STEPHANIE DALEY

Year: 2006
USA: Regent Entertainment
Cast: Tilda Swinton, Amber Tamblyn, Timothy Hutton, Denis O'Hare, Melissa Leo, Jim Gaffigan, Halley Feiffer, Kel O'Neill, Deirdre O'Connell, Neal Huff, John Ellison Conle, Vincent Piazza, Caitlin Van Zandt
Director: Hilary Brougher
Country: USA
UK: 92 mins
USA Rated: R for disturbing material involving teen pregnancy, sexual content and language
USA Release Date: 20 April 2007 (Limited Release - New York)


Synopsis

Teenager Stephanie Daley (Amber Tamblyn) is on a school field trip while when she feels unwell and goes to a nearby public restroom. Afterwards a dead newborn baby is discovered and culminates in Stephanie facing charges of murder.

A forensic psychologist Lydie Crane (Tilda Swinton) is brought in by the authorities to determine the truth behind Stephanie's continuing state of denial. Lydie though in also in a personal predicament as she herself is pregnant and feels an impending fear creeping over her that both her marriage and her pregnancy are in jeopardy. Each session with Stephanie instinctively draws her closer to her 16 year-old patient's plight at and she soon believes that unraveling the teenager's mystery is somehow crucial to her own fate.

Writer/director Hilary's Brougher's evocative film, winner of Best Screenplay at Sundance Film Festival, weaves two parallel journeys into a sublime masterpiece about the absolute nature of truth.