THE VISITOR
Year: 2007
USA: Overture Films
UK: Halcyon Pictures
Cast: Richard Jenkins, Hiam Abbass, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Gurira, Marian Seldes, Maggie Moore, Michael Cumpsty, Bill McHenry, Richard Kind, Tzahi Moskovitz, Amir Arison, Neal Lerner, Ramon Fernandez, Frank Pando, Waleed Zuaiter, Deborah Rush, Ashley Springe, Laith Nakli
Director: Thomas McCarthy
Country: USA
USA & UK: 103 mins
USA Rated: PG-13 for brief strong language
UK Certificate: 15 contains infrequent strong language
USA Release Date: 11 April 2008 (Limited Release)
UK Release Date: 4 July 2008 (Limited Release)
Synopsis
From the director of THE STATION AGENT and the Producers of SIDEWAYS, a beautifully poised and flawlessly acted paean to humanist hope in our ever-darkening age. A college professor (Richard Jenkins, SIX FEET UNDER) becomes embroiled in the lives of a young immigrant couple (Sleiman and Gurira) living in New York City and stumbles into an unexpected romance as a result. As these strangers struggle to deal with their individual lives in a changed world, their shared humanity is revealed in awkward, humorous and dramatic ways.
Thomas McCarthy's film grapples with the treatment of immigrants and the legal process post-9/11. After that tragedy, authorities arrested and detained over 1,200 people in connection with terrorism. But their identities, whereabouts and the actual charges brought against them were withheld from their families, the media and the public. For a nation built by immigrants on the guiding principle of justice for all, the questions of due process, detention and deportation of refugees and immigrants has become a hotly debated topic. Do restrictions to due process for non-Americans keep America's borders safe—and how far are the authorities and the public willing to go?
Produced by Participant Pictures (AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR), THE VISITOR has already enchanted audiences States-side, a US box office indy smash it's currently in the US Top 10 Box Office having taken over $5.3 million in 8 weeks.