Stay the Same Never Change

Photographer and video artist Nakadate draws from previous work—in which she put herself in sexually risky positions—to create a provocative tale of heartland teens and their plays for attention during a hot summer in the Midwest. The unflinching approach and quirky humor of this debut feature have drawn comparisons to the work of Todd Solondz and Harmony Korrine. It was selected for the Museum of Modern Art’s New Directors New Films series and the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, which called it “weird and delightful . . . a raw, audacious effort that burns with such originality and honesty.” 2008, video, 93 minutes.