DADDIO
Section: Special Presentations
Director-screenwriter: Christy Hall
Logline: Christy Hall offers a refreshing turn on the tried-and-true cinematic exploitation of the relationship between younger women and older men as Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn display their magnetism and acting range over the course of a taxi ride through New York City full of conversational — and power — shifts. Hall writes and directs with a palpable sense of both the defenses and the vulnerabilities that a woman might carry with her into a New York taxi. Ultimately, though, this is a stunning showcase for Johnson and Penn.
Sales: WME Independent, CAA Media Finance (U.S.), WME Independent (international)
Premiere Date: September 10, 2023
Panelist: Christy Hall
Key Quotes: “It’s really inspired by New York City. New York City has this incredible collection of really delicious personalities, these colorful characters that only a place like New York City can provide. I’ve lived in New York for over 10 years, and I just kept finding myself in the most profound, lively conversations with complete strangers and people from all walks of life and people who saw the world very different than I did. But by engaging in conversation with them, it really convinced me that even a very imperfect stranger can change your life and make you see the world differently. It’s kind of my love letter to the power of human connection.” — Christy Hall
“At first, there was a conversation of ‘Do we need to expand this? Is that what cinematic audiences expect of you?’ So we had a conversation of, ‘Do we expand beyond the cab? Do we involve memories? Do we involve other people?’ and we all collectively decided that the power of this piece is that is so contained.” — Christy Hall
