Alona Tal (center) as Ashley in KALAMITY, a film by James M. Hausler. Photo by Iwan Bagus. Courtesy of Original 4 Releasing.
- Nick Stahl
- Jonathan Jackson
- Christopher M. Clark
- Beau Garrett
- Robert Forster
- Alona Tal
- Patricia Kalember
- Sammi Hanratty
Screenwriter:
Producer:
Photography Director:
Production Designer:
Editor:
Music:
Casting:
Art Director:
Distributor:
Production Company:
- BP Motion Pictures
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Kalamity (2010)
Opened: 10/22/2010 Limited
| Limited | 10/22/2010 | |
| Sunset 5/LA | 10/22/2010 - 10/28/2010 | 7 days |
| Village East | 10/22/2010 - 10/28/2010 | 7 days |
| DVD | 02/08/2011 |
Trailer: Click for trailer
Genre: Thriller
Rated: R for pervasive language including sexual references, and some violent content.
Synopsis
Haunted by memories of his ex-girlfriend Alice (Beau Garrett), a heartbroken Billy (Nick Stahl) returns home to Northern Virginia seeking solace from old friends. But what he finds there is more disconcerting than comforting: his best friend Stanley (Jonathan Jackson) has become unstable, mysterious, and withdrawn from those around him. Billy teams up with another old friend, Stanley's roommate Christian (Christopher M. Clark), to find out what's going on, and as they probe Stanley's recent activities, their friend's behavior seems more and more bizarre and frightening. The discovery of blood-stained evidence among Stanley's possessions pulls them deeper into their friend's nightmare--and eventually leads to a violent confrontation that not everyone will survive.
Director's Statement
I started writing KALAMITY because I wanted to make an honest thriller about two best friends, both going through break-ups but each handling the situation differently. The story takes some dark turns, but it was important to me to create believable characters whose decisions, right or wrong, were human. I wanted the characters in KALAMITY to have subtle nuances so their actions seemed convincing.
That being said, the film is meant to be a slow burn; it's a mystery without a mystery. We assume very early on that Stanley has done something wrong, but it was intended for the audience to take a journey, through Billy, to find the truth. It's through the character's interactions, real and imaginary, that we learn the most. With that narrative approach, it better solidifies that sometimes people can be so close to something calamitous with only the slightest clues to inch them toward the truth.
Since I grew up in Virginia, it was important to me to shoot this film there. As a backdrop it offers all levels of scenery and visual complexity and I'm sure if there were a proper tax incentive, it would be overrun with productions. Beauty aside, I definitely didn't expect that the month of May would be the rainiest on record for the past few decades when we planned our production schedule. Because of the rain, it was very difficult to schedule the exteriors and it caused a slight extension of the schedule. Other than that, the whole production process was the most pleasant creative experience I've ever had. The actors were exceptional and the crew felt like family.
As casting goes, I had known from the beginning that Nick Stahl would be great for the film and he did not disappoint. Jonathan fell into place shortly after, as his talent and devotion as an actor was hard to overlook. Having had been less familiar with the two female leads, Beau Garrett and Alona Tal, I was incredibly impressed to find they're two wonderful talents. Robert Forster is a great friend and mentor, so casting him, as Billy's father required less than a second's thought. Bass Casting in LA was the key to making everything work out, as they were a devoted agency and a pleasure to work with all around.
-- James M. Hausler
Trailer
