"Pousse Café is a stunner. Director Susan Winter makes an astonishing debut in this uncompromising film about a father’s relationship with his gay son as they bond. Pousse Café is a labor of love and stands out for its highly literate dialogue, richly shot sequences and carefully wrought symbolism."
– POZ Magazine
THE FILM
Pousse Café (poos-café) is the independent feature of writer, director, producer Susan Winter. Inspiration for the film came in a dream and her Florida childhood with post-WWII, working parents, who celebrated the nightly “cocktail hour”. The film is also Winter’s homage to the Old Hollywood movies she watched with her mother, where cocktails are symbols of a generation’s idea of sophistication and achieving the American Dream (Dinner At Eight, The Sky’s The Limit, The Thin Man, The Philadelphia Story).
Pousse Café’s soundtrack underscores the theme of love, loss and the history of cocktails, from Cole Porter’s “I Get A Kick Out if You” to Esquivel’s Latin lounge. The music, the sexy cocktail tableaus and surreal, tropical Florida setting are the dramatic backdrop of this original, modern interpretation of a classic American film genre.
Winter collaborated on the script with lead actors, Dominic Hamilton-Little and Anthony Hamilton. Her film was a festival favorite (including Seattle International Film Festival, LA Outfest, SXSW), winning Best Picture at Victoria Film Festival. This re-discovered gem explores a father-son relationship during a fraught period in the LGBTQI zeitgeist, as well as celebrating the resurgence of a piece of true Americana: the cocktail.
BIOS
SUSAN WINTER, DIRECTOR, WRITER, PRODUCER
Winter is Writer and Co-creator of The Hive, an hour-long dramatic series in development with ShadowCatcher Entertainment (Executive Producer of 2019 National Film Registry inductee, Smoke Signals.) Winter did her graduate studies with the great, experimental film pioneer, Will Hindle. Her 16mm shorts won multiple festival awards, screening at Sinking Creek and The Ann Arbor Film Festival National Tour, among others. She directed and produced the sold-out stage performance of Dominic Hamilton-Little’s one-man show, Fey Ways: Diatribe and Reminiscence, at The Court Theater in conjunction with Pousse Café’s screenings at L.A. Outfest. Winter is currently writing an original play, Herculine, based on the life of a 19th C. French intersex. Film and series projects include an autobiographical, dark comedy, Lessons From Orange Town, about a young girl’s relationship with her father, growing up in Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Winter is a member of the WGA.
Link to ShadowCatcher/The Hive
Winter is Writer and Co-creator of The Hive, an hour-long dramatic series in development with ShadowCatcher Entertainment (Executive Producer of 2019 National Film Registry inductee, Smoke Signals.) Winter did her graduate studies with the great, experimental film pioneer, Will Hindle. Her 16mm shorts won multiple festival awards, screening at Sinking Creek and The Ann Arbor Film Festival National Tour, among others. She directed and produced the sold-out stage performance of Dominic Hamilton-Little’s one-man show, Fey Ways: Diatribe and Reminiscence, at The Court Theater in conjunction with Pousse Café’s screenings at L.A. Outfest. Winter is currently writing an original play, Herculine, based on the life of a 19th C. French intersex. Film and series projects include an autobiographical, dark comedy, Lessons From Orange Town, about a young girl’s relationship with her father, growing up in Florida during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Winter is a member of the WGA.
Link to ShadowCatcher/The Hive
DOMINIC HAMILTON-LITTLE, "GERALD", CO-WRITER
British-American actor, writer, Dominic began in theater. He was a contributing editor for POZ magazine and the beloved, long-time columnist of the Chicago-based Fey Weys: Diatribe and Reminiscence, for Outlines (now, Windy City Times). Recast as a one-man show, he performed Fey Weys in Chicago, Seattle, at New York’s P.S. 122 and L.A.’s Court Theater. Dominic’s original voice brought sharp humor and pathos to describing living with HIV in the age of AIDS. He regularly hosted LGBTQI events and AIDS benefits across the country, including for the Illinois Federation for Human Rights.
British-American actor, writer, Dominic began in theater. He was a contributing editor for POZ magazine and the beloved, long-time columnist of the Chicago-based Fey Weys: Diatribe and Reminiscence, for Outlines (now, Windy City Times). Recast as a one-man show, he performed Fey Weys in Chicago, Seattle, at New York’s P.S. 122 and L.A.’s Court Theater. Dominic’s original voice brought sharp humor and pathos to describing living with HIV in the age of AIDS. He regularly hosted LGBTQI events and AIDS benefits across the country, including for the Illinois Federation for Human Rights.
ANTHONY F. HAMILTON, "REX", CO-WRITER
With early years in British theatre, Anthony worked as an international voice talent for many years before becoming a screen actor in the U. S. His feature film acting credits include Contact, Shadow Conspiracy, Clear and Present Danger, Hoffa, and the voice of “Totem” for the interactive version of Jumanji. Real father and son, Anthony and Dominic relished working on Pousse Café, their sole project together. Both writers, Anthony and Dominic collaborated on the film script with Winter.
With early years in British theatre, Anthony worked as an international voice talent for many years before becoming a screen actor in the U. S. His feature film acting credits include Contact, Shadow Conspiracy, Clear and Present Danger, Hoffa, and the voice of “Totem” for the interactive version of Jumanji. Real father and son, Anthony and Dominic relished working on Pousse Café, their sole project together. Both writers, Anthony and Dominic collaborated on the film script with Winter.
BEATRIX OST, "CLAIRE"
Artist, designer, author, actress, filmmaker, Beatrix is a Renaissance Woman, style-icon and muse. She was considered by New York Times as “one of the city’s most elegant fusions of art and fashion.” Her dynamic paintings and sculptures are internationally exhibited. Her books include the autobiographical My Father’s House and More Than Everything, as well as The Philosopher’s Style, a collection of her unpublished short stories, interviews and original images.
Artist, designer, author, actress, filmmaker, Beatrix is a Renaissance Woman, style-icon and muse. She was considered by New York Times as “one of the city’s most elegant fusions of art and fashion.” Her dynamic paintings and sculptures are internationally exhibited. Her books include the autobiographical My Father’s House and More Than Everything, as well as The Philosopher’s Style, a collection of her unpublished short stories, interviews and original images.
ERICH ROLAND, CINEMATOGRAPHER
Erich’s long career includes over a hundred film credits. He has worked on award winning documentaries including Inside Bill’s Brain, Decoding Bill Gates, He Named Me Malala, Waiting for Superman, Testimony (on permanent exhibition at the National Holocaust Museum), as well as major feature films including Murder At 1600, Clara’s Heart, Guarding Tess, Rich In Love, Her Alibi, Driving Miss Daisy, and Meteor Man.
Erich’s long career includes over a hundred film credits. He has worked on award winning documentaries including Inside Bill’s Brain, Decoding Bill Gates, He Named Me Malala, Waiting for Superman, Testimony (on permanent exhibition at the National Holocaust Museum), as well as major feature films including Murder At 1600, Clara’s Heart, Guarding Tess, Rich In Love, Her Alibi, Driving Miss Daisy, and Meteor Man.
IN LOVING MEMORY
AND GRATITUDE
ANTHONY F. HAMILTON
AND
DOMINIC HAMILTON-LITTLE
