SYNOPSIS
About the movie
In 1941’s New York, a Broadway theatre actress is murdered on stage during a dress-rehearsal for an upcoming adaptation of ”Romeo & Juliet”. Three suspects are then interrogated as you, the audience, tries to figure out “whodunit”. NOTE: We never follow a clear protagonist or detective, but rather let the suspect tell the story. No conclusion is handed to the audience at the end. Nix, zip, nada. Figure it out yourself!
NIKKI TILMOUTH
AS IRIS HOLLIDAY
Iris is the starlet actress who is murdered at the beginning of the film. She had a meteoric rise to stardom at a young age and starred in many critically acclaimed and beloved plays throughout the 30s alongside her husband Clarke. The adaptation of “Romeo & Juliet” was to be her come-back performance after she had a public meltdown a few years earlier and withdrew from acting and the public eye for some time.
“Did I kill myself?” Scroll down and crack the case!
“Did I kill Iris?” Scroll down and crack the case!
C. J. BAKER
AS SPENCER FINCH
Spencer is Iris and Clarke’s manager and long-time friend. He discovered the both of them when they were all in their twenties. He is also co-producing the play with Clarke. Years ago he drunkenly engaged in relations with Iris who has been blackmailing him ever since.
CHRIS KOHLS
AS CLARKE HOLLIDAY
Clarke is Iris’s husband and long-time co-star. The play is his directorial debut that he’s been working on since Iris’s public meltdown. He also stars alongside her as Romeo.
“Did I kill Iris?” Scroll down and crack the case!
“Did I kill Iris?” Scroll down and crack the case!
KASSIE JOHNSTON
AS MOLLIE McLAINE
Mollie is an up-and-coming actress who was cast as Juliet before Iris announced her come-back and was cast in the role instead. Afraid to step on anyone’s toes, Mollie agreed to sign up as Iris’s understudy, but soon found out she was much more competent than her replacement.
ON THEATERS
Film Screenings
Jury Duty Film® is now on it’s festival run. Take a look below and find out when and where the movie will be shown next.
Jury Duty’s official film poster. (Drawings by artist Julia Gil)
08/09
AUGUST – 2017
21st annual L.A. Shorts International Film Festival
Laemmle NoHo 7/5240 Lankershim Blvd./North Hollywood, CA
Wednesday/August 9TH – at 3:15pm
10/21
OCTOBER – 2017
Glendale International Film Festival
UA 8 La Canada UA10 – 1919 Verdugo Blvd, CA
Saturday/October 21TH – 10pm-12am
01/15
JANUARY – 2018
Chandler International Film Festival
3185 South Price Road, Chandler, AZ 85248/Chandler, AZ
Monday/January 15TH – 3:20pm – 5:00pm
05/14
MAY – 2018
Cannes 71º Festival Du Film
5, rue Charlot 75003, Paris – France, FR
Monday-Sunday/May – 14TH 19TH
NEXT
FILM SCREENINGS
Jury Duty® is now on it’s festival run and there’s
more film screenings upcoming in the next weeks.
Follow us on facebook to stay tuned!
OFFICIAL SELECTIONS
What we achieved so far
Jury Duty® has been selected to screen in several film festivals. These selections represent the hard work of all professional that took part in our production. Take a look at what we have achieved so far!
``A meeting place for professionals from all over the world. Organized by the Festival de Cannes, the Short Film Corner is the essential rendez-vous for filmmakers. Since 2004, short film producers and directors have chosen the Short Film Corner as the place to present their films, make meetings reality and take decisive steps for their future careers. The Short Film Corner proposes films from all over the world, most previously unseen, as well as the short films selected in the Official Competition, the Cinéfondation, the Director's Fortnight and the Critic's Week.`` - Festival de Cannes
Jury Duty has been selected to screen at the 21st LA L.A. Shorts International Film Festival. The festival is accredited by The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Science (The Oscars), British Academy of Film & Television (BAFTA) and The Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television (Canadian Screen Awards).
Seeing the film we all worked on for such a long time, be projected onto the big screen was an amazing experience! A big thank you to LA Shorts International Film Festival for organizing the event and Laemmle NoHo 7 for hosting it.
UA 8 La Canada UA10 - Saturday 10pm - 12am
Price $15.00 - Sales End October 21, 2017
Block Collar, Lotone, Dead Flowers, Mondays, Jury Duty, and Near Change
Price $15.00 - Sales End October 21, 2017
Block Collar, Lotone, Dead Flowers, Mondays, Jury Duty, and Near Change
The Chandler International Film Festival is a non-profit, diverse and pioneering film festival located in Chandler, Arizona. CIFFI is dedicated to the advancement of social and cultural awareness through education and delivered on the artistic platform of filmmaking.
Feel The Reel is a monthly international film festival founded in Glasgow, United Kingdom.
More awards
COMING SOON
REVIEWS
What do they think about the film?
Check out below some of the most important reviews written about the film. Stay tuned and click under each critique to read the full review!
The Independent Critic/Written by Richard Propes
“While Jury Duty, a 19-minute noir co-written and directed by Matheus Ronn, isn’t necessarily flawless short film it’s an incredibly satisfying effort and a film that largely manages to commit to what it means to be noir without looking like a polished piece of contemporary cinema.”
Utah Film Festival and Awards
“A nice nod to old school noirs can be refreshing and that’s exactly what makes the short film “Jury Duty” an entertaining – as well being well crafted regarding the cinematography and directing – piece of art that uses every technique that noirs are known to use. It slowly unravels to become a mystery of “who-dun-it?” and the actors performances alone are enough to make the audience guess and make their own assumptions by the end.”
UK Short Film Review/Written by Chris Olson
“As with any whodunnit, the themes are largely predictable. There’s jealousy, revenge, lust, anger. What was much appreciated about Ronn’s direction, though, was the way in which these themes are explored. All the characters are suspects and there is no neutral person for the audience to use as an entryway, such as a bullish detective or inept cop. Instead the viewer is front and centre for the interrogations, allowing a profound sense of culpability to be inflicted upon us as an audience member. A remarkable feat executed well. Aesthetically pleasing with great characters, performances, and filmmaking, Jury Duty is the kind of film that excites and entertains as it delivers a cinematic experience that is wholly immersive.”
Feel The Reel International Film Festival
“Matheus Ronn took a shot in the dark with this short film, and he absolutely made it big. When we read the synopsis we weren’t sure if this movie would have come close to what we had in mind, but after watching it we can say without any efforts that it’s one of the best experiments concerning old techniques we’ve seen in some time. Good part of the credit goes to the characters Nikki Tilmouth, Kassie Johnston, Chris Kohls, and C.J. Baker, making this short stand out. For twenty minutes we’ve been in 1941 – that’s how intense we lived ‘Jury Duty’, and that is the beauty and the precision of Matheus Ronn – to take you out of your zone and plant you in another world. Just like a good book will do!”
CRACK THE CASE!
Now it’s your turn!
Now that you’ve seen the movie, you’re gonna be able to be the real detective and solve this crime: pick your suspect and leave a comment with your guess! Who Killed Iris Holliday?
Come be part of the jury!
Do you think Iris killed herself?
Click here to be part of the jury!
Do you think Clarke killed Iris?
Click here to be part of the jury!
Do you think Mollie killed Iris?
Click here to be part of the jury!
Do you think Spencer killed Iris?
Click here to be part of the jury!
