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Gun Hill Road

About the Film
Year Released: 
2011
Running Time: 
88
Documentary/Fiction: 
Fiction
Synopsis: 

After three years in prison, macho Enrique (Esai Morales) returns home to the Bronx and finds things changed. His wife, Angela (Judy Reyes), is distant, and his teenage son, Michael, has come out as Vanessa, a transgender woman. Unable to accept his child for who she is now, Enrique clings to his masculine ideals while Angela attempts to hold the family together by fiercely protecting Vanessa. Still under the watchful eye of his parole officer, Enrique must become the father he needs to be or, once again, risk losing his family and freedom.

The heart of Gun Hill Road lies in two places: a father’s inability to escape the vicious cycle of his life, and the richly drawn character of Michael/Vanessa (newcomer Harmony Santana is unforgettable). Writer/director Rashaad Ernesto Green’s first feature film is a complex family drama, told with gentle humor, sensitivity, and a deep understanding of the environment that defines its inhabitants.

-Kim Yutani

"Gun Hill Road." Sundance Film Festival. Accessed November 3 2012. http://sundance.bside.com/2011/films/gunhillroad_sundance2011.

Poster Image: 
Director
Film Director: 
Rashaad Ernesto Green
Production Info
Reported or Estimated Budget: 
$119567
Location: 
Bronx, NY
Other Interesting Production Info: 
Started out as his thesis film at NYU.
Categories About the Film
Genre: 
coming of age
drama
family
Keywords: 
domestic violence
family
glbtq
incarceration
sexual abuse
sexuality
urban life
Racial/Ethnic Affiliation: 
Latin American
Latino/a
North American
Filmmaking Team
Writer's Name: 
Rashaad Ernesto Green
Producer: 
Ron Simos, Michelle-Anne M. Small
Cinematographer: 
Daniel Patterson
Primary Cast: 
Esai Morales, Judy Reyes, Harmony Santana
Exhibition/Distribution Info
Distributor: 
Motion Film Group
Box Office Earnings: 
$148994
Where to find it/How to get it: 
Direct from Distributor
Festivals/Awards: 
    • World premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2011, Grand Jury Nominee
    • Best Acting Ensemble at Ashland Independent Film Festival 2011 (Oregon)
    • Opened Outfest in Los Angeles 2011
    • Opening night of Frameline in San Francisco 2011
    • Closed Newfest in New York 2011
    • Lighthouse Beach Film Festival in NJ 2011
    • Los Angeles Latino Film Festival 2011
    • Munich International Film Festival in Germany 2011
    • International Film Festival in Seattle 2011
Links
Link to the official film website: 
Gun Hill Road Official
Links to Official trailer: 
Gun Hill Road Trailer
Links to interviews (written) with Director/Filmmakers: 
Interview: Rashaad Ernesto Green -- Director, Gun Hill Road
Links to Videos of Interviews: 
Rashaad Ernesto Green - From Gun Hill Road to Sundance
Link to notable film reviews: 
"Gun Hill Road" Deserves the Buzz That Went to "Pariah" at Sundance
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