| Director: | Gus Van Sant |
|---|---|
| Production: | Elevated Films, Pressman Film, Balcony 9 Productions, Sobini Films, RNA Pictures, Pinstripes |
| Running Time: | 105’ |
| Language: | English |
| Country: | USA |
| Main Cast: | Bill Skarsgård, Dacre Montgomery, Colman Domingo, Al Pacino, Cary Elwes Myha’la |
| Screenplay: | Austin Kolodney |
| Cinematographer: | Arnaud Potier |
| Editor: | Saar Klein |
| Production Designer: | Stefan Dechant |
| Costume Designer: | Peggy Schnitzer |
| Music: | Danny Elfman |
| Sound: | Leslie Shatz |
| Visual Effects: | Motion Design / Olek Lyzwanski |
Cinema
Dead Man’s Wire
Out of Competition
Synopsis
The morning of February 8, 1977, Anthony G. “Tony” Kiritsis, 44, entered the office of Richard O. Hall, president of the Meridian Mortgage Company, and took him hostage with a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun wired with a “dead man’s wire” from the trigger to the Hall’s head. This is the true story of the stand-off that took the world by storm as Tony demanded $5 million, no charges or prosecution, and a personal apology from the Halls for cheating him out of what he was “owed.”
Director’s Statement
This project has had quite a winding path to completion. It’s based on a true crime story — crafted with care — centred on the desperate actions of one man, Tony Kiritsis, in 1977. Feeling betrayed by his mortgage company, and convinced they were exploiting him at his most vulnerable, he took drastic measures in a bid to take back control. We began making the film in November 2024, and in short time as the world changed around us, we noticed unsettling parallels between our story and unfolding global events. This made the project feel both timely and uncomfortable. I hope the film doesn’t cause too much distress, though I recognise that we are living in deeply troubling times — and perhaps some discomfort is inevitable. Thank you to the Venice Film Festival, to the real-life individuals whose stories shaped this film, and to my extraordinary cast and collaborators who brought it so powerfully to life.
Production/Distribution
PRODUCTION:
Him Her Productions LLC - Cassian Elwes
6600 W Sunset Blvd
90069 Los Angeles, United States of America
Tel: +1 3108924175
E-mail: radaelli.veronica@gmail.com
WORLD SALES:
WME Independent - Alex Walton
9601 Wilshire Blvs
90210 Beverly Hills, United States of America
Tel: +1 3102859000
E-mail: filmsalesinfo@wmeagency.com
ITALIAN DISTRIBUTOR:
BiM Distribuzione - Giulio Bruno
Via Lorenzo Magalotti, 15
00197 Roma, Italia
Tel: +39 3284789895
E-mail: gbruno@bimfilm.com
Web: www.bimfilm.com
PRESS OFFICE:
Steven Raphael - Required Viewing
Tel: +1 917 287 1679
E-mail: sterapha@aol.com
Ulteriori addetti/additional press officers: Denise Sinelov - denise@requiredviewing.net
ITALIAN PRESS OFFICE:
Maria Rosaria Giampaglia, Mario Locurcio - MX2
E-mail: scrivi@emmeperdue.com
