Julianne Moore and Ellen Page star in the true story of lovers who fought for the same rights as straight married couples
Freeheld is a film about co-opting the political zeitgeist in the search for justice which itself co-opts the political zeitgeist in the search for justice. Set in the mid-2000s when same-sex marriage in the Us was suppressed by revolting Republican ogres, it tells the Capra-esque saga of long-serving cop Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore) and her live-in lover, Stacie Andree (Ellen Page). They feel the hot prongs of the conservative pitchfork when Laurel is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and is told she can’t have her pension payments roll over to Stacie – a standard perk for heterosexual couples. Director Peter Sollett mounts a full-scale attack on the tear ducts as he rolls out scene after scene of inspiring oratory, heart-rending illness and full-on liberal do-gooding. And it works like gangbusters,...
Freeheld is a film about co-opting the political zeitgeist in the search for justice which itself co-opts the political zeitgeist in the search for justice. Set in the mid-2000s when same-sex marriage in the Us was suppressed by revolting Republican ogres, it tells the Capra-esque saga of long-serving cop Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore) and her live-in lover, Stacie Andree (Ellen Page). They feel the hot prongs of the conservative pitchfork when Laurel is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and is told she can’t have her pension payments roll over to Stacie – a standard perk for heterosexual couples. Director Peter Sollett mounts a full-scale attack on the tear ducts as he rolls out scene after scene of inspiring oratory, heart-rending illness and full-on liberal do-gooding. And it works like gangbusters,...
- 2/21/2016
- by David Jenkins
- The Guardian - Film News
May be a familiar David-versus-Goliath tale, but it is also an inspiring and hugely emotional experience, due in large part to the powerful performances. I’m “biast” (pro): always eager for stories about women
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
In early 2006, the freeholders — the board of local government officials — in Ocean County, New Jersey, finally gave in and agreed, after numerous denials, to let decorated police office Laurel Hester, who was dying of cancer, pass on her pension to her registered domestic partner, Stacie Andree, in the same way that a heterosexual cop would be able to pass on his or her pension to a spouse. The 2007 film of the same name about Hester and Andree, by Cynthia Wade, won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short, and this Freeheld — the first feature from director Peter Sollett since his charming...
I’m “biast” (con): nothing
(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)
In early 2006, the freeholders — the board of local government officials — in Ocean County, New Jersey, finally gave in and agreed, after numerous denials, to let decorated police office Laurel Hester, who was dying of cancer, pass on her pension to her registered domestic partner, Stacie Andree, in the same way that a heterosexual cop would be able to pass on his or her pension to a spouse. The 2007 film of the same name about Hester and Andree, by Cynthia Wade, won the Oscar for Best Documentary Short, and this Freeheld — the first feature from director Peter Sollett since his charming...
- 2/19/2016
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
entertainment one
Freeheld tells the incredible true love story of Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore) and Stacie Andree (Ellen Page) and their fight for justice. To celebrate the release of Freeheld in cinemas and on Digital HD on February 19 and on DVD on February 22, we’re giving you the chance to win a DVD copy of the film and a signed poster.
On June 26 2015, in a landmark decision, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the right to marriage is guaranteed to all Americans, including same-sex couples. A decision that was undoubtedly propelled by the determination of individuals such as Laurel Hester and her partner Stacie Andree, whose story started out as an intensely personal experience of love and identity, but in 2005, became a flashpoint in the growing battle for justice and equal rights.
Based on the award–winning documentary, Freeheld is the true story of Laurel (Julianne Moore) and her...
Freeheld tells the incredible true love story of Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore) and Stacie Andree (Ellen Page) and their fight for justice. To celebrate the release of Freeheld in cinemas and on Digital HD on February 19 and on DVD on February 22, we’re giving you the chance to win a DVD copy of the film and a signed poster.
On June 26 2015, in a landmark decision, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the right to marriage is guaranteed to all Americans, including same-sex couples. A decision that was undoubtedly propelled by the determination of individuals such as Laurel Hester and her partner Stacie Andree, whose story started out as an intensely personal experience of love and identity, but in 2005, became a flashpoint in the growing battle for justice and equal rights.
Based on the award–winning documentary, Freeheld is the true story of Laurel (Julianne Moore) and her...
- 2/19/2016
- by Laura Holmes
- Obsessed with Film
Julianne Moore and Ellen Page are unconvincing in this hammy fictional version of a true story about a lesbian couple fighting for their pension rights
Something goes wrong in this embarrassing, if well-intentioned film. It’s a clumsy and Kleenex-y issue-movie-of-the-week featuring unrelaxed and unconvincing performances from Ellen Page and Julianne Moore – and Moore comes worryingly close to reprising that faraway look of victimhood from her Oscar-winning performance as a dementia patient in Still Alice (2014).
Freeheld is a fictional version of an Academy Award-winning documentary short from 2007 about Laurel Hester, a much respected gay police lieutenant in New Jersey. After getting a diagnosis of terminal cancer, Hester (played by Moore) petitioned the five governing Republican “freeholders” of Ocean County to change the law, to allow her partner Stacie (Page) to get her pension after her death – like any heterosexual widow or widower would. The freeholders claimed this would violate “the...
Something goes wrong in this embarrassing, if well-intentioned film. It’s a clumsy and Kleenex-y issue-movie-of-the-week featuring unrelaxed and unconvincing performances from Ellen Page and Julianne Moore – and Moore comes worryingly close to reprising that faraway look of victimhood from her Oscar-winning performance as a dementia patient in Still Alice (2014).
Freeheld is a fictional version of an Academy Award-winning documentary short from 2007 about Laurel Hester, a much respected gay police lieutenant in New Jersey. After getting a diagnosis of terminal cancer, Hester (played by Moore) petitioned the five governing Republican “freeholders” of Ocean County to change the law, to allow her partner Stacie (Page) to get her pension after her death – like any heterosexual widow or widower would. The freeholders claimed this would violate “the...
- 2/18/2016
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Xan Brooks, Benjamin Lee and Catherine Shoard review Freeheld, based on the true story of Laurel Hester, a New Jersey police detective who fought to have her pension transferred to her domestic partner after she contracted terminal cancer. Starring Julianne Moore as Hester and Ellen Page as her partner, Stacie Andree, Freeheld is released in the UK on Friday 18 February
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- 2/18/2016
- by Xan Brooks, Catherine Shoard, Benjamin Lee, Tom Silverstone, Ian Anderson and Andrea Salvatici
- The Guardian - Film News
Freeheld tells the incredible true love story of Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore) and Stacie Andree (Ellen Page) and their fight for justice. To celebrate the release of Freeheld in cinemas and on Digital HD on February 19 and on DVD on February 22, we’re giving 3 of you the chance to win a DVD copy
The post Win Freeheld on DVD and a signed poster appeared first on HeyUGuys.
The post Win Freeheld on DVD and a signed poster appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 2/18/2016
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
[Editor's Note: This post is presented in partnership with Time Warner Cable Movies On Demand in support of Indie Film Month. Today's pick, "Freeheld," is available now On Demand. Need help finding a movie to watch? Let TWC find the best fit for your mood here.] Read More: The Great Gay Hope of Ellen Page and Julianne Moore's 'Freeheld' Peter Sollett's fact-based "Freeheld" offers recent Oscar winner Julianne Moore another juicy -- and emotionally wrenching -- role to bite into, hot off her Best Actress win for "Still Alice." In the film, Moore plays tough-as-nails police lieutenant Laurel Hester, whose life is upended when she falls in love with Stacie Andree (Ellen Page). Although she is compelled to keep her personal life a secret, Laurel and Stacie embark on a love affair that they intend to last a lifetime, going so far as to purchase a home together as registered domestic partners. But when Laurel...
