Maggie Royal - Return To Zero

CAST
Maggie Royal
Aaron Royal
Robert
Dr. Claire Holden
Kathleen
Dana
Trish
Gerry
Laura
Ned
Dr. Campbell
Dr. Harrington
Birthing Instructor
Christopher
Dr. Campbell's Nurse
Social Worker
Dr. Harrington's Nurse
Pastor Jill
Dr. Holden's Nurse
Salesclerk
Society Woman
Annie
Girl in Costume
Delivery Nurse
Orderly
MINNIE DRIVER
PAUL ADELSTEIN
ALFRED MOLINA
CONNIE NIELSEN
KATHY BAKER
SARAH JONES
ANDREA ANDERS
PETER JASON
AUDREY WASILEWSKI
JOHN ANISTON
ROB BROWNSTEIN
JOSEPH MARCELL
MARISOL RAMIREZ
DAN DONAHUE
APRIL PARKER-JONES
MARY CAROL LESTER
JADE SEALY
COLETTE FREEDMAN
BRESHA WEB
JULLY LEE
ROBYN PETERSON
SYLVA KELEGIAN
ROXIE HANISH
SAUNDRA MCCLAIN
DAVID PALADINO
CREW
Directed by
Written by
Produced by
Executive Producer
Director of Photography
Edited by
Composer
Production Designer
Costumes by
Casting by
Medical Advisor
SEAN HANISH
SEAN HANISH
SEAN HANISH & PAUL JACONI-BIERY
KELLY KAHL
HARRIS CHARAMBOLOUS
ANITA BRANDT-BURGOYNE
JAMES SALE
ED RUBIN
PATRIK MILANI
SHARON HOWARD FIELD
and RONNIE YESKEL
KARLA IACAMPO, MD
RETURN TO ZERO
Drama
106 minutes
Color
Language: English
Shot on Arri Alexa
Festival screening format: HDCAM-SR
Sound: 5.1 Digital
Shot on location in Los Angeles & Rancho Palos Verdes, California
RETURN TO ZERO SOCIAL MEDIA
Website: www.returntozerothemovie.com
Twitter: @return2zerofilm
www.facebook.com/returntozerofilm
Istagram: instagram.com/returntozero
PRESS CONTACT
Paul Jaconi-Biery
26 East Colorado Blvd., Suite 4
Pasadena, CA 91105
Phone: 323-633-1440
Email: [email protected]
PRODUCTION COMPANY
Cannonball Productions
26 East Colorado Blvd., Suite 4
Pasadena, CA 91105
[email protected]
www.seanhanish.com
SYNOPSIS
RETURN TO ZERO is based on the true story of a successful couple, Maggie (MINNIE DRIVER)
and Aaron (PAUL ADELSTEIN) who are preparing for the arrival of their first child. Just weeks
before their due date they are devastated to discover that their baby son has died in the womb
and will be stillborn.
Maggie and Aaron attempt to go on with their lives but cannot escape their postpartum
grief. Their lives and relationship have been forever altered by this loss. And no one seems to
understand the hell they are going through. Aaron’s dad, Robert (ALFRED MOLINA), encourages
his son to bury himself in work, while Maggie’s Mom, Kathleen (KATHY BAKER), always says
the wrong thing.
Maggie and Aaron try to cope in a myriad of ways — through denial, escape, and alcohol — but
when Maggie ultimately discovers that Aaron is having an affair with Dana (SARAH JONES), a
co-worker, she decides to end the marriage.
Just when Maggie believes she has started a new life, she discovers that she is pregnant by Aaron
(from a last ditch ‘save the marriage’ getaway to Vegas.) With the help of Claire (CONNIE
NIELSEN), an empathetic doctor who experienced a similar loss years ago, Maggie finally
grieves for the loss of her son. Then she and Aaron must reunite to face a turbulent and
terrifying pregnancy.
Maggie & Aaron remember the son they lost.
“You’re never told about the relationship that
begins after they die.”
