laheyray Reviews

Hannah Arendt (2012)

A real gem!

[9/10 · 18 September 2012]

Hannah Arendt (2012)

Few movies based on historical figures manage to combine a good sense of character with a first-rate story. Hannah Arendt is an exception. It is directed by Margarethe von Trotta, who had focused on such diverse (and strong) women of history as the nun and mystic Hildegard von Bingen and the leftist revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg. Her latest film is the story of one key episode in the life of Hannah Arendt, the German-American philosopher and political theorist. But Hannah Arendt transcends the bounds of "feminist" filmmaking. It is a work that puts before the viewer key questions about the nature of evil, about acceptance of authority, and about personal responsibility. At the same time it is a fine piece of storytelling.

Arendt was a German Jew who had studied under the noted philosopher Martin Heidegger, and who had a romantic relationship with him that soured when the Nazis came to power and Heidegger publicly supported them. She soon left Germany for France but in 1940 was imprisoned by the Vichy regime in the detention camp in Gurs. Escaping after a few weeks imprisonment, she fled with her husband to the U.S. Throughout and after the war she was active in Jewish causes, including the Zionist movement. In the 1950s she began a career of writing and teaching, which included appointments at such universities as Princeton, Yale and the University of Chicago. She became noted for two popular books, The Origins of Totalitarianism and The Human Condition.

The film deals with one short period in her life, Arendt's reporting on the 1961 Adolf Eichmann trial in Jerusalem for the New Yorker magazine, coverage she later turned into a book. In here account she spoke of "the banality of evil," evil done without thinking, because people were "following orders." Arendt's suggestion was that Eichmann was evil not so much because he was a monster, but because he was a mindless bureaucrat. Although she did not disagree with the guilty verdict or Eichmann's hanging, she was critical of the conduct of the trial. Even more controversial was her submission that some Jewish leaders contributed to the magnitude of the Holocaust by their complicity with the authorities. While she recognized the futility of open rebellion, she suggested that less cooperation would at least have saved more lives. Such suggestions, especially coming from a prominent Jew, provoked a firestorm of criticism, and threatened both Arendt's career and lifelong friendships. The movie becomes not just about a single life, but about freedom of expression - the sometimes harsh clash between ideas and fixed opinions - and the great personal costs this can involve.

Still, a movie that focuses so much on one individual requires a superb piece of acting. Director von Trotta gets this from Barbara Sukowa, who played both Hildegard and Rosa Luxemburg in her earlier films. Sukowa brings to the screen not only a supremely intelligent woman, but a very principled and determined one. At the same time she portrays a woman who can be tender and compassionate, and understanding even of her detractors. To blend such widely divergent qualities is no easy task, but Sukowa succeeds in anchoring them securely in the character she plays. Axel Milberg as Heinrich Blücher, Arendt's husband, more reserved, but supportive and protective, is equally credible. Another solid performance comes from Janet McTeer as the political activist, author, and Hannah's steadfast friend, Mary McCarthy. Included also among her inner circle was her secretary, Lotte, played very sympathetically and competently by Julia Jentsch. Two longtime Jewish friends, one in New York, Hans Jonas, and another in Jerusalem (also her former teacher), Kurt Blumenfeld, are very well represented by Ulrich Noethen and Michael Degen. And a very unrepentant and unapologetic Martin Heidegger is played by Klaus Pohl.

In addition to good acting a film that deals with the realm of ideas also requires a finely tuned screenplay and talented direction so that it does not just show pictures of "talking heads." Director von Trotta cooperated with Pam Katz on the script, and what they produced is obviously a labor of love. The situation of ideas against the background of such horrific concrete acts as genocide, and in particular against the showpiece trial of Eichmann, brings them into contact with the very real world. That reality is heightened by the decision not to dramatize Eichmann himself, but to show the genuine article as he appears in the TV footage of the trial. There is such genuine horror there, and yet such obvious banality, as to give Arendt's musings real weight.

In the end the film obliges the viewer to confront the questions Arendt is trying to raise. Are the roots of evil obvious or can they be far more subtle? Where does responsibility begin, and who in a society must take responsibility for the acts of the whole body? The film does not preach, but it certainly raises vital questions. A real gem! Hannah Arendt premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2012. The movie will go into general release on January 17, 2013.