- 2/18/2016
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
While Carol, Freeheld and The Danish Girl have won broad success, Sydney’s upcoming Mardi Gras film festival offers a less limited view of gender and sexuality
As Carol, Cate Blanchett drinks in Rooney Mara, a young girl working in a department store. As the New Jersey police detective Laurel Hester, Julianne Moore is smitten with Ellen Page. As Australian playwright Tim Conigrave, Ryan Corr holds his man from the age of 16 until the end of their too short lives. And, as Danish artist Einar Wegener, who becomes Lili Elbe, Eddie Redmayne resurrects a pioneering transgender journey.
Released over the past year, these four films – Carol, Freeheld, Holding the Man and The Danish Girl – have done an excellent job of elucidating sexuality and gender experiences that exist outside the “norm”. What’s more, Blanchett, Mara and Redmayne are all up for Oscars: what validation for queers like me. We exist!
As Carol, Cate Blanchett drinks in Rooney Mara, a young girl working in a department store. As the New Jersey police detective Laurel Hester, Julianne Moore is smitten with Ellen Page. As Australian playwright Tim Conigrave, Ryan Corr holds his man from the age of 16 until the end of their too short lives. And, as Danish artist Einar Wegener, who becomes Lili Elbe, Eddie Redmayne resurrects a pioneering transgender journey.
Released over the past year, these four films – Carol, Freeheld, Holding the Man and The Danish Girl – have done an excellent job of elucidating sexuality and gender experiences that exist outside the “norm”. What’s more, Blanchett, Mara and Redmayne are all up for Oscars: what validation for queers like me. We exist!
- 2/15/2016
- by Steve Dow
- The Guardian - Film News
Released two weeks after premiering at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, Peter Sollet’s awards-baiting Lgbt drama Freeheld failed to command an Oscar campaign. Raking in just under six hundred thousand at the domestic office following a demure roll-out from distributor Lionsgate, this depiction of Laurel Hester’s 2005 fight for equality plays like a civil rights footnote eclipsed by more meaningful instances from the past decade. Despite some honorable performances from the likes of Julianne Moore and Michael Shannon (not to mention some woefully clichéd support from Steve Carrell), the film is fettered by its desperation to remain relevant and appealing, though it never captures the gravity clearly seen in Cynthia Wade’s documentary short, which provided the basis for this film.
As far as the importance of awareness and acceptance goes, these films are still important, now that some distance from the period allows the chance for significant introspection...
As far as the importance of awareness and acceptance goes, these films are still important, now that some distance from the period allows the chance for significant introspection...
- 2/2/2016
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
With a decades-long career in Hollywood under her belt, Julianne Moore has a lot to say. The 55-year-old Oscar winner has portrayed seemingly every kind of woman on the silver screen, from a 1950s California housewife in an unhappy marriage to a linguistics professor facing early on-set Alzheimers disease. In her newest role in the documentary-inspired drama Freeheld, Moore immersed herself in a battle familiar to the Lgbt community as she portrayed police office Laurel Hester, a woman on her deathbed fighting to transfer her benefits to her domestic partner, portrayed by Ellen Page. To recreate the struggle of this famous woman, the actress drew on the real-life experiences of her co-star, who...
- 1/28/2016
- E! Online
By Patrick Shanley
Managing Editor
This year’s Oscar hopefuls boasts the largest roster of biopics in recent memory. From more traditional, straight-forward affairs such as Straight Outta Compton and Black Mass, to films that focus on one particular real-life event such as The Big Short and Spotlight, to less typical takes focused on separate periods in the subjects’ lives such as Steve Jobs and Love & Mercy, this year’s films cover the entire spectrum of the biopic genre.
As a result, many of the frontrunners in the four major acting categories are for performances portraying real-life people. Looking back on the Academy’s history, it is hard to find a year in which an acting award did not go to a performer portraying a real person. Eddie Redmayne, Matthew McConaughey, and Daniel Day-Lewis (the last three best actor winners) all starred in biographical films.
This year the trend looks to continue,...
Managing Editor
This year’s Oscar hopefuls boasts the largest roster of biopics in recent memory. From more traditional, straight-forward affairs such as Straight Outta Compton and Black Mass, to films that focus on one particular real-life event such as The Big Short and Spotlight, to less typical takes focused on separate periods in the subjects’ lives such as Steve Jobs and Love & Mercy, this year’s films cover the entire spectrum of the biopic genre.
As a result, many of the frontrunners in the four major acting categories are for performances portraying real-life people. Looking back on the Academy’s history, it is hard to find a year in which an acting award did not go to a performer portraying a real person. Eddie Redmayne, Matthew McConaughey, and Daniel Day-Lewis (the last three best actor winners) all starred in biographical films.
This year the trend looks to continue,...
- 11/23/2015
- by Patrick Shanley
- Scott Feinberg
It’s been said time and again that major changes in the law and society can actually begin with one person,… or two. You know how just a pebble can gather momentum and bring about an avalanche that can alter the landscape. This new feature film docudrama tells such a story. Its subject is one still discussed, especially with the presidential campaigns starting so very early. The story begins just ten years ago, not that long before the sweeping changes concerning marriage which lead to equality throughout these united states. But at this time there were only “civil unions” which we often denied same-sex couples the rights that straight couples took for granted. Yes, this film is based on a true story, one that has been brought to the screen before, as a documentary short subject back in 2007. And it won an Oscar, too! The new dramatic adaptation shares its...
- 10/15/2015
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
In select theatres next week, Freeheld tells the true story of New Jersey police lieutenant Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore), and her battle to pass on her pension benefits to her domestic partner Stacie Andree (Ellen Page) after she is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
The real-life couple made waves with their human rights battle, and were previously a subject of a documentary film before director Peter Sollett took this story to the big screen and premiered it at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year.
This new clip shows the two women in what is likely their first interaction. It’s the moment that sparks what will become a lifelong relationship for the pair. The chemistry is strong between the actresses, who both are embracing awards buzz for their performances in the film.
Watch the clip below:...
The real-life couple made waves with their human rights battle, and were previously a subject of a documentary film before director Peter Sollett took this story to the big screen and premiered it at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year.
This new clip shows the two women in what is likely their first interaction. It’s the moment that sparks what will become a lifelong relationship for the pair. The chemistry is strong between the actresses, who both are embracing awards buzz for their performances in the film.
Watch the clip below:...
- 10/7/2015
- by Adriana Floridia
- Cineplex
Wamg has your passes to the powerful drama Freeheld.
Based on the Oscar®-winning short documentary and adapted by the writer of Philadelphia, Freeheld is the true love story of Laurel Hester [Julianne Moore] and Stacie Andree [Ellen Page] and their fight for justice. A decorated New Jersey police detective, Laurel is diagnosed with cancer and wants to leave her hard-earned pension to her domestic partner, Stacie. However the county officials, Freeholders, prevent Laurel from doing this. Hard-nosed detective Dane Wells [Michael Shannon], and activist Steven Goldstein [Steve Carell] unite in Laurel and Stacie’s defense, rallying police officers and ordinary citizens to support their struggle for equality.