“I haven’t seen you since you were pregnant.
How's the baby?”
“I don’t want to go through this alone.”
“You’ve been cooped up too long. You need this."
“It’s a boy!”
“What do you want to talk about? How my uterus
is a lethal weapon?"
Kathleen & Robert at an awkward Thanksgiving
dinner with their children.
“What about joy… when does that come?"
CAST
MINNIE DRIVER
Academy Award nominee, Minnie Driver, plays the lead role of “Maggie Royal”
in RETURN TO ZERO.
Minnie is best known for her Oscar-nominated performance as Skylar in “Good
Will Hunting” and was also nominated for an Emmy and Golden Globe for her
work as Dahlia Malloy/Cherien Rich in the critically-acclaimed television series
“The Riches”. Minnie can currently be seen in NBC’s new comedy “About a Boy”.
Minnie’s career in film includes nearly three dozen films over the past two decades. Now as a
mother and successful recording artist, she is very choosy about what roles she decides to play.
Minnie’s artistry, celebrity, and dedication to important charity work such as St. Jude’s Hospital
and OXFAM will bring a level of awareness and interest to this film and subject matter that few
other actresses or actors could.
PAUL ADELSTEIN
Paul Adelstein stars as “Aaron Royal” in RETURN TO ZERO along side Minnie
Driver who plays his wife Maggie.
Paul is best known for his roles as Dr. Cooper (“Coop”) Freedman in ABC’s
“Private Practice” and as Paul Kellerman in FOX’s “Prison Break”. Paul has also
played significant supporting roles in the Coen Brothers’ “Intolerable Cruelty”
and Rob Marshall’s “Memoirs of a Geisha”. Paul can currently be seen in ABC’s “Scandal”.
Born and raised in Chicago, Paul began his career in theater with John Cusack’s New Crime
Productions and later with the world-renowned Steppenwolf Theater Company.
Paul is also an accomplished musician. He’s the lead singer of his band Doris, which just released
it’s second album “All the Details”.
We are incredibly honored to be joined by a breakout actor who brings a passion and love for
the material which resonates deeply with him.
ALFRED MOLINA
Alfred Molina stars in RETURN TO ZERO as Aaron’s (Paul Adelstein)
career-obsessed father Robert Royal.
Alfred has been nominated over thirty times for his memorable performances
on both stage and screen. There are so many films and brilliant performances
that there is simply not enough room here to list them. You may remember
him best as “Doc Oc” in “Spider Man 2″, as Diego Rivera starring with Salma Hayek in “Frida”,
as the priest who has a confectionary orgasm in “Chocolat”, or as the wired drug dealer who
CAST
kereokes to “Sister Christian” in front of a terrified Mark Wahlberg in “Boogie Nights”.
His Broadway accolades and range are equally as impressive. From the comedy “Art”, to
portraying Mark Rothko in the drama “Red” and the classic role of Tevya in the famous
musical “Fiddler on the Roof”, Alfred has received Tony Award-nominations for all three roles.
CONNIE NEILSEN
Award winning Danish actress, Connie Nielsen, takes on the role of Doctor
Claire Holden opposite Minnie Driver and Paul Adelstein. Doctor Claire guides
Maggie (Minnie Driver) through her grief to find a much needed new
perspective on her loss.
Connie is well-known for her role opposite Russell Crowe in Ridley Scott’s
Academy Award winning film, Gladiator. Nielsen embraces her roles with an astounding amount
of depth, filling the screen with a performance that resonates. Connie has worked with some of
the most elite Hollywood players including roles opposite Robin Williams, John Travolta, Benicio
Del Toro, James Franco, and Ben Stiller, just to name a few.
Nielsen was born and raised in Denmark, at the age of 18 she moved to Paris to pursue acting
and continued her career in the world’s most vibrant cities, Rome, Milan, Johannesburg and New
York. With her illustrious career taking her all over the world, she developed a tongue for English,
German, Danish, Swedish, French and Italian. Her talents continue to surface as she most recently
won Best Actress in the Danish Academy Awards.
