Ellen Page’s Freeheld is based on the Oscar-winning short documentary by Cynthia Wade about Stace Andree, a woman who was denied the pension benefits of her longtime female partner, New Jersey police detective Laurel Hester, when the latter became terminally ill.
Together they mounted a legal battle for Stace’s benefits to be assigned to her partner.
Page, who is also a producer on the film, told EW
I remember just seeing the trailer for the documentary and I was instantly brought to tears. Tremendous love stories between women have been made, of course. Some of them are my favorite movies. But to have a love story that brings up the civil rights issue, in relation to women—that we haven’t seen enough in the forefront.”
The movies cast includes Julianne Moore, Steve Carell, and Michael Shannon, plus a score by Hans Zimmer. And with a fall release date set for October 2nd, could we be looking at an awards contender? The first trailer has arrived.
Watch it below and let us know what you think.
