In Fox Searchlight’s The East, Sarah Moss (Brit Marling) is a brilliant operative for an elite private intelligence firm whose top objective is to ruthlessly protect the interests of their A-list corporate clientele. She is assigned to go undercover to infiltrate an anarchist collective known for executing covert attacks upon major corporations. Living amongst them in an effort to get closer to their members, Sarah finds herself unexpectedly torn between two worlds as she starts to fall in love with the group’s charismatic leader, finding her life and her priorities irrevocably changed.
We got the special chance to sit with both writer Zal Batmanglij and co-writer/star Brit Marling to discuss their powerful dramatic film that’s as much a tight-knit throwback a 70’s era thriller as it is a pensive and magnetic ensemble piece. Marling and Batmanglij are two of the finest and most original voices/names currently working in film (and having the backing of Ridley and Tony Scott certainly is a testament to the quality of the story they tell in The East) so enjoy this glimpse into their process and learn how they weave their unique and particular brand of magic that keeps audiences so very riveted.
Written and directed by Zal Batmanglij and co-written/starring Brit Marling as well as Ellen Page, Toby Kebbell and Alexander Skarsgård, The East began its limited release on May 31st and is in theaters now.
Thanks to Zal and Brit for their time and to Fox Searchlight for their help in arranging this interview.