Emperor (2012)

A Tale of Two Emperors

[6/10 · 17 September 2012]

Emperor (2012)

In his rule over Japan as Supreme Commander of the occupying forces after World War II, General Douglas MacArthur was probably as benign a dictator as history has recorded. His enlightened policies led to a Japanese post war economic recovery from wartime devastation, and to post-war harmony between Japan and the West that replaced virulent wartime hatred. Emperor deals with his first days in Japan after the Japanese surrender, and in particular, with his momentous decision not to include the Emperor Hirohito among the Japanese war criminals, a judgement made despite political and popular clamor. Allied war propaganda had demonized the Japanese people and Hirohito in particular, and Japanese propaganda had done much the same with the other side. MacArthur's decision became the lynch-pin of his policy there: to respect the cultural differences instead of seeking to override them, and to try to bring together the best that both Japan and the western powers had to offer.

The movie deliberately avoids clarifying which emperor the title refers to. On the surface it may seem to denote Hirohito, but as supreme commander MacArthur had near imperial power, and did not hesitate to use it. The film concentrates on one of his protégés and close advisors, General Bonner Fellers, a Japanese expert on whose opinion MacArthur chooses to rely. Fellers was close to MacArthur, having served with him even before the war. Fellers loved Japan and had visited it, and had produced for the American military a crucial assessment of the Japanese military mind. He had additionally predicted war with Japan well in advance of Pearl Harbour. In real life, Fellers had some connections to Japan, even to the Imperial Household, and he had a close friendship with a former female Japanese exchange student whom he knew from Earlham College in Indiana. He rejoined MacArthur in 1943 and accompanied him during the Supreme Commander's momentous first days in Japan. The film strongly hints that MacArthur had already made up his mind about the treatment of Hirohito, which he almost certainly had, but wanted Fellers to supply the rationale for his decision.

The film has three threads that run throughout: MacArthur's occupation of Japan; Fellers' investigations leading to his written opinion; Fellers' search for his Japanese friend amidst the post-war chaos. It is one thread too many, since while the film juxtaposes these, it does not successfully weave them together. The one exception may be Fellers interview with the Japanese general, supposedly his friend's uncle, since it does much to explain the country's traditions and military attitudes. Director Peter Webber has said quite rightly that MacArthur has not been particularly successfully treated on the screen. In fact, epics like MacArthur (1977) and Inchon (1981) proved to be major disappointments. It seems a shame here that the director and writers Vera Blasi and David Klass did not keep MacArthur as the film's central figure, but instead chose to focus on his subordinate, Fellers.

As MacArthur, Tommy Lee Jones gives an outstanding performance, and the film is worth seeing for that alone. Looking nothing like MacArthur (he didn't try), Jones captures ever bit of "El Supremo's" command and self-confidence, and when he is present on screen, like the General himself, he dominates it. It is just a shame that he doesn't get more screen time. MacArthur is, historically, the man who made the real decisions, and, especially as played by Jones, a figure far more fascinating than Fellers.

By contrast, the part of Fellers (Matthew Fox of "Lost") seems dull, unfocused, and even clumsy, particularly considering the crucial days in which it is set. That is probably not Fox's fault, but a weakness of the screenplay. While the fact that Fellers knew Japan well and was especially friendly with a Japanese girl he had met in college are factors that deserve to enter into the picture, as presented they often tend to be a distraction from its central theme. This is all the more the case since the story of "Aya" appears to contain considerable fiction. Feller's real-life friend from Earlham, Yuri Wantanabe, survived the war, and his connections to Japanese officialdom were probably better than her own. There is the additional fiction that all this is compressed into a ten-day window, when the actual investigations took place over five months.

Still, in playing Aya, Eriko Hatsune renders her subtly, displaying a delicate balance between propriety and concern. Some of the other Japanese actors are equally notable. Especially fine, and especially central to the story, is the portrayal by Masatô Ibu of the Lord Privy Seal, Marquis Koichi Kibo, the highest figure in the Imperial Household and a friend to Hirohito. Ibu is persuasive in presenting a man who attempts to preserve the Emperor's honour – and his privacy – even in the face of the possibility that the Emperor might hang. Masayoshi Haneda also gives a fine performance as Fellers' interpreter and de facto aide. And Takatarô Kataoka is realistic as Emperor Hirohito himself.

