'HEART STRINGS' REVIEW:

Heartland-set showbiz parable about country musicians who face the phoniness of reality TV

It’s still the same old story, a fight for love and glory — or, more precisely, a competition for fame and a $1 million recording contract. Billie Carton (Maggie Koerner), a widowed maintenance attendant at the cemetery where her war hero husband is laid to rest, and Lucky Fontana (Sam Varga), a garbage collector whose own military background consists primary of a short-lived stint at West Point, meet cute during an open mic night at a bar in Louisville, Ky. Her set is cut short by an unimpressed host; he scarcely makes it through his own song. Still, they take a shine to each other and decide it would be a dandy idea to audition together for “Americana Dream,” a new reality TV series trolling for prospects in the city.

By Joe Leydon

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Set to a backdrop of stirring Americana music, "Heart Strings" follows Billie Carton, a widowed gravesite caretaker, and Lucky Fontana, an ambitious artist, as they enter "Americana Dream." Orchestrated by industry titans and unhappily married couple Ray Pursell and Precious Blue, the competition tests their faith, integrity, and nascent bond. Ate de Jong's direction and Randy Edelman's score accentuate a tale of passion and authenticity, with a screenplay by de Jong and Steven Gaydos that probes the sacrifices artists make for their dreams.

Heart Strings Synopsis:

Fall in Love with the Cast and Music of Heart Strings

Watch HEART STRINGS' Actors/Musicians, Maggie Koerner, Sam Varga, Carly Johnson; Director, Ate de Jong; and Screenwriter, Steven Gaydos as they take on Porto, Portugal and the 2024 FantasPorto International Film Festival for the World Premiere of HEART STRINGS in March. Enjoy as Maggie and Sam deliver a beautiful live version of the song "Roll the Dice" from the film's soundtrack as you enjoy the many beautiful sights of Porto.

Steven Gaydos was honored at the Festival with a Special Award for his career as a Screenwriter and prolific Journalist for the legendary entertainment trade publication, Variety.

"Roll the Dice"Written by Sam Varga & Kalie Shorr. Performed by Sam Varga & Maggie Koerner. Produced by Dan Swank

HEART STRINGS (2024) Original Score and Adaptation Composed, Programmed and Performed by Randy Edelman. Enjoy his score in the background of this video!

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Official Trailer

Trailer 2

Screenwriter and Executive Vice President of Variety Magazine, Steven Gaydos and world-famous Director, Ate de Jong doing a panel discussion at FantasPorto IFF (Portugal) about their film HEART STRINGS, legendary filmmaker Monte Hellman & COCKFIGHTER. You'll be pleasantly surprised about how many extremely cool cine facts you'll learn!

Watch!

PLUS...

Click here to learn more about iconic filmmaker Monte Hellman

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