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
Inedia
Liz Cairns makes a mesmerizing feature debut that sees a young woman suffering from mysterious food allergies join a remote island community practicing alternative healing methods. She soon realizes that not everything is as it seems.
Shall We Dance?
Masayuki Suô's delightful and charming 1996 film was a box office smash and won 14 Japanese Academy Awards including Best Film. It's the story of a married salaryman who falls in love with... dance.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
A young couple accept an invitation for a nightcap with history professor George (Richard Burton) and his wife Martha (Elizabeth Taylor). At first it's fun and games. But what passes for caustic wit soon degenerates into vicious mind games.
Drop Dead City
New York, 1975. The city is minutes away from bankruptcy and President Gerald Ford wants no part of it. Sanitation workers are on strike and cops are telling tourists it's not safe to visit. The town is going up in flames and they can't pay the firemen.
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)