The wanderings of the plot are offset in part by the great production values (Grant Major)and fine cinematography (by Stuart Dryburgh). The contrast between the real beauty of Japan and the wartime devastation is particularly effective.

This movie has many good things going for it, particularly Tommy Lee Jones (and MacArthur himself). It's just a pity it didn't capitalize on them more.

Emperor premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 14, 2012. It has been acquired for distribution by Lionsgate & Roadside Attractions, but no date for general distribution has yet been announced.

Out in the Dark (2012)

The new Brokeback Mountain

[8/10 · 16 September 2012]

Out in the Dark (2012)

Director Ang Lee made Brokeback Mountain,despite its tragedy, into a beautiful picture: scenic, romantic,and even lyrical. In directing Out in the Dark, his first feature film, Michael Mayer did none of this. But what he did was to make a picture far more powerful in both plot and presentation. Lacking Brokeback's "niceness," Out in the Dark more than compensates by its realism.

The story, written by Mayer and Yael Shafir tells of the romantic relationship between a young well-connected Israeli lawyer and a Palestinian graduate student with an Israeli study permit. But Like Brokeback Mountain, the film avoids simply being a "gay-themed" one by situating their involvement within a wider setting. In the first place each must deal with his family: families unalike in nationality, class, language, culture and religion, but alike in not accepting their son's relationship. But broader social and political situations from which the two young men come pose even more serious obstacles, for the film locates their involvement with one another against the present-day tensions between Israel and the Palestinian Territories. In a way the individuals become symbols of these two solitudes, each wanting peace and security, but both slow to recognize that their futures are inseparably bound together.

The film does not lay blame. Nor does it examine the righteousness of either cause. But neither does it pull any punches. It is commendable in its honesty in dealing with both Palestinian fanaticism and the heavy-handed apparatus of the Israeli security services. In fact, it even suggests that in the end these play into the hands of one another. Above all, it evokes the atmosphere of fear under which ordinary citizens on both sides of the concrete walls and chain link fences must live and work daily, and fear's terrible toll on their personal lives.

Although the story is gripping, it is also gritty. There is little brightness here, an obviously deliberate choice of director Mayer and cinematographer Ran Aviad. They have created a visual palette that contributes to the film's effect and to the tension that is a constant thread throughout. As the title suggests, so much of the story must take place in the darkness, both literal and figurative. There are glimpses of tenderness, certainly in scenes of the relationship between the two guys, and to some extent when their families are shown. Still, the bright dawn that all involved must surely dream of never really breaks, and Mayer's ambiguous ending is the only honest one possible.

The film is splendidly cast. Michael Aloni as the young Israeli lawyer, Roy Schaefer, is able to display a wide range of emotions: caring, compassion, filial piety, and throughout everything, a hopefulness. He is credible in his naiveté also, trusting in family even when they fail to understand, and trusting far too much that the apparatus of the state will do what is right. But the performance that dominates the picture is the brilliant one given by Nicholas Jacob as the young Palestinian, Nimr Mashrawi. In his first film role, Jacob, whose parents are Arab-Italian and who grew up in Haifa and Nashville (and who is straight), is utterly convincing – and utterly captivating. He puts on the screen a character, who even in his youth, must confront demons that few will ever know. At the same time Jacob conveys the sense that, whatever the outcomes, Nimr will never let these demons overcome him. Jacob's handling of the part is so true to life as to be memorable.

But the good acting is not confined to the two leads. Alon Pdut does a fine job as an Israeli security official whose concern for the state has made him cold and hard, and who will use any means that serve his ends. Jamil Khouri as Nimr's brother is equally effective as a man caught up in a web of terror from which he cannot free himself. And as Roy's father, Alon Oleartchik comes across as a family head torn asunder by conflicting emotions. In a smaller but vital part, Loai Nofi as Mustafa, an outrageously gay Arab, does well in a role that must be both comic and tragic.

Dark the picture may be, but it is intense. It is a film that could easily be overlooked, but one that will leave an indelible impression when it is seen. Out in the Dark is Brokeback Mountain's worthy successor.

Out in the Dark premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2012. It has dialogue in Hebrew and Arabic with English sub-titles. It is being distributed by Breaking Glass Pictures, but a general release date has not yet been announced.

