MIFF 2025 – Film #9
+ Q&A with Andrew Patterson (Australian Premiere)
Andrew Patterson’s feature film The Rivals of Amziah King is a truly electric kaleidoscope of genre, tone, and themes of community. Set in rural Oklahoma, Amziah King (Matthew McConaughey) — a charismatic apiarist whose magnetic warmth radiates throughout his local community. When a truckload of stolen honey draws police attention, Amziah is pulled into the investigation whilst reconnecting with Kateri (Angelina LookingGlass), a young Choctaw woman he and his late wife fostered many year prior. They swiftly rekindle their bond as Amziah shares his love for potluck, folk music, and beekeeping with her. But unfortunately, the ongoing hive theft hits Amziah personally, and Kateri springs into action, seeking revenge.
The film is a true amalgamation of genres, such as a heist thriller, crime drama, revenge fable, neo-Western, hangout comedy, and even a bluegrass musical — all of which add so much intentional vibrancy. At times, the elliptical editing and shifting tonal registers may feel uneven at first, but as the film continues on, Patterson’s vision ultimately coheres into something truly exhilarating.
Additionally, Miguel Ioann Littin Menz’s gorgeous 35mm cinematography, paired with the buoyant score and soulful musical interludes, gives the film a truly lively cadence. The end product is meticulously controlled southern maximalism — a dazzling and lived-in story of community resilience, further anchored by McConaughey’s magnetic charisma and LookingGlass’ fantastic debut performance.
The post-film Q&A offered a really intriguing look into Patterson’s creative process — especially his passion for exploring character work within genre frameworks. He also talked about the film’s use of real bees, and that in one particular scene, McConaughey sat patiently for around 30–40 minutes as bees swarmed onto his hand, without any use of CGI. Everything he spoke about definitely highlighted just how much he values both authenticity and making sure the audience feels immersed in his work.
After the Q&A, I was lucky enough to chat with Patterson, and we spoke about topics such how Richard Linklater is one of his core influences, and Kubrick’s methods of seamless tonal whiplash. He told me that he intentionally wanted the story to move back and forth between moods so that it took the audience on a ride that was uplifting and playful one moment, then deeply emotional the next.
We also spoke about the film’s comedic flashes — such as the bus jolting over potholes or the scalping — which feel heightened from an audience perspective, and almost bordering on absurdism. Patterson explained that these weren’t mere inventions of exaggeration, but moments that he drew from real experiences that he recalls. He played them in ways that truly expose the strangeness and humour of these moments based in reality. Hearing him articulate that balance between authenticity and the absurdity added an extra layer of depth to the film’s daring tonal balance.
Despite the film having some ultimately negligible pacing and editing issues here and there, The Rivals of Amziah King is an inventive, soulful, and stylish sophomore feature that makes me believe that Patterson has true auteur potential. It has infectious chemistry between McConaughey and LookingGlass, a truly vibrant screenplay, and a captivating visual approach that celebrates local community — a playfully human film.
MIFF 2025 – Film #9
+ Q&A with Andrew Patterson (Australian Premiere)
Andrew Patterson’s feature film The Rivals of Amziah King is a truly electric kaleidoscope of genre, tone, and themes of community. Set in rural Oklahoma, Amziah King (Matthew McConaughey) — a charismatic apiarist whose magnetic warmth radiates throughout his local community. When a truckload of stolen honey draws police attention, Amziah is pulled into the investigation whilst reconnecting with Kateri (Angelina LookingGlass), a young Choctaw woman he and his late wife fostered many year prior. They swiftly rekindle their bond as Amziah shares his love for potluck, folk music, and beekeeping with her. But unfortunately, the ongoing hive theft hits Amziah personally, and Kateri springs into action, seeking revenge.
The film is a true amalgamation of genres, such as a heist thriller, crime drama, revenge fable, neo-Western, hangout comedy, and even a bluegrass musical — all of which add so much intentional vibrancy. At times, the elliptical editing and shifting tonal registers may feel uneven at first, but as the film continues on, Patterson’s vision ultimately coheres into something truly exhilarating.
Additionally, Miguel Ioann Littin Menz’s gorgeous 35mm cinematography, paired with the buoyant score and soulful musical interludes, gives the film a truly lively cadence. The end product is meticulously controlled southern maximalism — a dazzling and lived-in story of community resilience, further anchored by McConaughey’s magnetic charisma and LookingGlass’ fantastic debut performance.
The post-film Q&A offered a really intriguing look into Patterson’s creative process — especially his passion for exploring character work within genre frameworks. He also talked about the film’s use of real bees, and that in one particular scene, McConaughey sat patiently for around 30–40 minutes as bees swarmed onto his hand, without any use of CGI. Everything he spoke about definitely highlighted just how much he values both authenticity and making sure the audience feels immersed in his work.
After the Q&A, I was lucky enough to chat with Patterson, and we spoke about topics such how Richard Linklater is one of his core influences, and Kubrick’s methods of seamless tonal whiplash. He told me that he intentionally wanted the story to move back and forth between moods so that it took the audience on a ride that was uplifting and playful one moment, then deeply emotional the next.
We also spoke about the film’s comedic flashes — such as the bus jolting over potholes or the scalping — which feel heightened from an audience perspective, and almost bordering on absurdism. Patterson explained that these weren’t mere inventions of exaggeration, but moments that he drew from real experiences that he recalls. He played them in ways that truly expose the strangeness and humour of these moments based in reality. Hearing him articulate that balance between authenticity and the absurdity added an extra layer of depth to the film’s daring tonal balance.
Despite the film having some ultimately negligible pacing and editing issues here and there, The Rivals of Amziah King is an inventive, soulful, and stylish sophomore feature that makes me believe that Patterson has true auteur potential. It has infectious chemistry between McConaughey and LookingGlass, a truly vibrant screenplay, and a captivating visual approach that celebrates local community — a playfully human film.
