Freeheld
| Freeheld | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Peter Sollett |
| Produced by | |
| Screenplay by | Ron Nyswaner |
| Based on |
Freeheld by Cynthia Wade |
| Starring | |
| Music by | |
| Cinematography | Maryse Alberti |
| Edited by | Andrew Mondshein |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Summit Entertainment |
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Release date
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Running time
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103 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $7 million |
| Box office | $1,732,228 |
Freeheld is a 2015 American drama film directed by Peter Sollett and written by Ron Nyswaner. The film stars Julianne Moore, Ellen Page, Steve Carell, Luke Grimes, and Michael Shannon. It is based on the 2007 documentary short film of the same name about police officer Laurel Hester's fight against the Ocean County, New Jersey Board of Chosen Freeholders to allow her pension benefits to be transferred to her domestic partner after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
The film is based on the true story of Laurel Hester (Moore), a police officer in Ocean County, New Jersey. The story narrates the difficulties faced by a lesbian police detective and her domestic partner, Stacie Andree (Page). Following her diagnosis with terminal lung cancer in 2005, Hester repeatedly appealed to the county's board of chosen freeholders in an attempt to ensure her pension benefits could be passed on to her domestic partner.
Screenwriter Ron Nyswaner announced his intention in 2010 to write a feature-length adaptation of Cynthia Wade's 2007 Oscar-winning short film Freeheld, a documentary about New Jersey police officer Laurel Hester's fight against the Ocean County, New Jersey Board of Chosen Freeholders to pass on her pension benefits to her domestic partner, Stacie Andree, after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. At that time, Ellen Page had already agreed to star as Andree; she stated in 2014 that she had been involved in the project's development for almost six years. She first became involved after two of the film's producers, Stacey Sher and Michael Shamberg, sent her a copy of Wade's documentary and asked if she was interested in starring in an adaptation, an offer which she accepted "right away".Catherine Hardwicke was attached to the project as director early in its development but later withdrew. Shortly after the film's financing was secured in August 2012,Peter Sollett signed on to replace Hardwicke as director.Julianne Moore was cast as Hester in February 2014.Zach Galifianakis was cast as Steven Goldstein, the founder and then-Chair of Garden State Equality, but was later replaced by Steve Carell. Andree consulted with Page, Sollett and Nyswaner about the making of the film.
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