BALLAST (2008)
A film by Lance Hammer
A double prize winner at the Sundance Film Festival and one of the
most critically acclaimed American independent films of recent
years, BALLAST is a stunningly evocative story of personal
catastrophe and communal redemption.
In the cold winter light of the Mississippi Delta, three lonely people
stumble under the weight of a shared tragedy. Lawrence is
paralyzed with grief after the loss of his twin brother. Twelve-yearold James drifts into the perilous orbit of local teenagers while his
single mother, Marlee, is too exhausted from her menial job to
interpret the clues. When sudden violence forces mother and son to
flee their home in the night, they alight desperately on Lawrence’s
property. Though this provides safe harbor, it rekindles the fury of a
bitter, longstanding conflict.
Writer-director Lance Hammer, together with British
Cinematographer Lol Crawley (Four Lions) and his gifted cast of
local, non-professional actors, has created an unflinching, profoundly humane story of lost souls
forced by circumstance to seek solace in the most unlikely of places.
“electrifying”
Philip French, THE OBSERVER
“perfect.”
4 STARS
Nigel Andrews, FINANCIAL TIMES
4 STARS
THE INDEPENDENT
4 STARS
DAILY TELEGRAPH
WINNER – DIRECTING AND CINEMATOGRAPHY AWARDS – Sundance Film Festival
WINNER – BREAKTHROUGH DIRECTOR AWARD – Gotham Awards
Bonus Features:
• “Ballast Scene Development” (36 minutes)
• Exclusive limited edition collector’s booklet
Certificate: 15
Running Time: 93 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Audio: Stereo 2.0, optional 5.1
Country: USA
Language: English with optional English HOH subtitles
Genre: Drama
Region: 2
Cat. No: AXM627
Barcode: 5060126870791