KATHY BAKER
Three-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe winner, Kathy Baker plays the
role of “Kathleen” in RETURN TO ZERO. Kathleen is Maggie’s (Minnie Driver)
well-meaning but mother who plays the devil’s advocate to her daughter in
most situations.
Kathy was born in Texas and raised in New Mexico. Later on, she studied
acting at the California Institute of the Arts in the early 1970’s. She earned a Bachelor degree in
French from UC Berkeley.
She began her career at San Francisco’s Magic Theater performing in several of Sam Shepard’s
plays before getting a break in an off-Broadway production “Fool for Love”. Since then she has
appeared in numerous films including “Edward Scissorhands”, “The Right Stuff”, “Street Smart”,
“Jacknife”, “13 going on 30”, and “Cold Mountain”.
Her talent became well known when she embraced the role of a small town doctor in “Picket
Fences”, earning an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.
CAST
ANDREA ANDERS
Andrea Anders plays Maggie’s hyperactive best friend “Trish” in RETURN
TO ZERO.
Andrea is best known for her roles as Alex Garrett on the NBC sitcom “Joey”,
Linda Zwordling on the ABC sitcom “Better Off Ted” and Nicole Allen on the
CBS sitcom “The Class”.
Born in Wisconsin, Andrea graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a Bachelor’s Degree
in fine arts. She began her career in theater and later had her first television experience in a
Dannon commercial in 1990. She continued her television experiences by making guest
appearances on shows such as “One Life to Live”, “Law & Order”, “The Guiding Light”,
“Numb3rs”, and “True Calling”.
SARAH JONES
Sarah Jones plays Aaron’s (Paul Adelstein) smart-mouthed and sassy co-worker,
“Dana.”
Jones has appeared in numerous primetime television shows, including “Ugly
Betty”, “House” and “Justified”. Her recurring role in “Sons of Anarchy” caught
the attention of Hollywood producer, J.J. Abrams who handpicked Sarah Jones
as the lead, Rebecca Madsen, in his Fox series “Alcatraz”. It is widely known that J.J. Abrams has
a history of casting young, rising actresses which end up having lasting successful careers and
Sarah Jones is no exception.
Jones works with Minnie Driver for the second time in RETURN TO ZERO; their first working
relationship was on FX’s “The Riches”. Sarah starred in the CBS mobster period drama, “Vegas”,
last year.
“It is my business because it is my business."
CREATIVE TEAM
Sean Hanish (Writer/Director/Producer) is a multi-award-winning film
and commercial director and has been a member of the Director’s Guild
of America (DGA) since 2005. After studying under master film theorist
David Bordwell at the University of Wisconsin, he completed his
Master of Arts at the University of Southern California, School of
Cinema/Television.
His short films which he wrote and directed, “Sales Tribe Grachecki” and “Real Men”, have
garnered dozens of awards both domestically and internationally and his ensemble play “Acts of
Contrition” had sold-out runs in both New York and Los Angeles.
While his passion is film, Sean has had a career as a writer, director and producer in a variety of
mediums. He created and executive produced two highly-rated Prime-Time network television
sports specials for CBS. He also began creating, directing and producing commercials for a
wide variety of international clients such as CBS, NFL, DISNEY, NCAA, HALLMARK,
LIZ CLAIBORNE and OSCAR DE LA RENTA. This experience culminated in his creating and
executing multi-million dollar campaigns for the launch of the fastest-growing brand in the
home-furnishings industry, CINDY CRAWFORD HOME, and the largest independent furniture
retailer, ROOMS TO GO.
Paul Jaconi-Biery has joined Sean Hanish as his producing partner on RETURN
TO ZERO. Paul brings the experience he has gained running physical
production on more than a dozen independent films including “Seeking a Friend
for the End of the World” (starring Steve Carrell and Kiera Knightley). In
addition, Paul is a talented screenwriter and his excellent command of story
and character makes him a creative producer in the truest sense of the term.
