and composer. Gabriel premiered his feature film directorial debut, The Relationtrip, at SXSW in March of 2017 which he co-wrote and co-directed with Renée Felice Smith as well as composed the original score. The Relationtrip was nominated for the Adam Yauch Hornblower Award at SXSW and won the Grand Jury Prize and the Dallas International Film Festival in April 2017.
Gabriel’s music can also be heard in the original score for the feature documentary, Barista, and TV shows such as Riverdale, MTV’s Catfish, VICE, I Am Cait, as well as work for brands like Acura, Lexus, Intel, Marriott, and Chrysler to name a few.
When he’s not creating things, C.A. Gabriel is most likely posting pictures of his dogs on Instagram @christophergabriel.