Kon-Tiki (2012)

One man's determination ... six men's daring

[8/10 · 14 September 2012]

KON-TIKI (2012)

During the 20th century some individual achievements so captured the popular attention as to become iconic: Lindberg's flight across the Atlantic, Hillary and Norgay's conquest of Everest, Roger Bannister's four minute mile. Thor Heyerdahl's 1947 voyage across the Pacific was one of these events. His book, Kon-Tiki, sold tens of millions of copies, and his 1950 documentary won an Academy Award, as much a recognition of the feat as the film.

Norwegian directors Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg have now decided to put on the screen a dramatized account of Heyerdahl's expedition. But the obvious question is how can you make interesting the story of six men confined to a small wooden raft for 101 days? In fact by comparison to the exploit it recorded, the original documentary came across as rather bland, precisely because of such limitations. But this new film is anything but tame, and succeeds in combining striking photography of the adventure itself with a compelling look at one man's quest to show that "it can be done."

The strength of the picture is that it situates the voyage within the context of Heyerdahl's struggle to get the scientific and financial support to try out his theories. He had speculated that Polynesia was settled by Inca voyagers who had used the prevailing currents to drift across the Pacific on rafts similar to the one he would build. (He proved this possible, although DNA testing suggests that Polynesians share a predominantly Asian heritage.)

Heyerdahl had developed this premise much earlier, but after World War II, he made serious attempts to secure the backing for a voyage that would test his theories. Not only did he encounter opposition from those who felt that he was wrong, but even more often he was dismissed as a fanatic with a suicidal plan.

Eventually he did manage to scrounge some backing, including private loans, help from the Peruvian authorities and supplies from the U.S. Navy. Perhaps more importantly, he found five companions who had confidence enough to put their lives in his hands. All were Norwegian except Bengt Danielsson, a Swede with an interest in migration. Erik Hesselberg was the navigator. Knut Haugland and Torstein Raaby, both heroes of the Norwegian resistance, were the radio experts. Herman Watzinger was an engineer who helped design the raft, and who recorded much of the voyage's scientific data.

Although he took along modern equipment, Heyerdahl was concerned that the raft itself should be constructed only from materials that were available in ancient times. Accordingly the raft was constructed from logs tied together with rope, surmounted by a thatched cabin and a large cloth sail. The raft itself was about 45 by 18 feet (13.7 by 5.5 m), and the cabin about 14 by 8 (4.2 by 2.4 m). The crew sailed from Callao, Peru, on April 28, 1947 and arrived in Raroia in the Tuamotu Islands on August 7.

The film succeeds by contextualizing these 101 days at sea against Heyerdahl's struggles to get the expedition underway. Although the inevitable storm and the equally foreseeable shark attack have their moments, the movie similarly attends to the relationships among the expedition's six members, their level of bonding to Heyerdahl as leader, and his own relationship with a wife who wanted to be supportive, but who found the risks unacceptable. It establishes the overall context by its early sequence dealing with Thor's honeymoon stay in the Marquesas, where he began to discover the apparent Inca connections that led to his theories.

In the central role of Thor Heyerdahl, Pål Sverre Valheim Hagen must carry the story, and he does. His re-creation of the historical character is convincing as the embodiment of determination, not quite obsessive but coming close, as he plans, argues and cajoles to try to turn his project into a reality. As his fellow Norwegian crew members Odd Magnus Williamson as Hesselberg, Tobias Santlemann as Haugland, and Jacob Oftebro as Raaby are equally credible figures: young, heroic, and willing to give Heyerdahl their trust. Playing the only non-Norwegian in the group, Gustaf Skarsgård as Bengt Danielsson is a little detached, but perhaps even more intellectually committed than the others to what they are about. For contrast and drama, the filmmakers apparently took liberties with the character of Herman Watzinger, played by Anders Baasmo Christensen. Christensen does well with the part given him, although the real-life Watzinger was almost certainly stronger and more competent than the movie shows him. Given that she must play an ambivalent role, Agnes Kittelsen as Liv gives a very effective performance as Thor's wife and the film's only prominent female character.