Aaron tries to comfort Maggie in the hospital.
MISSION STATEMENT
While RETURN TO ZERO is intended for audiences regardless of their life experience, this film
fills a particular niche for a market that has gone unserved — those who have or know someone
who has experienced the devastating loss of stillbirth, miscarriage, or neonatal death.
The statistics on stillbirth, which differs from country to country but is known in the U.S. as the
loss of a child after the 20th week of pregnancy, are remarkable. In America alone there are
approximately 26,000 stillbirths a year.
When one includes neonatal death, which is the death of an infant within the first 28 days of life,
that statistics jumps to 45,000 per year or 1 out of every 60 pregnancies. If one choses to include
the all-too-common miscarriage, one out of every four couples have been directly affected by
this type of loss.
Yet somehow, until now, this topic has never been the central theme of a feature film.
The impact that one stillbirth has on the mother, the father, their family, and friends is
devastating — a shock-wave of pain, guilt, and then, too often, silence. The majority of those
affected, especially the mothers, suffer in this silence often believing that their grief and trauma
is theirs to bear alone.
While planning to entertain and enlighten all audiences with a dramatic tale of the strength
and resilience of the human spirit, RETURN TO ZERO intends to break through the silence
and become a beacon of cinematic light to the millions in search of answers, understanding
and healing.
A memorial service for their son.
TOUCHPOINTS
THE BOOK: “THREE MINUS ONE”
She Writes Press and RETURN TO ZERO have teamed up to break
the silence in a very special anthology entitled “Three Minus One:
Parents’ Stories of Love and Loss” that is comprised entirely of stories,
poetry, photography, and artwork from the RETURN TO ZERO
community.
Every time one of our stories is told it helps to break the silence that
much more. With an anthology of stories along with the power of a
motion picture, we hope will shatter the silence once and for all.
“Three Minus One” will be in the bookstores and sold on-line in
April 2014. It is currently available for pre-order on Amazon and
Barnesandnoble.com
THE DIGITAL STORY ARCHIVE
Storytelling and narrative are so very important in the healing journey which is why RETURN
TO ZERO and Reconceiving Loss (www.reconceivingloss.com) are creating a digital archive to
commemorate pregnancy loss and neonatal death.
We already have dozens of entries in our digital story archive and invite everyone to share their
own story, essay, poem, music or artwork. Submissions are open to everyone who has a story
to tell or a journey to share. It is our intention to continue to break the silence with this resource
and keep it open to everyone and available to anyone who needs it.
THE COMMUNITY: LOCAL LEADERS
Over 2,500 people from 50 countries have become Local Leaders in their communities for
RETURN TO ZERO. A Local Leader is just like you–someone who has stepped forward to tell
their family, friends and social network about this important film. Local Leaders will also be
coordinating screenings and discussions in their communities when the film is released in theaters,
and receive a special RTZ Local Leader newsletter so that they know what is going on every
step of the way with the film and within the loss community.
PRODUCTION NOTES
Have there been other films that have dealt
with the subject matter of stillbirth or is
RETURN TO ZERO the first?
SH: RETURN TO ZERO is the first feature length film
to tackle the taboo topic of stillbirth head-on. A few
films and television shows have brought up the topic
in a subplot or as part of a character’s backstory, but
this is the first film that deals with the death of a child in utero and the earthshattering affect it
has on the parents, family, and friends.
What made you decide to tell this ‘taboo’ story?
SH: I had a gnawing feeling inside ever since we lost our son in 2005 that I wanted to do something
to make sense out of our loss. As a filmmaker, I knew that I was in a unique position, and that if
I shared our story in a film perhaps people would understand a bit more about what it is like for
all of us who go through this very specific type of loss.
I honestly thought while I was writing this script, that I was writing a film that no one would ever
want to see, and there were nights when I thought I was a crazy person for trading in steady
work for the opportunity to tell this incredibly difficult story.