Directed by Peter Sollett (Nick And Nora’s Infinite Playlist, Raising Victor Vargas) and written by Ron Nyswaner (Philadelphia, Ray Donovan), with moving performances from a cast including Academy Award® winner Julianne Moore and Academy-Award nominees Ellen Page, Steve Carell, and Michael Shannon, with supporting performances from Luke Grimes and Josh Charles.
Based on the Oscar®-winning short documentary and adapted by the writer of Philadelphia, Freeheld is the true love story of Laurel Hester [Julianne Moore] and Stacie Andree [Ellen Page] and their fight for justice. A decorated New Jersey police detective, Laurel is diagnosed with cancer and wants to leave her hard-earned pension to her domestic partner, Stacie. However the county officials, Freeholders, prevent Laurel from doing this. Hard-nosed detective Dane Wells [Michael Shannon], and activist Steven Goldstein [Steve Carell] unite in Laurel and Stacie’s defense, rallying police officers and ordinary citizens to support their struggle for equality.
Directed by Peter Sollett (Nick And Nora’s Infinite Playlist, Raising Victor Vargas) and written by Ron Nyswaner (Philadelphia, Ray Donovan), with moving performances from a cast including Academy Award® winner Julianne Moore and Academy-Award nominees Ellen Page, Steve Carell, and Michael Shannon, with supporting performances from Luke Grimes and Josh Charles.
- 10/7/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
This October marks the release of Freeheld, starring Julianne Moore and Ellen Page. The film tells the true story of police lieutenant Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore), who after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, embarks on a legal battle to have her pension benefits transferred to her domestic partner, Stacie Andree (Ellen Page). The film tells an emotional and important story about social justice, and looks to be a major awards contender, potentially winning Julianne Moore a second Oscar after she took home Best Actress last year for Still Alice.
With the release of Freeheld, we decided to take a look at other films that feature prominent Lgbtq relationships, which is something that fortunately is becoming more commonplace both in film and on television. Take our quiz to find out how much you know about these Lgbtq films and both the real-life and fictional couples that are depicted on-screen!
Take the...
With the release of Freeheld, we decided to take a look at other films that feature prominent Lgbtq relationships, which is something that fortunately is becoming more commonplace both in film and on television. Take our quiz to find out how much you know about these Lgbtq films and both the real-life and fictional couples that are depicted on-screen!
Take the...
- 10/5/2015
- by Adriana Floridia
- Cineplex
In a reversal from what many mid-career actresses experience, Julianne Moore landed the lead in the new movie “Freeheld” not despite her age but because of it. Director Peter Sollett said he was looking for a middle-aged actress to play opposite Ellen Page, 28, in the fact-based film about a lesbian New Jersey couple, Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree, who were at the center of a landmark 2005 Lgbt rights case. And at 49, Moore was the perfect choice to play Hester, a police officer in Ocean City N.J., who received a terminal lung cancer diagnosis and then struggled to pass...
- 10/3/2015
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
A sallow, didactic little movie that proves modesty isn't always a virtue, Freeheld portrays the real-life struggle of Laurel Hester, a brave Ocean County, New Jersey, detective who, after a diagnosis of late-stage lung cancer, attempted to ensure that her pension benefits would go to her domestic partner Stacie Andree after her death. New Jersey as a state had recognized same-sex partnerships, but this was a county matter, so Hester had to convince the five-man Board of Freeholders to agree to her request. They refused. She fought back, and her case became a cause célèbre, transforming sleepy, sparsely attended county board hearings into hotbeds of protest and controversy. The events were laid out with suspense and passion in Cynthia Wade’s short, Oscar-winning 2007 documentary Freeheld. This narrative version loses both the suspense and the passion.Okay, that's not entirely fair. For its first half-hour or so, as it depicts the...
- 10/2/2015
- by Bilge Ebiri
- Vulture
Still upset Miley Cyrus never got her deserved Oscar love for "The Climb"? Well, she's back again with another soaring ballad attached to a film with deeper significance: This one's for the upcoming gay-rights biopic, Freeheld, which stars Julianne Moore as Laurel Hester, a New Jersey police lieutenant who fought for the right to leave her pension benefits to her girlfriend (Ellen Page) after Hester was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. It's a personal story for Cyrus, who recently came out as both gender-fluid and pansexual, and started her Happy Hippie Foundation to aid young Lgbtq youth. We first heard a snippet of "Hands of Love" in a new trailer for the film, and now she's released it in full. The song, which was written by Linda Perry, has Cyrus sounding anthemic as ever, using her gravelly falsetto to sing of freedom and hope when both seemed impossibly out of...
- 10/2/2015
- by Dee Lockett
- Vulture
Miley Cyrus is back to what she does best: releasing big ole pop ballads.
The Us singer has recorded 'Hands of Love' for upcoming film Freeheld, which stars Julianne Moore and Ellen Page as real-life couple Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree.
The track was written by Linda Perry (Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion) and hears Miley tap into her emotional delivery on a rousing mid-tempo number.
It's a welcome change of direction for Miley after she released experimental pop album Dead Petz for free back in August.
Meanwhile, Freeheld tells the story of real-life lesbian couple Laurel and Stacie who were among the first to demand pension benefits for same-sex partnerships in America.
"Thank you to this incredible cast for giving a face to this incredible story and shining light on the brutal dark truth of love vs the law," Miley previously said of being a part of the project.
The...
The Us singer has recorded 'Hands of Love' for upcoming film Freeheld, which stars Julianne Moore and Ellen Page as real-life couple Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree.
The track was written by Linda Perry (Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion) and hears Miley tap into her emotional delivery on a rousing mid-tempo number.
It's a welcome change of direction for Miley after she released experimental pop album Dead Petz for free back in August.
Meanwhile, Freeheld tells the story of real-life lesbian couple Laurel and Stacie who were among the first to demand pension benefits for same-sex partnerships in America.
"Thank you to this incredible cast for giving a face to this incredible story and shining light on the brutal dark truth of love vs the law," Miley previously said of being a part of the project.
The...
- 10/1/2015
- Digital Spy
It’s fascinating to see how an awards player can see its stock rise and fall throughout Oscar season. Much like last week’s Stonewall, which went from a potential contender to throughly a pretender, Freeheld has seen its fortunes change ever since its debut on the film festival circuit. The movie is hitting theaters this week with less buzz than you’d expect, though that doesn’t mean that this one is dead. A lot will have to do with the precursors, which could easily resurrect the film. As such, I wanted to give it another quick mention and keep it on all of our minds… In case you don’t remember from the last time I talked about Freeheld, the film is about same sex marriage and centers on two women fighting for the benefits that straight couples take for granted. Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore) is a Lieutenant...
- 9/30/2015
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
The Equality in Dying: Sollett’s Topical Gay Rights Issue Explores Yesterday’s Nightmares
Had a film like Freeheld been released in the late 2000s, shortly after the trailblazing gay rights victory documented here transpired, it would have seemed courageous and daring even despite its significant flaws as a social issue film about gays made specifically to appeal to heterosexual sensibilities. In recent years, following the increased progress in gay rights, from the repeal of Proposition Eight in 2013 and this year’s Us Supreme Court decision allowing same-sex marriage nationwide, we’ve seen several major prestige pictures nabbing lucrative awards, like 2013’s extremely spruced up The Dallas Buyers Club. As far as the importance of awareness and acceptance goes, these films are still important, now that some distance from the period allows the chance for significant introspection on the ragged road to basic vestiges of equality. The 2005 story of Laurel Hester...
