Writer-director Dustin Guy Defa has shared a first-look clip (below) of his feature comedy drama “The Adults,” which will have its world premiere Saturday at the Berlin Film Festival, with stars Michael Cera, Hannah Gross and Sophia Lillis, and Defa in attendance.
The film, which is distributed worldwide by Universal Pictures Content Group, will be releasing internationally on July 3 and in the U.S. on July 4. In Berlin, it plays in the Encounters section.
“The Adults” follows Eric (Cera) as he returns home for a short visit and finds himself caught between reuniting with his sisters and chasing a victory with his old poker group.
As the trip extends, Eric finds it increasingly difficult to avoid confrontations and revelations as his carefully constructed façade of his adulthood gives way to old childhood conflicts.
While Maggie (Lillis) attempts to recreate the intimate world the three of them once shared, Eric and Rachel (Gross) are faced with the divide between their childhood selves and the adults they are now.
Commenting on the clip, Defa says: “This is the first time we see the three siblings together in the film. Already we’ve sensed a great tension between Eric (Cera) and Rachel (Gross), and the arrival of the youngest sister Maggie (Lillis) brings a completely different dynamic.
“As the scene is staged, Maggie stands caught between her two older siblings. It’s a pattern that will continue throughout the film, as these three circle around each other.
“Another pattern is also emerging: here, we see Eric lying for the third time. He will continue to lie throughout the film as he tries to avoid spending too much time with his family.”
Talking about premiering at Berlinale, Defa says: “One of my favorite festival experiences was screening my short film ‘Person to Person’ at the Berlinale. The festival has incredible theaters with pristine projection and sound, and the audiences are enthusiastic and engaged with the work. It means so much to me to come back to a city that I love, and back to one of the greatest film festivals in the world.”