But then something amazing started to happen when people read it: they liked it. It is absolutely
true what people say about the most personal being the most universal.
What made this project come together and be successful?
SH: Everyone who worked on this film did it for the right reasons. Nobody works on an
independent film at this level for the money. But when you’re lucky, and the right people surround
a project as they did here, magic happens. When you have heart, passion, and energy you can
move mountains, and we did.
Please elaborate a bit on your approach to making the film.
SH: My approach to the film was simple—I wanted to try to bring the audience as close to these
two characters and their life-changing journey as possible. I thought that by stripping the film of
as much artifice as we could, that we would invite the audience into an emotional journey that
they would never forget.
To that end, it was critical that everything—performances, relationships, dialogue, props, and locations—literally everything have verisimilitude—a realness that would make these characters
come alive for them on screen. I want the screen to melt away so that you can feel what these
characters feel. Anything contrived, fake, melodramatic, and not motivated by the truth of these
characters in this time and place was thrown out.
RETURN TO ZERO is inspired by your true life. How much of this is reflected in
the final product?
SH: RETURN TO ZERO is based on the experience that my wife and I went through when we
lost our first son, Norbert, at the end of our first pregnancy in 2005. We were shocked when it
happened—we had no earthly idea that this was even a possibility in this day and age.
The medical scenes, when my wife was told by the doctor that our baby had no heartbeat, being
asked if we wanted a cremation or burial for our son when he was still in the womb, the actual
stillbirth itself—those scenes are 100% accurate often down to the dialog. In fact, we use the
actual diagnosis of our son in the film as well as some of the beautiful words that were said at his
memorial service.
I did change and dramatize some events, add a character (or two) who didn’t exist, combine two
people into one—I used the tools of the dramatic arts which help get the audience closer to the
emotional truth of what my wife and I really went through. That was a priority for me in making
this film—to get as close as possible to the emotional journey of what we went through. So, in
the end the film is a mix of fact and fiction but it’s all based on fact and emotional truth.
A writer friend who read the script before production put it like this: “I think the movie sits in
that beautiful convergence of biography and fiction, that’s more real than either could be on its
own.” I sincerely hope this is the case.
What was the most challenging part of making RETURN TO ZERO?
SH: The most difficult part of making this film by far was reliving the loss of our son. From finding
out that he had died in utero, to meeting with the doctor and then delivering him—most of the
dialog and situations, those really happened to us—and have happened to so many people—but
they have never been put on film before.
Even in the editing bay, and my editor, Anita, will confirm this, I was curled up into the fetal
position for 8 hours while we worked on the stillbirth delivery scene. It was so emotional and
heart-breaking, and Minnie and Paul’s performances are so pure and raw and real—it’s one of
the most beautiful and crushing scenes I have ever witnessed on film. I am happy that part is
over.
What was your most memorable experience about shooting RETURN TO ZERO?
SH: No question it was the scene where Maggie (Minnie Driver) delivers her stillborn son. This
is the scene that we were all terrified of. It was a daunting and some might say sadistic task to
try to relive the worst day of one’s life with a film crew in tow.
The day after we shot the scene Minnie asked me how it went. I told her that she nailed it—she
reminded me of my wife the day she gave birth to our stillborn son—and I didn’t think any actress
could ever pull that off. She went to a different place, channeled something and someone else to
play that scene, and I can’t wait for people to see the result.
How did this particular cast come together? Could you discuss the casting process?
SH: The first actor to read the script was Alfred Molina. He’s an old friend and responded to the
script right away. His interest in being in the film was a huge first step.
Our casting directors did a remarkable job pulling together the rest of the cast. Casting is art
meets frustration. You’re waiting all the time for the big domino to fall.
They floated Minnie Driver’s name by me one day and I thought that was an inspired choice.
