The War Zone
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| The War Zone | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Tim Roth |
| Produced by | Sarah Radclyffe, Dixie Linder |
| Written by | Alexander Stuart |
| Starring | Ray Winstone, Tilda Swinton, Lara Belmont, Colin Farrell, Freddie Cunliffe |
| Distributed by | Lot 47 Films |
| Release date(s) | December 10, 1999 |
| Running time | 98 min. |
| Country | Italy United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| IMDb profile | |
The War Zone is a 1999 drama film written by Alexander Stuart, based on his novel, and directed by Tim Roth. The film takes a blunt look at incest in an English family.
Upon its release, the movie won nine awards and 10 nominations.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
Tom (Freddie Cunliffe) is a teenager distraught due to his family's move from London to the Devon countryside, where he misses his old friends. He begins to uncover a secret sexual relationship between his 18-year-old sister, Jessie (Lara Belmont), and their father (Ray Winstone). The tension between Tom and Jessie thickens as he reveals his knowledge of the incest.
After Tom shares the secret with his mother (Tilda Swinton) - who has just given birth to a baby daughter - she confronts her husband by telephone from the hospital. Finally, Tom and Jessie murder their father in his bedroom. They retreat to a hillside bunker, distraught and traumatized. Tom asks, "What are we gonna do?" as the film ends.
[edit] Cast
- Ray Winstone (Dad)
- Lara Belmont (Jessie)
- Freddie Cunliffe (Tom)
- Tilda Swinton (Mum)
- Colin Farrell (Nick)
- Aisling O'Sullivan (Carol)
- Kate Ashfield (Lucy)
- Megan Thorp (Baby Alice)
- Kim Wall (Barman)
- Annabelle Apsion (Nurse)
Cunliffe and Belmont were discovered through an open casting call. Neither of them had any acting training.
[edit] Critical acclaim
The film received mostly positive reviews, and was nominated for many critics' awards.
[edit] Awards & nominations
| Festival/awarding body | Award/nomination |
|---|---|
| 1999 Berlin International Film Festival | C.I.C.A.E. Award - Tim Roth (won) |
| 2000 Bodil Awards | Best Non-American Film - Tim Roth (nominated) |
| 1999 British Independent Film Awards | Most Promising Newcomer - Lara Belmont (won) Best British Independent Film (nominated) |
| 1999 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards | CFCA Award Most Promising Actress Lara Belmont (nominated) |
| 1999 European Film Awards | Best Film - Dixie Linder, Sarah Radclyffe (nominated) European Discovery of the Year - Tim Roth (won) |
| 1999 Edinburgh International Film Festival | Best New British Feature - Tim Roth (won) |
| 1999 Festróia - Tróia International Film Festival | Tróia Award - First Works Section - Tim Roth (won) |
| 1999 Ft. Lauderdale International Film Festival | Jury Award - Best Director - Tim Roth (won) Jury Award - Best First Feature - Tim Roth (won) |
| 1999 Independent Spirit Awards | Independent Spirit Award Best Foreign Film - Tim Roth (nominated) |
| 1999 Valladolid International Film Festival | Silver Spike - Tim Roth (won) Golden Spike - Tim Roth (nominated) |