Had a film like Freeheld been released in the late 2000s, shortly after the trailblazing gay rights victory documented here transpired, it would have seemed courageous and daring even despite its significant flaws as a social issue film about gays made specifically to appeal to heterosexual sensibilities. In recent years, following the increased progress in gay rights, from the repeal of Proposition Eight in 2013 and this year’s Us Supreme Court decision allowing same-sex marriage nationwide, we’ve seen several major prestige pictures nabbing lucrative awards, like 2013’s extremely spruced up The Dallas Buyers Club. As far as the importance of awareness and acceptance goes, these films are still important, now that some distance from the period allows the chance for significant introspection on the ragged road to basic vestiges of equality. The 2005 story of Laurel Hester...
- 9/30/2015
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Ellen Page stopped by The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Tuesday and got extremely candid about her emotional coming-out speech at the Time to Thrive conference in Las Vegas in 2014. "I feel so grateful for it," she said, "I feel so grateful to feel how I feel now, compared to [how I felt] when I was a closeted person. It's not a nice place to be. It's toxic. I wish that no one had to live that way." Ellen was on the show to promote her new movie Freeheld, which is based on the true story of New Jersey police officer Laurel Hester, who tried to pass on her pension benefits to her partner, Stacie Andree, after being diagnosed with lung cancer. Watch the touching interview above, and then check out Ellen's red carpet debut with her girlfriend, Samantha Thomas, earlier this month.
- 9/30/2015
- by Caitlin Hacker
- Popsugar.com
Actress Ellen Page wants to show more diverse stories on screen as she builds up the producing side of her career,
“I’m focusing mostly on stories that are meaningful to me and stories for women and supporting more gay characters,” said the 28-year-old during a press conference at the Zurich Film Festival.
Page, who came out during the making of marriage equality drama Freeheld, is one of that film’s producers and also recently produced Patricia Rozema’s Toronto premiere Into The Forest.
She is also producing, alongside Killer Films’ Christine Vachon, another gay love story in which she will star opposite Kate Mara.
Page hopes to see more women, gay or straight, of more diverse backgrounds getting their stories told in Hollywood.
“Statistically, there’s less women behind the camera, less women composing the music, less women writing the stories, less women acting particularly as protagonists,” she added.
“But I feel...
“I’m focusing mostly on stories that are meaningful to me and stories for women and supporting more gay characters,” said the 28-year-old during a press conference at the Zurich Film Festival.
Page, who came out during the making of marriage equality drama Freeheld, is one of that film’s producers and also recently produced Patricia Rozema’s Toronto premiere Into The Forest.
She is also producing, alongside Killer Films’ Christine Vachon, another gay love story in which she will star opposite Kate Mara.
Page hopes to see more women, gay or straight, of more diverse backgrounds getting their stories told in Hollywood.
“Statistically, there’s less women behind the camera, less women composing the music, less women writing the stories, less women acting particularly as protagonists,” she added.
“But I feel...
- 9/26/2015
- by wendy.mitchell@screendaily.com (Wendy Mitchell)
- ScreenDaily
Earlier this week at the Toronto Film Festival, a few of my colleagues and I were puzzling over one of the fest’s most surprising flops, Freeheld. “What the hell happened with that movie?” I asked, as everyone just shook their heads ruefully. On paper, Freeheld seemed to have everything going for it: It’s based on an Oscar-winning short documentary about cancer-stricken police officer Laurel Hester (played here by Julianne Moore), who fought political red tape when a New Jersey board of freeholders refused to grant pension benefits to her domestic partner, Stacie Andree (Ellen Page). Alas, the actresses fail to strike up any sparks with each other; the dialogue and direction are flat; and the less said about Steve Carell, who arrives at the halfway point as a flamboyant gay activist, the better.“But at least Michael Shannon was good!” someone said, and we all nodded. As Dane Wells,...
- 9/16/2015
- by Kyle Buchanan
- Vulture
Read More: Toronto Review: Ellen Page and Julianne Moore Are Convincing Lovers, But 'Freeheld' Can't Match Up Despite some hostile reviews out of the Toronto International Film Festival, Peter Sollett's "Freeheld" is moving full steam ahead with an emotional marketing campaign that puts the life and death battle for love front and center. Based on a true story, the film stars recent Oscar winner Julianne Moore as New Jersey police detective Laurel Hester, who falls in love with car mechanic Stacie Andree (Ellen Page) before being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. Fearing for her partner's future, Laurel appeals the county's board of chosen freeholders with the hopes of ensuring her pension benefits will be passed on to Stacie. With an emotional and timely story, plus the involvement of more Oscar nominees like Michael Shannon and Steve Carrell, "Freeheld" has all the makings of a worthwhile tearjerker. Check out the new trailer.
- 9/15/2015
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Read More: The Great Gay Hope of Ellen Page and Julianne Moore's 'Freeheld' Peter Sollett's fact-based "Freeheld" offers recent Oscar winner Julianne Moore another juicy -- and emotionally wrenching -- role to bite into, hot off her Best Actress win for "Still Alice." In the film, Moore plays tough-as-nails police lieutenant Laurel Hester, whose life is upended when she falls in love with Stacie Andree (Ellen Page). Although she is compelled to keep her personal life a secret, Laurel and Stacie embark on a love affair that they intend to last a lifetime, going so far as to purchase a home together as registered domestic partners. But when Laurel is diagnosed with cancer, she can't hide any longer and is forced to use her personal experience to make sure that Stacie can benefit from her pension long after she's gone. Hester's fight was originally put on...
- 9/14/2015
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Julianne Moore hopes her new film will entertain – and maybe even help eradicate homophobia.
The actress stars alongside Ellen Page in Freeheld, which is based on a true story. Moore plays Laurel Hester, a New Jersey police officer who – after being diagnosed with terminal cancer – fights to leave her pension to her domestic partner, Stacie Andree (Page).
"I feel that discrimination of any kind happens because people pursue other people as 'other,' as different from themselves, as far away. Whether it's gender or race or sexual identity or culture, if we think that they're very far away from us,...
The actress stars alongside Ellen Page in Freeheld, which is based on a true story. Moore plays Laurel Hester, a New Jersey police officer who – after being diagnosed with terminal cancer – fights to leave her pension to her domestic partner, Stacie Andree (Page).
"I feel that discrimination of any kind happens because people pursue other people as 'other,' as different from themselves, as far away. Whether it's gender or race or sexual identity or culture, if we think that they're very far away from us,...
- 9/14/2015
- by Jeff Nelson, @nelson_jeff
- People.com - TV Watch
Is "Freeheld" this year's "Still Alice"? The former is the Lgbt drama/love story that just played the Toronto International Film Festival (read our review here) starring Julianne Moore and Ellen Page, the latter is the Alzheimer's tearjerker from last year also starring Moore. Both appear to be sappy and full of schmaltz ("Still Alice" was poor, Rotten Tomatoes reviews from Tiff for "Freeheld" are already rotten). But hey, a treacly, feel-good movie poorly received by critics doesn't always kill it dead, at least not where awards are concerned. (see Moore's Oscar win for "Still Alice" last year). Here's the official synopsis: Read More: Watch: First Clip From 'Freeheld' Starring Julianne Moore & Ellen Page Based on the Oscar®-winning short documentary and adapted by the writer of Philadelphia, Freeheld is the true love story of Laurel Hester [Julianne Moore] and Stacie Andree [Ellen Page] and their fight for...
