The recent European Film Market in Berlin has unveiled the first official photos and synopsis from Nick Cassavetes‘ latest directorial effort, the ensemble drama “Yellow.”
Written by Cassavetes and partner Heather Wahlquist, the film reportedly jumps eras as it follows the story of a woman who deals with drug addiction and multiple family secrets that she can no longer bury. It’s the film’s extensive cast that has our interest piqued: supporting Wahlquist who also stars in the film will be the solid roster of Sienna Miller, Lucy Punch, Ben Foster, Melanie Griffith, David Morse, Luke Wilson, Hank Azaria, Riley Keough and, in keeping with the familial theme, Cassavetes’ mother Gena Rowlands.
Casting has always been a Cassavetes strong suit; just look at the teaming of Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams for “The Notebook” or the array of talent he conjured up for 2006’s “Alpha Dog” — names like Justin Timberlake, Anton Yelchin, Olivia Wilde and Amanda Seyfried have come on in leaps and bounds since then and, on top of that, he also had Emile Hirsch, Bruce Willis, Lukas Haas, Sharon Stone, Amber Heard, Vincent Kartheiser and Ben Foster at his disposal. Here’s hoping the final product lives up the promise of the eclectic cast has has assembled for “Yellow”; check out the synopsis below:
Mary (Wahlquist) has problems. She has a difficult time feeling things, and swallowing twenty Vicodin a day doesn’t help. She’s seeing a psychiatrist for the disconnect daydreams she keeps having, and her younger sister with Tourette’s hates her. When she loses her job after sleeping with one of the fathers on Parent’s Night, Mary decides to go home. And that’s when the fun really starts. The dreams that seemed so random now start to take real shape as we understand where she came from. From young and in love, to drug dealing on the road, to her father’s slow, painful death, from questions of love and incest to her older sister’s descent into insanity, the secret that destroyed Mary’s entire family reveals itself on her journey back home, along with her ultimate responsibility for it. Busby Berkeley, Cirque du Soleil, sideshow freaks and human livestock all make an appearance in this hallucinogenic tale of love and comeuppance.
Production for the film began last October and is presumably done or nearing the finish line by now. No word yet on any distribution deals. [IONCinema]