Arresting Gena
Arresting Gena is a 1997 American independent drama film directed by Hannah Weyer. It was shown as part of the 1997 edition of the Sundance Film Festival.[1]
| Arresting Gena | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Hannah Weyer |
| Written by | Hannah Weyer |
Production company | Fear Productions Inc. Good Machine |
Release date | January 24, 1997 |
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Premise
When 16-year-old Gena's mother is hospitalized in a coma, she meets Jane, a charismatic runaway.
Cast
- Aesha Waks as Gena
- Summer Phoenix as Jane Freeman
- Paul Lazar as Uncle John
- J. Smith Cameron as Caroline Lee
- Sam Rockwell as Sonny
- Brendan Sexton III as Soldier
- Adrian Grenier as Kabush
- Heather Matarazzo as Pam
- Kirk Acevedo as Caller
- Paul Giamatti as Detective Wilson
Production
Director Hannah Weyer attracted attention in 1995 with her New York University MFA thesis film, The Salesman and Other Adventures, which won the Best Short prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 1995.[2] Following this, she began work on Arresting Gena, with the intention of screening it at Sundance.[2] Actress Aesha Waks was cast in the lead role following a two-month video submission audition process.[2] Filming occurred in New Jersey.[2]
Reception
The film was expected to perform well at Sundance; however it received a mixed reaction at the festival.[3] In a review published on February 6, 1997, Variety described Arresting Gena as being a "frustrating, misconceived effort to illuminate the painful coming of age of its protagonist, a sensitive girl unwillingly pushed into a sleazy world of crime."[4]
References
- "Sundance Doesn'T Shine". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2019-04-13.
- https://www.filmmakermagazine.com/archives/issues/fall1996/prod_update/prod1.php
- https://filmmakermagazine.com/archives/issues/spring1997/roundup.php
- Emanuel Levy. "Arresting Gena – Variety". Variety.com. Retrieved 2019-04-13.