Film – REALITY, Tina Satter, USA, 2023, 83m, 12A
19 January @ 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm
An adaptation of her successful stage play, Tina Satter’s debut feature is a taut and thrilling chamber drama which forensically replays the 2017 FBI interrogation of Reality Leigh Winner, a translator working for a US government agency accused of leaking a classified report proving Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Sydney Sweeney is a revelation as Reality – she delivers a dead-centre, intricately modulated portrayal, riveting to watch as her character is systematically painted into a corner by the banal persistence of her casually-attired FBI interrogators. The dialogue is a faithful transcript of the official record of what was said on that day in a featureless backroom of Winner’s unremarkable bungalow in suburban Augusta, Georgia. Satter’s film is a hugely impressive example of how to wring edge-of-your-seat drama from unpromising material – all the more so as Reality Winner’s eventual fate is a matter of public record and we know what the outcome will be. This first community cinema screening of the film in the UK is also perfectly timed, taking place on the day before the inauguration of Donald Trump’s second term as US president. Lots to think about, and much to enjoy.
‘This tense, mesmerizingly paced drama unfolds with a steady drip of mundane moments that gather walloping force as the minutes tick by’ – The Washington Post.
‘Sweeney’s performance is truly phenomenal. She plays Winner’s mounting dread and anxiety in a way that’s so authentic it will possess you’ – The New York Times.
‘A brilliant piece of work’ – The Guardian.
The screening starts at 6:30pm – venue doors and the bar will be open at 5:30pm.