Fortunately, Minnie loved the script and we connected. The first meeting really set the tone. She
said “If we’re going to do this, let’s really go for it.” So we went for it. I can’t imagine this film
without her. Her performance is going to remind people that she is one of the finest actresses
in the world.
I didn’t know Paul Adelstein’s work very well, but he came highly recommended. After watching
his tape and meeting him in person, I knew he could pull this off. He’s an incredibly talented actor
and is so real on screen and off. Plus, his on screen chemistry with Minnie is off the charts.
Then we filled out the key roles with the incredible Kathy Baker, hysterical Andrea Anders and
Sarah Jones, who is a rising star. The last role left to cast was the important role of the high-risk
OB, Dr. Claire Holden. My producer and I fought for someone who we thought would be perfect,
Connie Nielsen. She’s soulful and brilliant in the role. I’m really happy we held out for her. It’s a
powerhouse cast.
Why is NOW the time to share this story?
SH: I think the world is ready for it. There are very few “taboo” subjects left in our culture, but
this is definitely one of them. The passion that this community of parents who have lost children
during pregnancy or just afterward—their commitment for breaking the silence and finally
changing how the world views this type of loss—well, it’s like sitting on a powder keg.
When people see this film, I truly feel that they are going to be blown away. And I am not just
talking about the performances which are phenomenal and the storytelling which I am incredibly
proud of, but people are going to be blown away by the number of people that come out of the
woodwork to tell their story.
Please address the music in the film. How did these choices come about?
SH: My composer, James Sale, and I have been friends for 20 years. He is one of the most
dedicated and talented composers in the industry having ghost-written dozens of scores that
you are all familiar with. So, I knew we were in good hands and would be going with an orchestral
score throughout.
What surprised me most about James’ score was his preternatural subtlety. He’s probably the
only composer ever to be in a mix and ask the mixer to turn down his music—he was that in
tune to not having the music step on the actor’s brilliant performances. His music takes the film
to a completely different level.
Minnie Driver and Paul Adelstein wrote a song for the film. How did that
come about?
SH: After Minnie and Paul saw the first cut of the film, they were so happy with it that they
offered to write a song for the soundtrack. They had mentioned it during production, but I didn’t
know if the idea had lost steam with them.
A few weeks later, Paul sends me a song entitled “Forget the Fall” which they co-wrote. Paul
plays piano and Minnie sings on the piece—and it is perfect. They hit a melancholy, hopeful but
bittersweet tone in the piece that is so wonderful we decided to put it in a very important scene
in the film.
It was such a gift to receive this from Minnie and Paul. They’re just such great people and team
players—their hearts were in this film every step of the way.
How do you think RETURN TO ZERO fits into your personal growth as a filmmaker?
How will it affect your future projects?
SH: This film changes everything for me as a filmmaker. I set the bar really high on this one with
such a dark, challenging subject matter. There was a good chance I could have crashed and burned
and just gone back to commercials licking my wounds. Given people’s response, I think I just
might get to make another one. So, right there it changes my life.
I feel like I’m just getting started here, and that I can continue to make important films that are
accessible to a wider audience.
What are some of your favorite films?
SH: Elia Kazan’s “A Face In the Crowd”, Billy Wilder’s “Ace in the Hole”, Francis Ford Coppola’s
“Apocalypse Now (Redux)”, Oliver Stone’s “JFK”, Alan J. Pakula’s “All the President’s Men”, and
Atom Egoyan’s “The Sweet Hereafter”.
What future projects do you have in the pipeline?
SH: I’ve just finished writing a limited-edition television series entitled RICOCHET—a drama/political thriller that tells the story of four very different people whose lives are dramatically altered
by a political assassination that goes horribly wrong and results in a school shooting that takes
the lives of two dozen elementary school children.
I envision this as a limited series—only 10 episodes—which examines America’s obsessive and
often dysfunctional relationship with guns.
Much like RETURN TO ZERO, I hope RICOCHET does what all good art can do, which is to
hold up a mirror to our current society and say, “Look. Do you see what’s happening? We can
change this.”