Adoption can serve as the impetus for a range of cinematic journeys. In mainstream films, we’ve seen it played for everything from sitcom-friendly levity (Instant Family) to domestic horror (Orphan). Because the process is so enveloping, so steeped in countless personal perspectives, it can be a formidable challenge for filmmakers who are ill-equipped to devote the necessary nuances that make it resonate emotionally.
In his sophomore feature, Stolen Season, Pascal Payant not only devotes considerable style to the proceedings, but he was fortunate enough to land Abbey Siegworth in the lead role of a troubled therapist longing to connect with the child she was forced to place for adoption 17 years ago.
“…peel away all professional accomplishments, courtesies, and opportunities in an attempt to connect with young Logan…”
Siegworth plays Ariane Longwood, a conflicted woman who escaped a troubled past, but still pulls at its threads with dangerous consequences. She had apparently run with a fast crowd and become pregnant at an early age when her father demanded she relinquishes her parental rights. Ariane has since cleaned up her life and progressed to the role of a successful family therapist.
After her father passed away, Ariane fell under the protective eye of her older brother, Nathan (played by Mike Markoff). He lives nearby and systemically checks in with his sister, acting as a rudder when he senses her ship drifting off course.
"…we ultimately want her to pull herself back from the brink, which is due to Siegeworth’s edgy performance."
