If there’s an advantage indie markets have over Hollywood cinema, it’s the the freedom to take risks that might not be available when working for studio executives. Some of those “risks,” however, are simply stories that appeal to a wider audience, yet never receive enough spotlight from mainstream producers for consumerist reasons. The Rest of Us, a directorial debut from Aisling Chin-Yee, is one such title that seeks to prove that this genre has a market, and it boasts a talented cast to back it up.
Currently, Chin-Yee has signed on Heather Graham (Boogie Nights) and Jodi Balfour (The Crown) for top-billing spots in her film. Starring alongside Sophie Nelisse (The Book Thief) and Abigail Pniowsky (Arrival), the film focuses on a divorced woman named Cami (Graham) grieving in the aftermath of her ex-husband’s death. In a move that threatens to further strain ties with her teenage daughter Aster (Nelisse), Cami decides to invite her ex’s second wife Rachel (Balfour) and her daughter Talulah (Pniowsky) to move in with them. Together, the quartet’s interactions with one another will help them overcome their individual flaws and figure out what happens next in their lives.
The Rest of Us was written by screenwriter Alanna Francis and will be produced by the female-led company Babe Nation Creations. Production is currently underway in Ontario, but no release date has been announced.