Gorgeous photography and great production values set Kon-Tiki off. The Pacific Ocean scenes were actually shot in the waters off Malta, the tropical ones in the Maldives and Thailand, with other locations in Norway and the U.S. used as appropriate. It is a real accomplishment that even with the limited space of the raft cinematographer Geir Hartly Andreassen never lets it become visually boring. Going from the micro to the macro, he manages to keep interesting also the vast empty spaces of the ocean, which emerges as a living character in its own right, often peaceful, sometimes petrifying, always powerful.

It must have been a temptation for the directors and principal screenwriter Petter Skavlan to fictionalize Heyerdahl's exploits and to create a stunning action/adventure tale on the lines of A Perfect Storm or White Squall. Thankfully they recognized that Heyerdahl himself was a character larger than life whose daring voyage became an extension of himself and his ambitions. In doing that they keep alive the iconic figure that he was, and give audiences some appreciation of how the sheer willpower of one individual can produce deeds that capture the imagination of the world.

The Impossible (2012)

A terrible event ... but a moving film

[8/10 · 12 September 2012]

THE IMPOSSIBLE (2012)

The 2004 tsunami was one of the deadliest natural disasters on record. Because it occurred in the Christmas season and hit many resort area beaches its death toll of almost 250,000 was indiscriminate, taking not only South Asians but many visiting vacationers. People everywhere were affected by it. My own relatives who were then living in Thailand were destined that day to be on the beach, but, unknown to the rest of us, illness caused them to alter their plans. I personally heard from Thai acquaintances the story of nieces and nephews who excitedly ran to the shore to see the wondrous phenomenon of the receding ocean, only to be swamped by its return. Weeks later, flying over the Indonesian coastline, I could see with my own eyes just how far inland the wave had rushed, and the devastation it had wrought.

How do you frame such a catastrophe in human terms, and present a situation of pure chaos in a way that makes a compelling story? How do you tell such a tale in a way that respects both the lost and the survivors, many of whom suffered personal tragedies as well, and more of whom bore the guilt of survival? How does one story tell some of the many stories of that day? These were among the challenges that faced director Juan Antonio Bayona and screenwriter Sergio G. Sanchez when they decided to put an account of the 2004 tsunami on the screen. Their solution was to deal with one British family on vacation in Thailand from Japan, but their film uses that family as a catalyst to show the tsunami's awful effect not only on the tourist population but on the local people who suffered even more.

Both the film itself and the filmmakers have taken pains to say that this is a "true story," and they have aimed for the greatest possible authenticity in the circumstances. They have based themselves on detailed interviews with the family members and with other survivors, some of whom actually appear in the film. (For example, those who tell their tales to Ewan McGregor at the bus station are almost all actual survivors.) While footage of the tsunami strike itself was shot in a water tank at Alicante on the Spanish coast, and a couple of days filming of interiors took place in Spanish studios, the remainder of this picture was shot on location in Thailand using the real places of the story, such as the Orchid Beach Hotel in Phang Nga, and the actual hospital where much of the action occurs.

The actual Thai locations and the many Thai actors keep the production values superb, and give this film an authenticity it would not otherwise have. So of course do the survivors who take part, whose emotions are sometimes all too real. Many video shots exist of the tsunami hitting the Asian beaches, but no one who was not there can have any real idea of what it must have been like to have been caught up by its waters. Bayona has chosen to focus not so much on the massive power of the tidal wave itself but on the sheer terror and disorientation it must have created for those submerged in it, and upon the human toll it took. But his scenes of its striking are horrific enough to give some sense of its magnitude, even on the screen. Nor does he pull his punches in some of the grisly scenes that follow. The impressive results that display both the striking wave and its terrible aftermath owe much to production designer Eugenio Caballero.

The big names here are Ewan MacGregor as Henry and Naomi Watts as Maria, his doctor wife, while Geraldine Chaplin has a cameo role as a lady who comforts one of their sons on a starlit night. MacGregor and Watts seem to suit their parts, but in a sense they are playing predictable roles. They become a couple literally torn apart, a father having to search among the debris for the remainder of his family and a mother who for much of the picture hovers close to death. The family's three sons are played by Tom Holland (Lucas), Samuel Joslin (Thomas) and Oaklee Pendergast (Simon). The two younger boys are cute as well as being effective, but that is not really a word that suits Tom Holland. The young British actor displays a surprising maturity and delivers a wonderfully measured performance, reminiscent of a younger Daniel Radcliffe. Despite the bigger names involved, it is his portrayal of Lucas that carries the picture since he is the hub around whom events revolve as the individual stories unfold. That is a lot to ask of a young actor, but Holland delivers.

