VIRGIN

Year: 2003
USA: Artistic License Films
Cast: Robin Wright Penn, Elisabeth Moss, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Socorro Santiago, Peter Gerety, Stephanie Gatchet, Sam Riley, Charles Socarides, Christopher Wyncoop
Director: Deborah Kampmeier
Country: USA
USA: 114 mins
USA Release Date: 3 September 2004 (Limited Release - New York)

Synopsis

Virgin is the story of Jessie (Elisabeth Moss), a rebellious teenager, wrestling with her own spirituality and against her family's conservative Baptist tradition. After a sexual encounter occurring while unconscious from alcohol and drugs, Jessie finds herself pregnant. With no memory of sex and having a dream in which God speaks to her, Jessie proceeds with the belief that she is carrying the next Christ child, a belief that at first enrages and then inspires her, causing violent opposition in her community.

Not THE PASSION OF CHRIST, but certainly a project of passion. Deborah Kampmeier's debut feature film VIRGIN has been fueled by passion from beginning to end. Kampmeier's own passion, for filmmaking, for speaking her truth, telling her stories and getting women's authentic voices onto the screen was a magnet for attracting other's passion to the project as well. From the support and godmothering of Robin Wright Penn, to the heart rending and award winning performance of Elisabeth Moss as Jessie, to the nominating committee for the 2004 Independent Spirit Awards (Virgin was nominated for two) to a Sarasota Businessman who is financing the self-distribution of the film.

Each step of the way was riddled with the seemingly insurmountable obstacles that face an essentially "no-budget" film (VIRGIN was shot for $65,000) and it was through the persistent passion of the cast, crew, producers and Kampmeier herself that they prevailed.