Exclusive: Malcolm Gladwell Discusses 'The East' With Zal Batmanglij & Brit Marling In New Featurette

The East, Brit Marling, Alexander SkarsgardWell, here’s an intriguing step out of the ordinary. While film featurettes usually present the principal cast and crew talking about the making of a movie, it’s rare they’ll bring in someone from the outside to probe a little bit deeper. And it’s even rarer they’ll bring in someone like celebrated author and journalist Macolm Gladwell (“Blink,” “The Tipping Point“). But with “The East” continuing to expand to cities nationwide, a new look at the film is here and it dives right into the themes and ides behind the picture.

This exclusive featurette culls material from a discussion at the Tribeca Screening Room in New York City in May, featuring Gladwell, along with director/co-writer Zal Batmanglij and actress/co-writer Brit Marling. As you’ll see, the filmmakers share their thoughts on the “moral stickiness” of the movie, and it’s intention to keep audiences on their toes about who the real protagonist of the story is. While the movie is centered around an environmental activist group, Marling believes that the “collective sense of frustration” in the country will help those any political stripe find something that resonates in the movie.

A picture that will surely get folks talking, take a look at the video below. “The East” is now playing — click here to find out where it’s screening near you.