Frozen River [Blu-ray]

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

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, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: ABC
• Number of Discs: 1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 (Alternate Wide Screen)
• Audio: Dolby Digital Stereo
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Features:
  • Includes a commentary with director Courtney Hunt & producer Heather Rae

AWARDS

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

•     Nominated Best Actress - 2008 (Melissa Leo)
•     Nominated Best Original Screenplay - 2008 (Courtney Hunt)

• Alliance of Women Film Journalists

•     Won Best Newcomer - 2008 (Misty Upham)
•     Won Best Woman Director - 2008 (Courtney Hunt)
•     Won Hanging in There Award for Persistence - 2008 (Melissa Leo)

• American Film Institute

•     Won Best Picture - 2008

• Broadcast Film Critics Association

•     Nominated Best Actress - 2008 (Melissa Leo)

• Chicago Film Critics Association

•     Nominated Best Actress - 2008 (Melissa Leo)
•     Nominated Most Promising Filmmaker - 2008 (Courtney Hunt)

• Detroit Film Critics Society

•     Nominated Best Actress - 2008 (Melissa Leo)

• Florida Film Critics

•     Won Best Actress - 2008 (Melissa Leo)

• Independent Spirit Awards

•     Won Best Actress - 2008 (Melissa Leo)
•     Won Producers Award - 2008 (Heather Rae)
•     Nominated Best Director - 2008 (Courtney Hunt)
•     Nominated Best First Screenplay - 2008 (Courtney Hunt)
•     Nominated Best Picture - 2008 (Chip Hourihan, Heather Rae)
•     Nominated Best Supporting Actor - 2008 (Charlie McDermott)
•     Nominated Best Supporting Actress - 2008 (Misty Upham)

• London Film Festival

•     Film Presented - 2008

• Los Angeles Film Critics Association

•     Nominated Best Actress - 2008 (Melissa Leo)

• Los Angeles Film Festival

•     Film Presented - 2008

• Melbourne International Film Festival

•     Film Presented - 2008

• National Board of Review

•     Won Best Directorial Debut - 2008 (Courtney Hunt)
•     Won Best Independent Film - 2008
•     Won Spotlight Award - 2008 (Melissa Leo)

• New Directors/New Films

•     Film Presented - 2008

• New York Film Critics Circle

•     Won Best First Film - 2008 (Courtney Hunt)

• Rotterdam International Film Festival

•     Film Presented - 2009

• Screen Actors Guild

•     Nominated Best Actress - 2008 (Melissa Leo)

• Seattle International Film Festival

•     Film Presented - 2008

• Sundance Film Festival

•     Won Grand Jury Prize for Best Film Drama - 2008

• Utah Film Critics

•     Won Best Actress - 2008 (Melissa Leo)
•     Nominated Best Supporting Actress - 2008 (Misty Upham)

• Women Film Critics Circle

•     Won Best Actress - 2008 (Melissa Leo)
•     Won Best Movie By a Woman - 2008

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Melissa Leo - Ray
       Misty Upham - Lila Littlewolf
       Charlie McDermott - T.J.
       Michael O'Keefe - Trooper Finnerty
       Mark Boone, Jr. - Jacques Bruno
       James Reilly - Ricky
       Bernie Littlewolf
       John Canoe - Bernie Littlewolf
       Dylan Carusona - Jimmy
       Michael Sky - Billy Three Rivers

• Director:

  Courtney Hunt

• Producer:

  Heather Rae, Chip Hourihan

• Screenwriter:

  Courtney Hunt

• Cinematographer:

  Reed Dawson Morano

• Composer (Music Score):

  Peter Golub, Shahzad Ali Ismaily

• Editor:

  Kate Williams

• Production Designer:

  Inbal Weinberg

• Art Director:

  Brian Rzepka

• Co-producer:

  Molly Conners

• Associate Producer:

  Alfonso Trinidad

• Executive Producer:

  Charles S. Cohen, Donald A. Harwood

• Costume Designer:

  Abby O'Sullivan

• Sound/Sound Designer:

  Micah Bloomberg

• First Assistant Director:

  Kevin Pazmino

• Re-Recording Mixer:

  Tony Volante, Cory Melious

• Supervising Sound Editor:

  Cory Melious

• Co-Executive Producer:

  Jay B. Itkowitz

• Visual Effects Supervisor:

  Leonard Quiles

• Additional Music:

  Keri Latimer