Before the World Set on Fire is a 2023 American mystery drama film directed and written by Jaclyn Bethany. The film stars Joe Adler, Mary Neely, David Call, Brooke Bloom, Eve Connolly and Julia Sarah Stone.[1] The film, shot and set during the COVID-19 pandemic, explores the tensions between a professor and her students.[2]
| Before the World Set on Fire | |
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| Directed by | Jaclyn Bethany |
| Written by | Jaclyn Bethany |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography |
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| Music by |
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Production companies | Bettye Katherine Edwards Films Maua Media Neon Heart Productions |
Release date |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The film premiered at the New Orleans Film Festival on November 5, 2023.[3][4]
Plot
editThe story begins with Professor Anya Davis being interrogated by college authorities regarding the death of one of her students, Wilder Buck-Hewitt, who died by suicide during an online seminar.
As the investigation unfolds, the film flashes back to the online seminar, where Professor Davis leads a group of undergraduate students in a heated discussion on philosophy and human connection. The students, including Wilder, engage in intense debates and personal revelations, revealing their deepest fears, desires, and insecurities.
As the seminar progresses, tensions rise, and the students' emotions reach a boiling point. Meanwhile, the lockdown outside intensifies, and the students' isolation fuels their anxieties and paranoia.
Through a series of flashbacks and interrogations, the film reveals the events leading up to Wilder's suicide, exposing the complex web of relationships and motivations among the characters.
Cast
edit- Joe Adler as Kasper
- Mary Neely as Molly
- David Call as Cole
- Brooke Bloom as Anya
- Eve Connolly as Mara
- Julia Sarah Stone as Hanna
- Stephen Friedrich as Vlad
- Alex Hurt as Reed
Production
editPrincipal photography began on July 1, 2020, and concluded on August 1, 2020.[5] Some shooting also took place later in 2022.[6]
The film is Bethany's third drama feature.[7]
Reception
editOne review found that it was "a solid thriller" "that has us feeling lost and confused."[8] The film was also described as "a drama set during the pandemic ... so that the production conditions adapt perfectly to the plot of the film, whose managers work from their respective containment whereabouts and communicate via Zoom."[9]
References
edit- ^ Etan Vlessing (July 1, 2020). "Brooke Bloom, Samuel Levine Board Quarantine Drama 'Before the World Set on Fire'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
- ^ "Before the World Set on Fire, de Jaclyn Bethany". Telva.com (in Spanish). January 17, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ "Cinema Femme's 10 most anticipated films at the 2023 New Orleans Film Festival". Cinema Femme. November 1, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ "34th New Orleans Film Festival Announces First Wave of Titles". August 27, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ "Film and TV Projects Going Into Production - Before The World Set On Fire". Variety Insight. Archived from the original on April 7, 2021. Retrieved April 7, 2021.
- ^ "NOFF 2023 Interview: Jaclyn Bethany on her mystery "Before the World Set on Fire"". Cinema Femme. November 6, 2023. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ N'Duka, Amanda (September 10, 2020). "Buchwald Signs 'Indigo Valley' Filmmaker Jaclyn Bethany". Deadline. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ Geo, Saint (October 31, 2023). "'Before the World Set on Fire' Review: A Solid Thriller That Will Leave You Wondering". The Hollywood Handle. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
- ^ Cinemanía (July 1, 2020). "Hollywood prepara sus primeras películas sobre la pandemia y el coronavirus". Cinemanía (in Spanish). Retrieved March 10, 2024.
External links
edit
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