- 9/14/2015
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
A year ago at the Toronto International Film Festival, Julianne Moore and Eddie Redmayne debuted the films - Still Alice and The Theory of Everything - that would go on to land them Oscars.
This year, they're both back in Toronto with the movies they were making in between award-show speeches. Their heads have stopped spinning, but their disbelief hasn't.
"I don't know if I ever let it even get close enough to me that I thought it was a possibility," says Moore. "Now I look at it like: Did that happen? What?"
She breaks into a hearty laugh. "I mean, my gosh. It was such a lovely experience and kind of hard to believe."
Two days after winning the Academy Award for best actress, Moore was on an ice-skating rink in Brooklyn, shooting the Rebecca Miller comedy Maggie's Plan along with another veteran of the season, Ethan Hawke of Boyhood.
This year, they're both back in Toronto with the movies they were making in between award-show speeches. Their heads have stopped spinning, but their disbelief hasn't.
"I don't know if I ever let it even get close enough to me that I thought it was a possibility," says Moore. "Now I look at it like: Did that happen? What?"
She breaks into a hearty laugh. "I mean, my gosh. It was such a lovely experience and kind of hard to believe."
Two days after winning the Academy Award for best actress, Moore was on an ice-skating rink in Brooklyn, shooting the Rebecca Miller comedy Maggie's Plan along with another veteran of the season, Ethan Hawke of Boyhood.
- 9/14/2015
- by Cineplex.com and contributors
- Cineplex
Julianne Moore gives her all as a dying New Jersey detective battling to leave her pension to her partner, played by Ellen Page, but it’s not enough to save Peter Sollett’s fact-based drama from feeling vapid
Freeheld should have been an important movie. With gay marriage recently made legal in all 50 Us states, Peter Sollet’s fact-based drama couldn’t have come at a better time to remind the world how far equality has come in America, and how fresh the fight still is. Instead, Freeheld comes across as shockingly trite.
Based on the Oscar-winning short documentary of the same name, Freeheld stars Julianne Moore as Laurel Hester, a respected New Jersey detective, terrified of being exposed as a lesbian to her colleagues, including her sympathetic partner Dane Wells (Michael Shannon, in rare good guy mode). She softens up when she meets the much younger Stacie Andree (Ellen Page), a forthright auto mechanic,...
Freeheld should have been an important movie. With gay marriage recently made legal in all 50 Us states, Peter Sollet’s fact-based drama couldn’t have come at a better time to remind the world how far equality has come in America, and how fresh the fight still is. Instead, Freeheld comes across as shockingly trite.
Based on the Oscar-winning short documentary of the same name, Freeheld stars Julianne Moore as Laurel Hester, a respected New Jersey detective, terrified of being exposed as a lesbian to her colleagues, including her sympathetic partner Dane Wells (Michael Shannon, in rare good guy mode). She softens up when she meets the much younger Stacie Andree (Ellen Page), a forthright auto mechanic,...
- 9/14/2015
- by Nigel M Smith
- The Guardian - Film News
Read More: The 2015 Indiewire Tiff Bible Cynthia Wade's Oscar-winning 2007 documentary "Freeheld" tracks the stirring experiences of New Jersey police officer Laurel Hester, who fought for the right to give her pension to her younger partner Stacie after Hester was struck with brain cancer. Adapting the situation into narrative form, screenwriter Ron Nyswaner takes a page from his "Philadelphia" playbook with an ultra-sentimental, by-the-book scenario pitched to many more viewers than its built-in base. Unfortunately, while Julianne Moore and Ellen Page go great lengths to make the central romance convince, Nyswaner's undercooked script and Peter Sollett's direction have the opposite effect, reducing "Freeheld" to a tired formula. "Freeheld" works best in its first act, when it sets up the successful professional life that Hester (Moore) has carried on for nearly three decades. In the field with her longtime partner (Michael Shannon), she's a...
- 9/14/2015
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
It was Julianne Moore day at the Toronto International Film Festival. For me, at least. I saw two new Moore films back-to-back Sunday. First up was a very funny new romantic comedy, Maggie’s Plan, in which she stars with Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke and Bill Hader, playing Hawke’s wife with a very deep Danish accent and hairstyle with a bun pointed to the heavens. She’s genuinely hilarious in this role. On the opposite end of that scale she plays Laurel Hester, a fourth…...
- 9/14/2015
- Deadline
Usually when you think of a movie as “conventional” it’s meant as a kind of insult. It can be a nice euphemism for boring, trite, or unoriginal pieces of filmmaking. But sometimes conventionality and cliché can be used in interesting ways. This is one of the many enjoyable qualities of Freeheld. Much of it is the type of love story we’ve seen in countless movies: couple meets, go through a period of flirtation, become increasingly close and intimate, then something happens, in many instances one of them becomes sick, and the story turns into one of those better to have loved and lost, tearjerker types of movies. They often serve their purpose, some sort of emotional bloodletting (or tearletting?) because all love stories end in sadness.
Freeheld presents this cliché story as an alternate universe version of the actual, real-life story of Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree. The movie shows them meeting,...
Freeheld presents this cliché story as an alternate universe version of the actual, real-life story of Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree. The movie shows them meeting,...
- 9/14/2015
- by Darren Ruecker
- We Got This Covered
Toronto – Nothing is more disheartening than writing a negative review about a movie with admirable intentions. “Freeheld,” which debuted tonight at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, is based on the true story of Laurel Hester, an Ocean County, New Jersey police officer who fought to have her pension benefits assigned to her domestic partner Stacie in 2005. Unfortunately, an impressive cast and significant real-life events can’t trump the fact it’s a badly made movie. When we first meet Laurel (Julianne Moore) she’s in the middle of a stake out with her partner Dane Wells (Michael Shannon). Along with a few other officers they are trying to nail a drug dealer working the boardwalk. When things go wrong, Laurel shows up to save the day which is meant to telegraph the fact that she’s a damn good cop. It’s elementary script writing directed like an episode of...
- 9/14/2015
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
Read More: Watch: First Clip From 'Freeheld' Starring Julianne Moore & Ellen Page "Freeheld," starring Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Steve Carell and Michael Shannon, is about a terminally ill New Jersey police whose legal battle to pass on her pension benefits to her domestic partner became a flashpoint for Lgbt activism. The drama is based on a true story and is directed by "Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist" director Peter Sollett. The official film synopsis reads: "New Jersey police officer Laurel Hester (Moore) was in the closet before she met Stacie Andree (Page), a young mechanic with a load of moxie and a spark of butch sexiness. Laurel's love for this feisty, unabashed woman prompts her to come out — which alienates several of her colleagues, whether due to knee-jerk homophobia or, as with Laurel's partner Dane Wells (Michael Shannon), a sense of betrayal at not having been told earlier.
- 9/10/2015
- by Sonya Saepoff
- Indiewire
Expect the glitz to be a little glitzier and the glam to be a little glammier as the Toronto International Film Festival celebrates its 40th Anniversary this year. Hundreds of films will unspool between September 10th and 20th as big-name stars and aspiring talents converge on T.O. to drown in cinema. Here are just a few of the top films that will play Tiff before coming to a theatre near you: Freeheld
Director: Peter Sollett (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist)
Starring: Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Steve Carell
Based on the 2007 Oscar-winning short, this true-life drama stars Moore as Laurel Hester, a New Jersey cop dying of cancer who takes on the five-man board (known as “freeholders”) that’s denied her request to have her pension benefits transferred to her same-sex partner Stacie (Page). The 28-year-old, openly gay Page is one of the film’s producers and began developing...