No one story can ever do justice to the events of that day and the days that followed. Nor can a story set in just one location ever capture just how wide-ranging were the tsunami's effects. How can you tell the story of what happened almost simultaneously in Indonesia and India, Myanmar and Malaysia, and eventually affected even the African coast. Thankfully, Bayona doesn't try. He focuses on the few, hoping that through them audiences will better understand the tale of the many. For such a story, The Impossible is perhaps a more than fitting title, but the film works and gives a view that is both visually impressive and dramatically moving.

The Impossible premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2012. It will open in Spain on October 11, and go into general release in North America in the last week of December.

Ray Lahey

End of Watch (2012)

A 21st century police drama with grit and humor

[8/10 · 11 September 2012]

END OF WATCH (2012)

Most police buddy films are predictable and stereotyped. End of Watch is anything but. Predictable it never gets, and even if one guy is white (Jake Gyllenhaal as Taylor), and his partner Latino (Michael Peña as Zavala), the witty and realistic dialogue between the two ensures that neither is ever really typecast. The film succeeds because it takes a pretty honest look at police work in the often dangerous situation of south Los Angeles, and punctuates that with some pretty gripping action. Much of its tension comes from its background situation, the very real and creeping influence of the Mexican drug cartels as they infiltrate southern California.

The script (by director David Ayer, who also wrote Training Day among others) is first-rate. At its best it is reminiscent of Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, with its mix of the routine, the salacious and the serious. There is an honesty even in the raunchiness, and the conversation sounds something like what two young guys who worked with one another might actually say over the course of a shift together. (Ayer has stated that that the original screenplay was much more "scatological.") The script even manages to work into their dialogue a real humor, partly arising from the situations, partly coming from the exchanges of two friends who just have fun in putting one another down.

Gyllenhaal is at his best. His fans will be delighted, and even those who have become more ambivalent since Brokeback Mountain will be pleasantly surprised. But Michael Peña is never overshadowed by him, and more than holds his own. Between the two there is a fantastic chemistry, all the more unexpected in that Ayer has reported that at first the two didn't get along. Over a five month training regime, however, they seem to have built up a relationship of unalikes that comes through in the finished product. Their differences and their mutual put-downs can't quite hide a comfort level and a trust that is central to the story. The genuineness that emerges in the two officers is underpinned by the depiction of their girlfriend/wives, who, although in far smaller roles, contribute a note of realism to life outside the police cruiser. Anna Kendrick (Janet) comes across as someone Gyllenhaal could really fall in love with, just as the vivacious character of Natalie Martinez (Gabby) complements the fun side of Michael Peña.

Interestingly, Ayer seems not so much concerned with plot as with telling the story of police work in an often difficult neighborhood: their duties, their dangers, and sometimes the drudgery of what they must do (like traffic citations). To keep this mood, Ayer originally had even planned to use unknown actors. In fact the movie has at times almost a semi-documentary style that makes for a 'news-like' realism. The footage in the film is often from a Canon XA10 hand-held, and there is simulated footage also from the clip-on Scorpion micro cameras used today by police officers to record their activities. (The actual footage from Scorpions was not of high enough quality.) What emerges is a crisp and gritty story line, what Ayer calls "a mosaic of reality," a mix of the very ordinary with heightened action scenes. Ayer has said that most of the situations shown were ones encountered by his friend (and technical adviser for the film, who also plays the police captain), Jaime FitzSimons, during his 14 year service with the LAPD. The overall intent of the film is made clear when towards the end of the credits comes a recognition of all those who serve in law enforcement.

The pacing here is great, with police life and home life, procedure and action, the serious and the funny juxtaposed but never compromising each other. It becomes a difficult picture to end, but Ayer succeeds by means of a quite unexpected coda. If you're looking for a police buddy film like Beverly Hills Cop or Rush Hour, you won't find it here. But if you're open to a 21st century police drama with something of the grit of The French Connection, End of Watch deserves a look.

End of Watch premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2012. It goes into general release on September 21st.

Ray Lahey