The FBI has it out for Sydney Sweeney in the trailer for “Reality,” Tina Satter’s gripping biopic-docudrama about the America intelligence whistleblower Reality Winner.
The upcoming HBO film stars Sweeney as Winner, who was imprisoned for releasing classified information about Russian involvement in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The film also stars Marchánt Davis and Josh Hamilton.
“Reality” is based on Satter’s play, “Is This a Room,” and the FBI’s transcript of their 2017 interrogation of Winner, which took place in her home just days prior to her arrest.
“Truly, when I first stumbled upon the transcript for the interrogation just through reading it I was like, ‘Oh my god, this is like a movie thriller.’ I really felt that,” Satter told PvNew.
Sweeney, on the other hand, didn’t fall as easily into the role. She felt differently playing Winner than she has about previous characters. “Reality, she was already living and breathing with thoughts and memories before the page was even written,” Sweeney said.
“I knew if I got the opportunity to make a film out of this, I would want to direct it. It was this artistic spark of being able to see and feel the film. I really felt something in my body and bones that I wanted to direct this film,” said Satter.
The film debuted at the Berlin Film Festival in February to critical acclaim. In her review of the film, PvNew’s Jessica Kiang wrote, “Satter’s smart, self-aware framing ensures her film cannot be accused of Fox-like distortions and manipulations, by reminding us that everything we watch, even the most rigorous reportage, is constructed and shaped into narratives by people with some agenda or other.”
The screenplay was adapted by Satter along with James Paul Dallas. The film is a Seaview and 2 SQ FT production, produced by Noah Stahl, Brad Becker-Parton, Riva Marker and Greg Nobile. It is executive produced by Ellyn Daniels, Will O’Connor, Daniel Ginsberg, Andrew Beck, Bill Way, Elliott Whitton, Eva Maria Daniels, Philipp Engelhorn, Caitlin Gold and Tina Satter.
“Reality” is set to release May 29 on HBO.
