Leading A KT PICTURES & HEDY FILMS PRODUCTION

LOGLINE:

In a grand and isolated mansion, a dementia-stricken former movie star appears to be at his sharpest when reenacting roles from his past films. His steadfast caretakers must play along with his delusions, while grappling with guilt of whether or not they are using him to escape their own mundane lives.

Robert Pearson has had an illustrious career as an actor. However, in his old age, the phones have stopped ringing, and his faculties are slipping away. Forced now into a life of isolation, Robert is confined to his interactions with two caretakers, Caroline and Miguel. Amidst their struggles, they form a unique friendship with Robert, which leads to moments of happiness and clarity within the fog of his condition. But Robert's faltering grip on reality threatens not only Miguel and Caroline's jobs, but their understanding of what is real.

CAST

Hugo Armstrong as Robert Pearson

Samuel Bullington as Young Robert

Zainab Jah as The Advisor

Dominika Zawada as Caroline

Luis Miguel Garcia Rizo as Miguel

MAIN THEMES

LEGACY

Humans have a fundamental need to be remembered. This manifests through progeny, religious beliefs, and artistic expression. Robert questions the fragility of his legacy when the world leaves him behind. How can he ask to be remembered if he cannot remember himself?

NOSTALGIA

Each day, Robert revisits different aspects of his past. This evokes a sense of nostalgia, not just in Robert, but his caretakers too as they learn more about his life. The audience will also feel nostalgic for the bygone golden age of cinema as they join Robert on these trips into his past.

COMPANIONSHIP

So much of the way we interact with others stems from our own self-identity. When that starts to disappear, how can we connect with those around us? Despite their challenging circumstances, Robert and his caretakers discover the profound impact they can still have on one another.

DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT

As a filmmaker and producer, I find myself constantly navigating the industry's complex landscape, witnessing talented creators struggle to bring their visions to life; it can truly become disheartening. Leading is my personal journey back to the joy of filmmaking, free from the pressures and approvals of others.

I, as many artists do, have an intrinsic need for self- expression. I want to make films because I need to make films. And I want to make this film because I want to see it. This need tethers me to Robert's story because at its root, Leading debates whether art should be about passion or legacy. In the end, Robert realizes his passion for the craft and desire to perform are all that matter. In many ways, this is similar to my desire to rediscover my passion for the art form that is cinema, rather than the business that is movie making.

Through this project, I aim to invite audiences into a world where storytelling is an intimate, soulful expression. A reminder that, in the pursuit of leaving a legacy, the most enduring legacy is one's unwavering love for the craft.

Dillon Bentlage, Writer & Director of Leading

Connection & Access

A Statement From Co-Writer Simon Kienitz Kincade

Our personal connection to the story of Leading stems from two places. The first is our up-close experience caring for family members dealing with Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is both an extremely isolating condition and a burden carried by an entire community. Watching people we love slowly lose their mental faculties made us wonder what our core identities really consist of, and what version of ourselves will be remembered by the people we leave behind.

Of course, as film lovers as well as makers, we tend to run many of our experiences through the filter of cinema. In this instance, the themes of identity and legacy we were grappling with paired very well with questions we artists often ask ourselves — will the work we leave behind outlive our own relevance? Can our art protect us from our inevitable finitude? Exploring the loss of identity through the character of an aged movie star adds many layers to all of these questions. It also allows us to recreate and pay homage to some of our favorite film genres of the last century, which, to a group of cinema nerds, is very exciting indeed.

TESTIMONIALS

"It was a pleasure to have the Leading cast and crew at Vision Studios. We had great communication and support from the producers and they were extremely professional and fun to work with. We were so happy to be a part of the process of making such a beautiful and thoughtful film."

- Vision Studios

"As a Production Designer, it was inspiring and such a blast to build some of the sets for the Leading film. The film had such imagination and heart and it was a fun challenge to be able bring their amazing ideas to life. The producers, director, and crew were wonderful to work with and had a passion for their film that I think will definitely show in the finished product."

- Natasha Nicolaou, Unit B Production Designer

"Working on Leading was a great joy! I was amazed by the talent of the crew that was pitching together and how they managed to produce beautiful shots with minimal resources. Even though the budget was very small, the film does not show it. I truly think we made something special."

- Timo Aaldriks, VFX Supervisor

"I immediately fell in love with the beautiful script and then in love with the rest of cast, to be very quickly followed by the entire crew, who possessed such an earnest desire to bring the project to life. I connected with the character and story in a profoundly personal way and I could see that same feeling echoed in every person involved. It’s rare to work with such a dedicated and truehearted alchemy of people and that harmony of focus, drive, and skill made every minute spent truly rewarding."

- Hugo Armstrong, Actor

POST PRODUCTION

Storm Post Production is one of the leading post production companies in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Some of their most notable titles include the Oscar-winning film Another Round, Yorgos Lanthimos' The Lobster, Steve McQueen's documentary, The Occupied City, and Speak No Evil, which is being remade this year by James Watkins and will star James MacAvoy. We will be partnering with them throughout our post production process.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES

Since its inception in 2017, KT has released eight projects, ranging from feature films to web series. Their projects, Dilettantes, Drama Mama, Absent, Play It By Ear, Play Me, and CiCi's Sonata, have had success in major film festivals with over 40 official selections and winning a collective 20 awards. KT Productions' goal is to work with fellow independent filmmakers to create high-quality, captivating stories.

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Hedy (n): From the Greek word meaning "pleasing"

Taking the time to find the voices unheard, Hedy Film’s mission is to bring to screen authenticity that finds shelter in the simplicity. Since its launch just last year, Hedy Films has had the pleasure of showcasing their films in over 40 film festivals around the world, winning awards for titles such as Let Tomorrow Be and Earth Day. Hedy Films, prides itself on the traditions set before us; crafting concepts for showings, not just streaming.