Award-winning writer/director Steven Shainberg builds upon the S&M roots of his indie film sensation, 2002’s extraordinary kink masterpiece Secretary with the disturbing sci-fi and horror storytelling of his new film, RUPTURE, opening in theaters and VOD on Friday, April 28.
Single mother Renee Morgan (Noomi Rapace, channeling both her Lisbeth Salander from The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and Elizabeth Shaw from Prometheus) finds herself kidnapped by a mysterious organization and held in a sinister facility. She must fight for her independence from a terrifying, paternalistic system where she is now the subject of an underground experiment. Co-starring Peter Stomare, Michael Chiklis, Lesley Manville and Kerry Bishé in a transfigured underworld of nightmares. Scripted by Shainberg and Brian Nelson (Hard Candy), produced by Andrew Lazar (American Sniper) and featuring heart-pounding cinematography by Karim Hussain (Antiviral, We Are Still Here).
2017 marks the 15th anniversary of the release of Steven Shainberg’s critically acclaimed “Secretary” starring James Spader and Maggie Gyllenhaal in the bold and darkly humorous love story. The film won the Special Jury Price for Originality at the Sundance Film Festival and garnered several other prestigious awards from the National Board of Review and the Independent Spirit Awards, in addition to being nominated for a Golden Globe. Additional directorial highlights include: “Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus,” a fantastical love story about legendary photographer Diane Arbus. Set in New York City in 1958, the film stars Nicole Kidman and Robert Downey Jr. and was released by Picturehouse. Shainberg’s first feature, “Hit Me”, based upon a novel by Jim Thompson was released to strong critical raves for Elias Koteas’ performance as a high strung loser who gets drawn into a hotel robbery gone awry. “Hit Me”, which also starred William H. Macy and Cesar Award winning actress Laure Marsac, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and screened at many international festivals.