Director: Peter Sollett (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist)
Starring: Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Steve Carell
Based on the 2007 Oscar-winning short, this true-life drama stars Moore as Laurel Hester, a New Jersey cop dying of cancer who takes on the five-man board (known as “freeholders”) that’s denied her request to have her pension benefits transferred to her same-sex partner Stacie (Page). The 28-year-old, openly gay Page is one of the film’s producers and began developing...
- 9/9/2015
- Cineplex
The Australian premiere of Cate Blanchett's Carol is set to headline this year's Adelaide Film Festival.
One-hundred and eighty films will screen at the Festival - including over 40 Australian films, and 24 South Australian films - with 51 countries represented at the Festival.
Some of films' biggest names, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Jane Fonda, Michael Keaton, Richard Roxburgh, Anthony Lapaglia and Rachel McAdams.
In its eleventh year, the 2015 Adelaide Film Festival will provide the best of local, Australian and internationally produced films, with an eclectic mix of cinema, television, art and the moving image . plus the one night only reunion of Festival ambassadors Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton, as they host the Ultimate Quiz night.
The Festival will feature new work from Australian directors including Scott Hicks, Jocelyn Moorhouse, Matt Saville, Sue Brooks, Stephen Page, Matthew Bate, Meryl Tankard and Rosemary Myers.
It will also include work from international filmmakers Todd Haynes,...
One-hundred and eighty films will screen at the Festival - including over 40 Australian films, and 24 South Australian films - with 51 countries represented at the Festival.
Some of films' biggest names, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Jane Fonda, Michael Keaton, Richard Roxburgh, Anthony Lapaglia and Rachel McAdams.
In its eleventh year, the 2015 Adelaide Film Festival will provide the best of local, Australian and internationally produced films, with an eclectic mix of cinema, television, art and the moving image . plus the one night only reunion of Festival ambassadors Margaret Pomeranz and David Stratton, as they host the Ultimate Quiz night.
The Festival will feature new work from Australian directors including Scott Hicks, Jocelyn Moorhouse, Matt Saville, Sue Brooks, Stephen Page, Matthew Bate, Meryl Tankard and Rosemary Myers.
It will also include work from international filmmakers Todd Haynes,...
- 9/8/2015
- by Inside Film Correspondent
- IF.com.au
From big blockbusters to small independent films, here are the movies I.m dying to see this Fall. (Official synopsis provided by studios)
September 18 (Friday)
About Ray When a young woman (Elle Fanning) decides to transition from female to male, her announcement is met with both opposition and support from her mother (Naomi Watts) and her lesbian grandmother (Susan Sarandon).
Black Mass In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) persuades Irish mobster James "Whitey" Bulger (Johnny Depp) to collaborate with the FBI and eliminate a common enemy: the Italian mob. The drama tells the story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Whitey to evade law enforcement, consolidate power, and become one of the most ruthless and powerful gangsters in Boston history. -- (C) Warner Bros
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials In this next chapter of the epic "Maze Runner" saga, Thomas (Dylan O'Brien...
September 18 (Friday)
About Ray When a young woman (Elle Fanning) decides to transition from female to male, her announcement is met with both opposition and support from her mother (Naomi Watts) and her lesbian grandmother (Susan Sarandon).
Black Mass In 1970s South Boston, FBI Agent John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) persuades Irish mobster James "Whitey" Bulger (Johnny Depp) to collaborate with the FBI and eliminate a common enemy: the Italian mob. The drama tells the story of this unholy alliance, which spiraled out of control, allowing Whitey to evade law enforcement, consolidate power, and become one of the most ruthless and powerful gangsters in Boston history. -- (C) Warner Bros
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials In this next chapter of the epic "Maze Runner" saga, Thomas (Dylan O'Brien...
- 9/4/2015
- by Manny
- Manny the Movie Guy
As the days get darker and the cold winds of Autumn approach, it’s time to look ahead at the upcoming movies set to hit cinemas this Fall.
The huge slate includes the return of the Jedis, the rebirth of Frankenstein and a new age of Good Dinosaurs. These movies will take audiences to a Galaxy Far, Far Away, on a voyage to Mars and to the summit of the world’s highest mountain, Everest.
Here’s our list of the 2015 Fall movies that we can’t wait to see!
September
The Visit (Sept 11)
Writer/director/producer M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs, Unbreakable) and producer Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity, The Purge and Insidious series) welcome you to Universal Pictures’ The Visit. Shyamalan returns to his roots with the terrifying story of a brother and sister who are sent to their grandparents’ remote Pennsylvania farm for a weeklong trip.
The huge slate includes the return of the Jedis, the rebirth of Frankenstein and a new age of Good Dinosaurs. These movies will take audiences to a Galaxy Far, Far Away, on a voyage to Mars and to the summit of the world’s highest mountain, Everest.
Here’s our list of the 2015 Fall movies that we can’t wait to see!
September
The Visit (Sept 11)
Writer/director/producer M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs, Unbreakable) and producer Jason Blum (Paranormal Activity, The Purge and Insidious series) welcome you to Universal Pictures’ The Visit. Shyamalan returns to his roots with the terrifying story of a brother and sister who are sent to their grandparents’ remote Pennsylvania farm for a weeklong trip.
- 9/3/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Slated to have its World Premiere in September at the Toronto International Film Festival, here’s a first look at the final two posters for Freeheld.
Directed by Peter Sollett, Freeheld stars Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon, Josh Charles and Steve Carell.
Based on the Oscar-winning short documentary by Cynthia Wade (80th Academy Awards), and adapted by the writer of Philadelphia (Ron Nyswaner), Freeheld is the true love story of Laurel Hester (Moore) and Stacie Andree (Page) and their fight for justice.
A decorated New Jersey police detective, Laurel is diagnosed with cancer and wants to leave her hard earned pension to her domestic partner, Stacie. However the county officials, Freeholders, conspire to prevent Laurel from doing this.
Hard-nosed detective Dane Wells (Michael Shannon), and activist Steven Goldstein (Steve Carell), unite in Laurel and Stacie’s defense, rallying police officers and ordinary citizens to support their struggle for equality.
Directed by Peter Sollett, Freeheld stars Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon, Josh Charles and Steve Carell.
Based on the Oscar-winning short documentary by Cynthia Wade (80th Academy Awards), and adapted by the writer of Philadelphia (Ron Nyswaner), Freeheld is the true love story of Laurel Hester (Moore) and Stacie Andree (Page) and their fight for justice.
A decorated New Jersey police detective, Laurel is diagnosed with cancer and wants to leave her hard earned pension to her domestic partner, Stacie. However the county officials, Freeholders, conspire to prevent Laurel from doing this.
Hard-nosed detective Dane Wells (Michael Shannon), and activist Steven Goldstein (Steve Carell), unite in Laurel and Stacie’s defense, rallying police officers and ordinary citizens to support their struggle for equality.
