Frozen River (2008)
- Starring:
- Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, (more)
- Director(s):
- Courtney Hunt
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
- Category:
- Drama, Independent Films
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A desperate single mother living in upstate New York resorts to smuggling illegal immigrants into the United States as a means of making ends meet in first-time feature director/screenwriter Courtney Hunt's emotionally wrenching drama, winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Dramatic Feature at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Ray Eddy is in an impossible position; it's two days before Christmas and her husband has suddenly disappeared with all of the family savings. Now, as the newly single mother of two realizes the futility of attempting to cover the house payments on her meager Yankee One Dollar Store wages, her children are forced to exist on a nutritionally devoid diet of popcorn and Tang. Deciding that her only hope for survival is to find a man who will support her and her children, Ray sets out to find a husband but instead makes the acquaintance of street-smart Mohawk Lila Littlewolf. Lila, too, has been struggling to keep her head above water amidst economic despair, and has recently stumbled across a rather unconventional solution to her dire financial situation. Lately, Lila has been earning a living by smuggling illegal immigrants into the U.S., but her tribal elders vehemently disapprove of the scheme and have recently attempted to stop it by forbidding the local auto dealers from selling her a car. As fate would have it, Ray's Dodge Spirit may just be the only thing the destitute mother can count on anymore, and as this unlikely pair gas up the tank for a daring dash across the iced-over St. Lawrence River, their fates become forever intertwined in ways that neither could have ever anticipated. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 93 mins
Complete Cast:
- Melissa Leo - Ray
- Charlie McDermott - T.J.
- Mark Boone, Jr. - Jacques Bruno
- Jay Klaitz - Guy Versailles
- Dylan Carusona - Jimmy
- Misty Upham - Lila Littlewolf
- Michael O'Keefe - Trooper Finnerty
- James Reilly - Ricky
- John Canoe - Bernie Littlewolf
- Michael Sky - Billy Three Rivers
- Director(s):
- Courtney Hunt
- Writer(s):
- Courtney Hunt
- Producer(s):
- Chip Hourihan, Heather Rae
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R(Profanity)
- Categories:
- Independent Films, Drama
- Closed Captioning:
- Check All Versions
- Subtitles:
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- 2008 - Frozen River - Alliance of Women Film Journalists - Best Woman Director
- 2008 - Frozen River - Alliance of Women Film Journalists - Hanging in There Award for Persistence
- 2008 - Frozen River - Alliance of Women Film Journalists - Best Newcomer
- 2008 - Frozen River - American Film Institute - Best Picture
- 2008 - Frozen River - Florida Film Critics - Best Actress
- 2008 - Frozen River - National Board of Review - Spotlight Award
- 2008 - Frozen River - National Board of Review - Best Directorial Debut
- 2008 - Frozen River - National Board of Review - Best Independent Film
- 2008 - Frozen River - Sundance Film Festival - Grand Jury Prize for Best Film Drama
- 2008 - Frozen River - Utah Film Critics - Best Actress
- 2008 - Frozen River - Women Film Critics Circle - Best Movie By a Woman
- 2008 - Frozen River - Women Film Critics Circle - Best Actress
