Middleground is a Russian-American indie drama film directed and co-written by Alisa Khazanova.[1][2] The film premiered at the Moscow International Film Festival on 27 June 2017 followed by a release in Russia on 2 November 2017.[3] The film will receive a limited theatrical and VOD release in the United States on 18 May 2018.[4]

Middleground
Promotional poster
Directed byAlisa Khazanova
Screenplay by
  • Alisa Khazanova
  • Michael Kupisk
Produced by
  • Claudio Bellante
  • Jillian Bokatzian
  • Fabrizio Conte
  • Ryan Alan Dearth
  • Ilya Dzhincharadze
  • Roman Volobuev
Starring
CinematographyFedor Lyass
Edited byRoman Volobuev
Music byIgor Vdovin
Production
companies
  • Hype Film
  • IlCapo Films
Release dates
  • November 2, 2017 (2017-11-02) (Russia)
  • May 18, 2018 (2018-05-18) (United States)
CountriesUnited States, Russia
LanguageEnglish

Plot

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A European woman is stuck in an Upstate hotel where she keeps reliving the same day while slowly drifting away from her preoccupied American husband and towards a mysterious stranger who claims they were in love with each other some time ago.

Cast

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  • Alisa Khazanova as Woman
  • Noah Huntley as Man
  • Chris Beetem as Husband
  • Rob Campbell as Bartender
  • Daniel Raymont as Marcus
  • Marisa Ryan as Marcus' Wife
  • Adam Davenport as Dinner Guest
  • Ari Barkan as Partygoer #2
  • Zachary Le Vey as Bill[5]
  • Claudio Bellante as James

Reception

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Critical response

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Midleground received negative reviews from US critics. The Hollywood Reporter called it "glossily made and ambitious" while noting that its story "would have better odds on stage, where mannered, nearly content-free dialogue might play as a literary device".[6] Filipe Freitas of Film Threat wrote in a review for the film, "Although well acted, mindful, and visually arresting, Middleground runs whimsically loose and exploratory throughout, living essentially from the intensity of its mood".[7]

Critical reception in Russia was much more positive, with Kinopoisk reporting an 88% critical approval rating based on 18 reviews.[8] Mikhail Trofimenkov of Kommersant called Middleground "a brave and surprising film"[9].

References

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  1. ^ "Появился тизер дебютного фильма Алисы Хазановой "Осколки" - Вокруг ТВ". vokrug.tv. Retrieved 2017-10-26.
  2. ^ "Культуромания | Новости | В Москве пройдет премьера дебютного фильма Алисы Хазановой "Осколки"". kulturomania.ru. Retrieved 2017-10-26.
  3. ^ "Осень в кино: 15 нетривиальных фестивальных новинок, которые надо посмотреть — Новости (Культура) / Sibnovosti.ru". krsk.sibnovosti.ru. Retrieved 2017-10-26.
  4. ^ Former Bolshoi ballerina's directorial debut 'Middleground' theatrical release and global VOD/digital release beginning on May 18 Scenester. Retrieved on 29 April 2018
  5. ^ Осколки (2017) Full Cast & Crew
  6. ^ T. H. R. Staff (2018-06-12). "'Middleground': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  7. ^ "Middleground | Film Threat". 2018-06-04. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
  8. ^ "Осколки (2016) — критика". КиноПоиск (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-06-06.
  9. ^ "Обогащенная абстракция". Коммерсантъ. Retrieved 2021-05-31.
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