(2022, USA, 107')
Mrs Haverhill is a rich widow who employs Narvel Roth as groundsman at her luxury estate, Gracewood Gardens. Roth is a duteous meticulous gardener. Mrs Haverhill’s decision of making him responsible for her great-niece, a rebel-natured girl named Maya, will slowly chip away at the man’s rough exterior, shedding some light on his difficult past. Like a crevasse opening, the shadows in Roth’s life will affect everyone, in a crescendo of tension that gives the film a noir, thrilling touch.
A movie director, screenwriter, and critic from Michigan, Paul Schrader is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated exponent of New Hollywood. He authored screenplays for Sydney Pollack’s Yakuza (1974), Brian De Palma’s Obsession (1976), and Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (1976) and Raging Bull (1980). As a director, Schrader made successful movies such as the legendary American Gigolo (1980). Schrader participated in the 74th Venice Film Festival with First Reformed in the main competition. This year, he will also be awarded the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.
