8.6 /10 2 Votes7.2
86% Rotten Tomatoes Directed by Laura Thies Music by Barry Salmon Initial release 2012 Produced by Carlo Fiorletta Language English language | 7.6/10 IMDb 5.6/10 Way Too Indie Written by Mara Lesemann Edited by Laura Thies Director Laura Thies Cinematography Timothy Naylor | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Starring Billy MagnussenSarah WilsonTara WestwoodBill SageJohnny HopkinsJ. D. WilliamsPhyllis SomervilleVincent PastoreKatherine C. Hughes Productioncompany Surviving Family Productions Cast Similar Movies about alcoholism, Dysfunctional family movies, Movies about marriage | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Surviving Family is a 2012 American drama about the effects of mental illness and alcoholism on the fictional Malone family. It was directed by Laura Thies and written by Mara Lesemann. The movie starred Billy Magnussen, Sarah Wilson, Tara Westwood, Bill Sage, Johnny Hopkins, J. D. Williams, Vincent Pastore, Phyllis Somerville, and Katherine C. Hughes. Surviving Family premiered at the 2012 Woods Hole Film Festival, where it was the Runner Up for the Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature.
Contents
It was released on iTunes on August 15, 2014.
Plot
Surviving Family counterpoints romance and comedy as it examines the dramatic role of alcoholism and mental illness in the lives of the fictional Malone family.
Terry Malone (Sarah Wilson) shows up unannounced on her father's doorstep - with her fiancé (Billy Magnussen) and a plan to get married in 5 days. She learns that she's not the only one in the family with secrets. As Terry struggles to re-build her relationship with her older sister Jean (Tara Westwood), she learns that her young niece Lily (Katherine C. Hughes) has been diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. With the help of her Aunt Mary (Phyllis Somerville), Terry begins to come to terms with the truth behind her mother’s life and death, and her father's alcoholism.
Cast
Billy Magnussen as Alex D’Amico
Sarah Wilson as Terry Malone
Tara Westwood as Jean Malone Fulton
Bill Sage as Jerry Fulton
Johnny Hopkins as Hank Malone
J. D. Williams as Bobby
Phyllis Somerville as Mary Giaccone
Vincent Pastore as Mayor Avenoso
Katherine C. Hughes as Lily Fulton
Production
Director Laura Thies had previously collaborated with producers Mara Lesemann and Carlo Fiorletta on several short movies, and came on board early in the pre-production process.
The movie was shot over 20 days in July and August 2011 on a Red One camera. Shooting locations were in New Jersey (Teaneck and Jersey City), New York City, and Bushkill, PA.
Barry Salmon wrote the score. The soundtrack includes Bach’s Prelude to Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007, performed by Canadian Stephane Tetreault. Thies found the young violinist on YouTube.
Release
Surviving Family premiered at the 22nd annual Woods Hole Film Festival on Cape Cod, MA on August 5, 2012. It was the Runner Up for the Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Festival. It went on to screen at 18 other festivals in the US and Canada, winning 20 awards.
Home Media
Surviving Family was released on iTunes on August 15, 2014. Amazon Prime was added in December of that year.