Remember (2015 film)

Remember

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Atom Egoyan
Produced by
Written by Benjamin August
Starring
Music by Mychael Danna
Cinematography Paul Sarossy
Edited by Christopher Donaldson
Production
company
  • Egoli Tossell Film
  • Serendipity Point Films
Distributed by
Release dates
  • September 10, 2015 (2015-09-10) (Venice)
  • September 12, 2015 (2015-09-12) (TIFF)
  • October 23, 2015 (2015-10-23) (Canada)
  • December 31, 2015 (2015-12-31) (Germany)
  • March 11, 2016 (2016-03-11) (United States)
Running time
 94 minutes[1]
Country
  • Canada
  • Germany[2]
Language
  • English
  • German
Budget
Box office $1,767,965[3]

Remember is a 2015 Canadian-German drama thriller film directed by Atom Egoyan and written by Benjamin August. Starring Christopher Plummer, Bruno Ganz, Jürgen Prochnow, Heinz Lieven, Henry Czerny, Dean Norris, and Martin Landau, the film was theatrically released in Canada on October 23, 2015, in Germany on December 31, 2015, and in the United States by A24 on March 11, 2016.

Plot

In a New York nursing home, the elderly Auschwitz concentration camp survivor Max Rosenbaum has befriended the dementia patient Zev Guttman, whom he recognized from their days at the camp. Max has continually reminded Zev that their families were murdered at the camp by the Blockführer Otto Wallisch, who immigrated to North America under the false name Rudy Kurlander. Max convinces Zev to avenge their families by seeking out and killing Wallisch, pointing him to four men in the U.S. and Canada who may be the former blockführer. After purchasing a Glock firearm, Zev confronts a German veteran named Rudy Kurlander in his home, but this Kurlander proves that he served in the North African Campaign under Erwin Rommel during the war. Zev then crosses the border into Canada and finds out the second Rudy Kurlander was also an Auschwitz prisoner, being a homosexual.

Zev locates the house of a third Rudy Kurlander but finds out from his son, the police officer John Kurlander, that this Rudy has died. Believing Zev to be a friend of his father's, John invites Zev into his home. The two then reminisce. John reveals, after several glasses of whiskey, that his father was only a boy and a cook during the war. When John, who is a neo-Nazi, realizes Zev is Jewish and not a family friend, he becomes enraged and lets loose his German shepherd. Zev ends up fatally shooting the dog and John as well. He then showers fully clothed before collapsing into John's bed and leaves the house in the morning.

After reaching the home of the fourth Rudy Kurlander and his family, Zev recognizes only the voice of Rudy Kurlander. Zev's son Charles Guttman also arrives at the house, having tracked Zev down to this location. Threatening Rudy's granddaughter with the Glock, Zev forces Rudy to confess that he was a blockführer and not a prisoner at Auschwitz. However, Rudy states his real name is Kunibert Sturm and that Zev himself is Otto Wallisch. Kunibert reveals that they were both blockführers at Auschwitz and that they tattooed each other with sequential numbers to pose as Jewish survivors. Dumbfounded, Zev shoots Kunibert and then, upon declaring, "I remember", shoots himself. Back at the nursing home, Max reveals to the shocked residents and staff that he knew Zev and Kunibert's true identities all along.

Cast

Production

On April 30, 2014, it was announced that the film would be directed by Atom Egoyan, and would star Christopher Plummer, Martin Landau, Dean Norris, Bruno Ganz, Heinz Lieven, and Jürgen Prochnow.[4]

Filming

Principal photography began on July 14, 2014.[5]

Release

On May 11, 2015, A24 Films acquired distribution rights to the film.[6] Remember was screened in the main competition section of the 72nd Venice International Film Festival on September 10, 2015, and also screened at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.[7][8][9] The film was released in Canada on October 23, 2015.[10] The film was released on DirecTV Cinema in the United States on December 17, 2015.[11][12] The film was originally scheduled to open in the U.S in a limited release on January 15, 2016, but was delayed to February 12.[9][13] It was then delayed again to March 11, 2016.[14]

Critical reception

Remember received positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 71% score based on 69 reviews, with an average rating of 6.5/10.[15] Metacritic reports a 52 out of 100 rating, based on 25 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[16]

Accolades

Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref(s)
Calgary International Film Festival Audience Choice Award - Narrative Feature
 (tied with Room) Won [17][18]
Canadian Screen Awards Best Original Screenplay Benjamin August Won [19]
Best Motion Picture Robert Lantos and Ari Lantos Nominated
Best Actor Christopher Plummer Nominated
Best Visual Effects Eric Doiron, Sarah Wormsbecher, Nathan Larouche, Anthony De Chellis, Geoff D.E. Scott, Jason Snea, Joel Chambers, Kaiser Thomas, Lon Molnar and Rob Kennedy Nominated
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards Best Director of a Canadian Film Atom Egoyan Nominated [20]
Best Actor in a Canadian Film Christopher Plummer Nominated
Best Screenplay for a Canadian Film Benjamin August Nominated

References

  1. ↑ "REMEMBER (15)". British Board of Film Classification. February 26, 2016. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  2. ↑ Guy Lodge (10 September 2015). "Venice Film Review: ‘Remember’". Variety. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  3. ↑ "Remember (2016) - Box Office Results". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved March 31, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Cannes: Christopher Plummer to Star in Atom Egoyan's 'Remember'". Hollywoodreporter.com. 2014-04-30. Retrieved 2014-07-24.
  5. ↑ "On The Set For 7/14/14: Dermot Mulroney Starrer ‘Insidious: Chapter 3′ Starts, Levan Akin’s ‘The Circle’ Wraps". Studiosystemnews.com. Retrieved 2014-07-24.
  6. ↑ Fleming, Mike (2015-05-11). "Atom Egoyan's ‘Remember’ Starring Christopher Plummer Sells To A24". Deadline. Retrieved 2015-05-30.
  7. ↑ "Venice Film Festival: Lido Lineup Builds Awards Season Buzz – Full List". Deadline. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  8. ↑ "Venice Fest Reveals Robust Lineup Featuring Hollywood Stars and International Auteurs". Variety. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  9. 1 2 Tartaglione, Nancy. "Atom Egoyan’s ‘Remember’ Bows To Long Standing O, Mixed Reviews – Venice". Deadline. Retrieved 2015-09-12.
  10. ↑ "Remember". FrontRowCentre.com. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  11. ↑ Shoukri, Tarek (December 17, 2015). "Watch: Christopher Plummer is Haunted by Holocaust Memories in Exclusive 'Remember' Clip". Indiewire.com. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  12. ↑ "DIRECTV Delivers 'Remember', Directed by Academy Award-Nominated Director Atom Egoyan". Att.com. December 17, 2015. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Remember". BoxOfficeMojo. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Preview". Slantmagazine.com. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Remember (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Remember reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved February 26, 2016.
  17. ↑ "2015 Award Winners Announced" (Press release). Calgary International Film Festival. Retrieved 2015-11-21.
  18. ↑ Eric Volmers (2015-10-07). "Room, Remember, Guatanamo's Child among Audience Choice winners at Calgary film fest". Retrieved 2015-11-21.
  19. ↑ "2016 Film," Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television, URL accessed 5 March 2016.
  20. ↑ Vancouver Film Critics Circle announces nominations

External links

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