- 8/28/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Coming on the heels of the Supreme Court’s decision on marriage equality is a noticeable increase in the amount of Lgbt stories in mainstream entertainment. First “Fun Home” takes top honors at the Tony Awards, then film awards season frontrunners “Carol” and “Grandma” feature more strong and complicated lesbian characters. Joining Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, and Lily Tomlin in the awards race is Oscar nominee Ellen Page and last year’s leading actress Oscar winner Julianne Moore in what look to be two of the most powerful performances of the season. “Freeheld,” based on the real-life story of Ocean County cop Laurel Hester, is screenwriter Ron Nyswaner’s adaptation of the Oscar-winning, Cynthia Wade-directed 2007 documentary of the same name. Helmed by Peter Sollett, the film centers on Hester’s terminal cancer diagnosis and subsequent fight to have her pension benefits transferred to her domestic partner Stacie Andree. Page,...
- 8/27/2015
- backstage.com
Read More: The Indiewire 2015 Fall Preview: The 28 Films We're Most Excited to See (That We Haven't Seen Yet) After landing her first Oscar win for Best Actress last year, Julianne Moore looks to have another powerhouse performance in store for audiences in the upcoming drama "Freeheld." The Peter Sollett-directed awards hopeful is based on the true story of New Jersey police detective Laurel Hester and also stars Oscar nominees Ellen Page, Michael Shannon and Steve Carell. The movie examines what happens to a loving partnership when it isn't viewed as equal in the eyes of the law. Hester (Moore) falls in love with car mechanic Stacie Andree (Page) before being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, and fearing for her partner's future, she appeals the county's board of chosen freeholders with the hopes of ensuring her pension benefits will be passed on to Stacie. The emotional storyline could not be more relevant,...
- 8/27/2015
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
The San Sebastian Festival is almost here and three new competing titles have recently joined those previously announced for the Official Selection. Chinese director Liu Hao returns to San Sebastian with "Back to the North," five years after competing in the Official Selection with "Addicted to Love;" the Belgian moviemaker Joachim Lafosse will present his new film, "The White Knights;" and Peter Sollett will bring to the Festival the film "Freeheld," starring Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon, Josh Charles and Steve Carrell.
For its part, the New Directors section closes with inclusion of the Swedish production, directed by Peter Grönlund, "Thieves Honor."
Official Selection
"The White Knight" Joachim Lafosse (Belgium - France)
Joachim Lafosse brings to the screen the Zoe’s Ark controversy which made headlines in 2007: a story about the limits of the right of interference. Jacques Arnault, head of Sud Secours Ngo, is planning a high impact operation: he and his team are going to exfiltrate 300 orphans victims of Chadian civil war and bring them to French adoption applicants. Françoise Dubois, a journalist, is invited to come along with them and handle the media coverage for this operation. Completely immersed in the brutal reality of a country at war, the Ngo members start losing their convictions and are faced with the limits of humanitarian intervention.
"Freeheld" Peter Sollett (U.S.A)
Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon, Steve Carrell and Josh Charles star in this film based on true events. The true love story of Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree and their fight for justice. A decorated New Jersey police detective, Laurel is diagnosed with cancer and wants to leave her hard earned pension to her domestic partner, Stacie. However the county officials, Freeholders, conspire to prevent Laurel from doing this. Hard-nosed detective Dane Wells, and activist Steven Goldstein, unite in Laurel and Stacie’s defence, rallying police officers and ordinary citizens to support their struggle for equality.
"Back to the North" Liu Hao (China)
Xiao Ai is diagnosed with a terminal illness and does not have long to live. She is concerned that her parents will become a "lost family" and have no one to take care of them after her death, so she decides to persuade them to have another child... The latest film by Liu Hao, who competed at San Sebastian in 2010 with "Addicted to Love."
New Directors
"Thieves Honor" Peter Grönlund (Sweden)
An intense social drama about a woman's struggle for survival on the margins of society. When street pusher Minna can't pay her rent she cheats a few young criminals on a drug deal and takes the money. She happens to meet Katja, the mother of a child who has been taken from her by the social authorities.
For its part, the New Directors section closes with inclusion of the Swedish production, directed by Peter Grönlund, "Thieves Honor."
Official Selection
"The White Knight" Joachim Lafosse (Belgium - France)
Joachim Lafosse brings to the screen the Zoe’s Ark controversy which made headlines in 2007: a story about the limits of the right of interference. Jacques Arnault, head of Sud Secours Ngo, is planning a high impact operation: he and his team are going to exfiltrate 300 orphans victims of Chadian civil war and bring them to French adoption applicants. Françoise Dubois, a journalist, is invited to come along with them and handle the media coverage for this operation. Completely immersed in the brutal reality of a country at war, the Ngo members start losing their convictions and are faced with the limits of humanitarian intervention.
"Freeheld" Peter Sollett (U.S.A)
Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Michael Shannon, Steve Carrell and Josh Charles star in this film based on true events. The true love story of Laurel Hester and Stacie Andree and their fight for justice. A decorated New Jersey police detective, Laurel is diagnosed with cancer and wants to leave her hard earned pension to her domestic partner, Stacie. However the county officials, Freeholders, conspire to prevent Laurel from doing this. Hard-nosed detective Dane Wells, and activist Steven Goldstein, unite in Laurel and Stacie’s defence, rallying police officers and ordinary citizens to support their struggle for equality.
"Back to the North" Liu Hao (China)
Xiao Ai is diagnosed with a terminal illness and does not have long to live. She is concerned that her parents will become a "lost family" and have no one to take care of them after her death, so she decides to persuade them to have another child... The latest film by Liu Hao, who competed at San Sebastian in 2010 with "Addicted to Love."
New Directors
"Thieves Honor" Peter Grönlund (Sweden)
An intense social drama about a woman's struggle for survival on the margins of society. When street pusher Minna can't pay her rent she cheats a few young criminals on a drug deal and takes the money. She happens to meet Katja, the mother of a child who has been taken from her by the social authorities.
- 8/23/2015
- by Sydney Levine
- Sydney's Buzz
The Toronto International Film Festival has added 5 Galas and 19 Special Presentations to its huge and highly anticipated international lineup including the Closing Night Film, Paco Cabezas’s Mr. Right.
In July, it was announced that Jean-Marc Vallée’s Demolition will open the 2015 Festival. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, Chris Cooper and Judah Lewis, Demolition will have its world premiere on September 10 at Roy Thomson Hall.
Toronto audiences will be among the first to screen films by directors Ridley Scott, Deepa Mehta, Lenny Abrahamson, Brian Helgeland, Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson, Jason Bateman, Cary Fukunaga, Catherine Corsini, Stephen Frears, Tom Hooper, Hany Abu-Assad, Meghna Gulzar, Terence Davies, Jonás Cuarón, Julie Delpy, Rebecca Miller, Rob Reiner, Catherine Hardwicke, Pan Nalin, Lorene Scafaria, David Gordon Green, Matthew Cullen, Gaby Dellal, James Vanderbilt and Marc Abraham.
The various films listed below star Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren, Susan Sarandon, Gary Oldman, Toni Collette, Drew Barrymore,...
In July, it was announced that Jean-Marc Vallée’s Demolition will open the 2015 Festival. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts, Chris Cooper and Judah Lewis, Demolition will have its world premiere on September 10 at Roy Thomson Hall.
Toronto audiences will be among the first to screen films by directors Ridley Scott, Deepa Mehta, Lenny Abrahamson, Brian Helgeland, Charlie Kaufman and Duke Johnson, Jason Bateman, Cary Fukunaga, Catherine Corsini, Stephen Frears, Tom Hooper, Hany Abu-Assad, Meghna Gulzar, Terence Davies, Jonás Cuarón, Julie Delpy, Rebecca Miller, Rob Reiner, Catherine Hardwicke, Pan Nalin, Lorene Scafaria, David Gordon Green, Matthew Cullen, Gaby Dellal, James Vanderbilt and Marc Abraham.
