Kailansorac Clever, believable, and super fun to watch. It totally has replay value.

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Sameer Callahan It really made me laugh, but for some moments I was tearing up because I could relate so much.

Caryl It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

rjohnson-52 Dear Mara Lesemann, Thanks so much for sharing "Surviving Family" with us! We loved it. We laughed and cried. The characters are so real and believable. I love getting absorbed in a film like yours, and feeling empathy for the characters, and really wanting them to fight through the pain of the past to get back to the joys of living. The interaction between the siblings rings so true -- love and annoyance and familiarity and clinging to past impressions. It makes me want to reach out to my siblings, and reminds me that we all go through the whole range of good and bad, but that our families are our permanent past of which we must make the best, for the sake of our future. Keeping creating and sending out your messages of art to the world, because it is stuff we all need to hear. And tell Carlo Fiorletta that his performance reminded me of the time that he was my supervisor at BT (just kidding, there were no nuns there...)

mariefilippino The subject matter in "Surviving Family" was so relate-able right from the start, and I immediately connected with Terry. Her conceptions and beliefs about her family relationships were without question. But as the movie develops and secrets revealed, the transformation of each character's vulnerability is unveiled and changes your first impression of each family member. The subject matter is sensitive and everyone can relate to at least one of the issues that families tend to sweep under the rug. The movie is well written and directed, has the right balance of humor, anger, communication and lack thereof, and the actors perfectly cast to their characters. And I must say, the final scene blew me away - totally was not expecting it! Well done!!

preflight-92358 Surviving Family, is as good as a movie comes for indie productions, I thoroughly enjoyed watching, it was well written, well shot and well acted, a breath of fresh air compared to the Hollywood factory. With actors portraying family members we can all relate to, it draws us into the movie with compelling performances scene after scene. The good reviews it has received so far are purely fair comment on a deserving piece of work. I especially found the actors believable, which is often lacking on low budget films where casting is often an afterthought. Unsurprisingly it has had it's fair share of prizes and awards. If you haven't watched an indie film before then this will be a revelation to see what can be done without big names and even bigger budgets.

boblevoy This film is a great film from Writer/Producer Mara Lesemann and Director Laura Thies. This film kept my interest from start to finished. It was well written and well filmed almost like it was done by a major studio. I love the story of how Terry found happiness with a new husband even with all the bad things in her life. I am looking forward to seeing more films done by this writer and director. I found out about this movie through another writer/director that referred me to Mara and love having a good friendship with many actors,directors, writers and producers. I strongly feel that films done by independent film companies can be just as good as ones done by major studios. I highly recommend everyone to watch this film. You will love it as much as I do.