Frozen River

As the freezing winter descends upon the state of New York, Ray and her two sons find themselves deserted by their gambling patriarch. Desperation hits the now single mother, as she struggles to put food on the table. After a chance meeting with the young Mohawk girl Lila, Ray suddenly gets drawn into the world of immigrant smuggling across the US/Canadian border. What starts as a temporary way to pay the bills, soon turns very dangerous and soul destroying. Eventually, everything collapses.

Courtney Hunt’s feature debut is a humane look at depression and hopelessness, without ever deviating into dark sensationalism. What drives this film forward is the interaction between the two women and their mutual struggle to survive on the outskirts of society. The focus is always on the characters, and Melissa Leo presents an impressive portrayal of Ray. Frozen River has caused quite a stir, and was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2008.

Premiere Status
Nordic Premiere: Cast
Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, Charlie McDermott, Mark Boone Junior, Michael O: Producer
Heather Rae, Chip Hourihan: Script
Courtney Hunt: Cinematography
Reed Morano: Music
Peter Golub, Shahad Ismaily: Spoken language
English