The various films listed below star Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren, Susan Sarandon, Gary Oldman, Toni Collette, Drew Barrymore,...
- 8/18/2015
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
New films by Liu Hao, Joachim Lafosse and Peter Sollett join line-up.
Peter Sollett’s Freeheld, starring Julianne Moore and Ellen Page, is one of three new titles to join the Official Selection competition at the upcoming San Sebastian Film Festival (Sept 18-26).
Based on true events, the film centres on Us police lieutenant Laurel Hester (Moore) and her registered domestic partner Stacie Andree (Page) who battle to secure Hester’s pension benefits when she is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
The film, set to world premiere at Toronto (Sept 10-20), is one of several features announced in Official Selection that will compete for San Sebastian’s Golden Shell.
Other new titles in competition include Back to the North (Xiang bei fang), which will see Chinese director Liu Hao return to Seb Sebastian five years after Addicted To Love played in Official Selection in 2010.
The film is about a woman diagnosed with a terminal illness who is concerned...
Peter Sollett’s Freeheld, starring Julianne Moore and Ellen Page, is one of three new titles to join the Official Selection competition at the upcoming San Sebastian Film Festival (Sept 18-26).
Based on true events, the film centres on Us police lieutenant Laurel Hester (Moore) and her registered domestic partner Stacie Andree (Page) who battle to secure Hester’s pension benefits when she is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
The film, set to world premiere at Toronto (Sept 10-20), is one of several features announced in Official Selection that will compete for San Sebastian’s Golden Shell.
Other new titles in competition include Back to the North (Xiang bei fang), which will see Chinese director Liu Hao return to Seb Sebastian five years after Addicted To Love played in Official Selection in 2010.
The film is about a woman diagnosed with a terminal illness who is concerned...
- 8/18/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
The 40th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival now has something of a slate. Festival toppers Cameron Bailey and Piers Handling presided over a press conference Tuesday morning where more than 34 films were announced including the world premieres of "The Martian," "The Family Fang" and "Demolition." It's an intriguing initial lineup for the venerable Canadian institution and something of a steadying the ship after losing some major debuts to Venice, Telluride and the New York Film Festival over the past few years. Well, maybe. The most impressive world premieres include the aforementioned "Demolition" with Jake Gyllenhaal (officially the best opening night film in recent memory), "The Family Fang" with Nicole Kidman, "Legend" with Tom Hardy, "Trumbo" with Bryan Cranston, "The Martian" with Matt Damon and Lance Armstrong doc "The Program" with Ben Foster and Michael Moore's latest documentary, "Where to Invade Next." Notable films that will have premiered...
- 7/28/2015
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
The initial lineup for the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival, taking place from September 10 to 20 this fall, has been revealed, with Dallas Buyers Club director Jean-Marc Vallee’s dramatic romance Demolition, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts, having been selected to open the prestigious fest.
The first selections lineup reads like a who’s who list of Oscar contenders. Ridley Scott’s The Martian, Roland Emmerich’s Stonewall and Stephen Frears’ Lance Armstrong biopic The Program all have world premieres, and other huge titles screening include Tom Hooper’s The Danish Girl, Cary Fukunaga’s Beasts of Nation, Tom McCarthy’s Spotlight, Scott Cooper’s Black Mass, Peter Sollett’s Freeheld, Brian Helgeland’s Legend and Paolo Sorrentino’s Youth.
Check out the full lineup below, and let us know what you’re most excited for in the comments section.
Opening Night Film.
Demolition Jean-Marc Vallée, USA World Premiere
In Demolition,...
The first selections lineup reads like a who’s who list of Oscar contenders. Ridley Scott’s The Martian, Roland Emmerich’s Stonewall and Stephen Frears’ Lance Armstrong biopic The Program all have world premieres, and other huge titles screening include Tom Hooper’s The Danish Girl, Cary Fukunaga’s Beasts of Nation, Tom McCarthy’s Spotlight, Scott Cooper’s Black Mass, Peter Sollett’s Freeheld, Brian Helgeland’s Legend and Paolo Sorrentino’s Youth.
Check out the full lineup below, and let us know what you’re most excited for in the comments section.
Opening Night Film.
Demolition Jean-Marc Vallée, USA World Premiere
In Demolition,...
- 7/28/2015
- by Isaac Feldberg
- We Got This Covered
Issue driven films with a ton of heart usually find their way into the awards season one way or another. Hopefully, it’s because they’re good movies and legitimately important, either for the culture or the world in general. Sometimes though, it’s just due to how shamelessly manipulative they can be on an emotional level. Hopefully, one new entry into the former category will be Freeheld, which is hitting the awards season at a very timely moment in history. A Trailer hit last week (which you can see below) and it appears to be hitting all of the right notes in order to appeal to Oscar in a potentially significant way come its October theatrical release. The film is about same sex marriage and centers on two women fighting for the benefits that straight couples take for granted. Laurel Hester (Julianne Moore) is a Lieutenant in the New...
- 7/28/2015
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Following up her Oscar-winning turn in Still Alice, Julianne Moore is doing it tough again in Freeheld. This time it's cancer rather than early-onset Alzheimer’s that her character, a New Jersey police ’tec, is confronted with, but the consequences are no less severe. Take a look at the film’s new trailer to see what’s at stake.Moore’s isn’t the only Oscar pedigree at work on this drama. Freeheld is based on Cynthia Wade’s 2007 Oscar-winning short documentary of the same name. Both films tell the true-life story of police officer Laurel Hester (Moore), whose world was shattered when she became terminally ill. Prevented from leaving her pension to her partner, mechanic Stacie Andree (Ellen Page), she enlists the support and help of equality activist Steven Goldstein (Steve Carell, a late stand-in for Zach Galifianakis) and an initially disapproving friend at the department, Dane Wells (Michael Shannon...
- 7/27/2015
- EmpireOnline
A trailer for the new drama Freeheld tells the love story of one couple who helped guarantee that #LoveWins.
Julianne Moore stars in Freeheld as a New Jersey cop who takes on her own local government when she's diagnosed with lung cancer.
Laurel Hester (Moore) would make worldwide headlines in her fight for equality by demanding that her partner Stacie Andree (Ellen Page) receive her pension if she were to perish.
Director Peter Sollett's movie is based on a 2007 documentary of the same name, which won a Special Jury Prize at Sundance.
Freeheld also features Michael Shannon as Laurel's gruff-but-supportive friend, and Academy Award nominee Steve Carell as the couple's lawyer.
This is a reunion for Steve Carell and Julianne Moore, having previously starred together in the hit comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Freeheld bows on October 2 in the Us in limited release.
Julianne Moore stars in Freeheld as a New Jersey cop who takes on her own local government when she's diagnosed with lung cancer.
Laurel Hester (Moore) would make worldwide headlines in her fight for equality by demanding that her partner Stacie Andree (Ellen Page) receive her pension if she were to perish.
Director Peter Sollett's movie is based on a 2007 documentary of the same name, which won a Special Jury Prize at Sundance.
Freeheld also features Michael Shannon as Laurel's gruff-but-supportive friend, and Academy Award nominee Steve Carell as the couple's lawyer.
This is a reunion for Steve Carell and Julianne Moore, having previously starred together in the hit comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love.
Freeheld bows on October 2 in the Us in limited release.
- 7/24/2015
- Digital Spy
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