Introduction

Viper Club is a 2018 American drama film directed by Maryam Keshavarz and starring Susan Sarandon.

The film was produced by YouTube Premium in association with CounterNarrative and MaraKesh Films and held its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on 10 September 2018.

Outline

Viper Club follows a veteran emergency room nurse secretly struggling to free her grown son, a journalist, from capture by a terrorist group. After running into roadblocks with government agencies, she discovers a clandestine community of journalists and advocates who might be able to help her.

Cast

• Susan Sarandon as Helen.
• Matt Bomer as Sam.
• Lola Kirke as Amy.
• Julian Morris as Andy.
• Sheila Vand as Sheila.
• Adepero Oduye as Keisha.
• Edie Falco as Charlotte.

Trivia

• Following its theatrical run, the film was made available for streaming on YouTube Premium.
• Ahead of the film’s release, Diane Foley, the mother of slain journalist James Foley, expressed criticism of the film.
  • Although the production team contacted and spoke to Foley during the production process, she felt as though the plot of the film was inappropriate and misleading in its retelling of events from she and her late son’s lives.
  • In the process of being consulted for the film, Foley shared details about the process of locating and negotiating for the release of her son.
  • Foley holds the opinion that although director Maryam Keshavarz claims to have made a fictional work that she used, and unfairly manipulated, details of her personal life to produce a dramatic story.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s): Maryam Keshavarz.
• Producer(s): Anna Gerb, Neal Dodson, and J.C. Chandor.
• Writer(s): Maryam Keshavarz and Jonathan Mastro.
• Music: Gingger Shankar.
• Cinematography: Drew Daniels.
• Editor(s): Andrea Chignoli.
• Production: CounterNarrative and MaraKesh Films.
• Distributor(s): YouTube Premium and Roadside Attractions.
• Release Date: 10 September 2018 (Toronto International Film Festival).
• Running time: 106 minutes.
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

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