Canadian Premiere
Councilwoman Sandy James (Karen Pittman) aspires to a more compassionate New York. But when a woman from her past, Elsa (Michelle Veintimilla), is released from prison, Sandy worries her detractors will uncover her involvement in Elsa’s crime. Sixteen years ago, Sandy and her then-fling, corporate lawyer Paul (Corey Stoll), loaned $500 to a teenage Elsa who sought protection from her abusive father—not realizing they were buying her a gun with which to kill him.
To protect Sandy’s career, she and Paul ask Elsa to lie to a journalist about the source of the funds. But one lie opens the door to blackmail, and when Elsa’s parole is violated, she asks Sandy and Paul to corroborate another lie—forcing them to walk the razor’s edge between their morals and the standard judicial process. Writer/director Stephen Belber’s heart-wrenching dramatic three-hander provides incisive commentary on gun control, racial and class biases, the nature of trauma, and the failures of the U.S. justice system to protect the most vulnerable.
Q&A Sept 30 & Oct 2
Corey Stoll, Karen Pittman, Michelle Veintimilla
USA
2022
English
Domestic Violence, Sexual Violence, Child Abuse, Self Harm, Incest
At International Village
At The Rio
Book Tickets
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Magnolia
This deeply personal 1999 California opus is ripe for rediscovery. Mapping the emotional traumas of half-a-dozen major characters as they crisscross the San Fernando Valley in search of either recognition or reconciliation, it's PTA's riskiest gamble.
But I'm a Cheerleader
Megan (Natasha Lyonne) is the perfect All-American Girl, or so she thinks. That is until she’s shipped off to conversion therapy. This pitch black comedy is wrapped in a saccharine bow, featuring the icon herself, RuPaul, as a conversion counsellor.
Franz
Veteran Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland takes the bull by the horns to craft a Kafka biopic that's Kafkaesque and then some, artfully layering scenes from Kafka's life and works along with ironic present-day footage for a truly surreal counterpoint.
Credits
Executive Producer
Brian Tanke, Stephen Belber, Matt Bronson
Producer
Chris Mangano, Merry-Kay Poe, Max Neace
Screenwriter
Stephen Belber
Cinematography
Garrette Rose
Editor
Justin Chan
Production Design
Christelle Matou
Original Music
Paul Brill
Director
Stephen Belber
Stephen Belber’s plays have been produced on Broadway and in over 25 countries. They include Tape (2000), Match (2004), The Power of Duff (2012), and The Muscles In Our Toes (2014). He was an associate writer for Tape (2001) and a writer for The Laramie Project (2002). He also wrote and directed Management (2008), and Match (2014), which starred Jennifer Aniston and Patrick Stewart, respectively. His television credits include Rescue Me, Law & Order SVU, and pilots for F/X, FTVS, and HBO.
Filmography: Management (2008); Match (2014)