Red, White and Blue (2023 film)

Last updated

Red, White and Blue
Red, White and Blue 2023.jpg
Promotional release poster
Directed by Nazrin Choudhury
Screenplay byNazrin Choudhury
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyAdam Suschitzky
Edited byPhil McLaughlin
Music byPeter Karr
Production
company
Majic Ink Productions
Release dates
  • September 30, 2023 (2023-09-30)(Edmonton)
  • October 15, 2023 (2023-10-15)(Hawaii)
Running time
24 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Red, White and Blue is a 2023 American drama short film written, directed, and produced by Nazrin Choudhury. Starring Brittany Snow and Juliet Donenfeld, it tells the story of a single mother traveling with her daughter in search of an abortion.

Contents

Red, White and Blue premiered at the Edmonton International Film Festival on September 30, 2023, where it won the Grand Jury Award for Best Live Action Short. It was nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 96th Academy Awards.

Synopsis

Rachel, a single mother working as a waitress, urgently searches for an abortion. Because she lives in Arkansas, where abortion is effectively illegal, she travels with her preteen daughter Maddy to an abortion clinic in Illinois.

Once they arrive at the clinic, Rachel reveals that she is seeking an abortion for her daughter, not herself. A flashback implies that her daughter was sexually assaulted. The procedure is performed and the two return home; the film ends as they celebrate her daughter's birthday.

Cast

Production

Written, directed, and produced by British-American filmmaker Nazrin Choudhury, Red, White and Blue was informed by Choudhury's own experience seeking an abortion when she lived in the United Kingdom. [1] On December 7, 2023, it was announced that the film would be executive produced by Samantha Bee, who described the film as "storytelling at its best; sharp, gutting, and I pray, impactful. [2]

Reception

Red, White and Blue received largely positive reviews from critics. In a review for The New York Times , Jeannette Catsoulis named the film the "clear standout" of the year's Academy Award nominees for Best Live Action Short Film, writing, "Painstakingly constructed from small, telling details, the movie ends with the kind of sting that lingers longer than any news report." [3] Cathy Newman of Channel 4 News described the film as "a punch to the gut", [4] and Pete Hammond of Deadline wrote that the film carries a "stunning impact". [5]

Collin Souter of RogerEbert.com praised Snow and Donenfeld's performances, but also wrote that the film "overstates the obvious, with a twist ending that will leave every viewer gobsmacked at the end instead of enlightened, angry or motivated to help make change." [6]

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References

  1. ↑ Bright, Charles (January 8, 2024). "Nazrin Choudhury ('Red, White and Blue' director) on the real life repercussions of abortion bans in her Oscar shortlisted film [Exclusive Video Interview]". Gold Derby . Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  2. ↑ Petski, Denise (December 7, 2023). "Samantha Bee Boards Oscar-Qualifying Short 'Red, White And Blue' As Executive Producer". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  3. ↑ Catsoulis, Jeannette (February 15, 2024). "'The 2024 Oscar Nominated Short Films' Review: Small Running Times, Large Themes". The New York Times . Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  4. ↑ Newman, Cathy (February 15, 2024). "Red, White and Blue: Oscar nominated short film explores the US's strict abortion laws". Channel 4 News . Retrieved February 17, 2024.
  5. ↑ Hammond, Pete (February 27, 2024). "'2024 Oscar Nominated Short Films' Review: 15 Shorts In 3 Crucial Categories That Could Determine Who Wins Your Pool". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  6. ↑ Souter, Collin (February 15, 2024). "Short Films in Focus: The 2024 Oscar-Nominated Short Films | Features | Roger Ebert". RogerEbert.com . Retrieved February 17, 2024.
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