Best Sellers

Berlinale Special Gala 2021

Harris Shaw is still typing on his rickety typewriter, even though he likes to bellow into his (rotary dial) phone that he is long dead. He coughs and swears, drinks and smokes, quite unlike Lucy Stanbridge, heir to the publishing house which made it big half a century ago with the author’s successful novel, “Atomic Autumn”. While the old curmudgeon has turned his back on life, the energetic young woman jogs through New York’s Upper East Side, receiving live updates from her ambitious assistant about (falling) sales figures and (crushing) influencer blogs. A book tour, of all things, with the old boy and his new work is meant to save the publishing house. But the old codger is a real pain in the arse. Spewed out in a British accent, his “bullshite!” quickly becomes the hashtag of a generation of US hipsters – but it doesn’t sell any books.
In her directing debut, Lina Roessler stages Lucy and Harris’ at times absurd, at others heartfelt motel trip as a road movie in which Aubrey Plaza has to pull out all the stops to brave Sir Michael Caine (who was born, we should remember, in 1933). And she succeeds. In the end, this visibly moves not only the grumpy old man, but also all fans of literary films – and, of course, of Caine himself.

by Lina Roessler
with Michael Caine, Aubrey Plaza, Scott Speedman, Ellen Wong, Cary Elwes, Luc Morissette, Veronica Ferres, Frank Schorpion Canada / United Kingdom 2020 English 100’ Colour

With

Michael Caine (Harris Shaw)
Aubrey Plaza (Lucy Stanbridge)
Scott Speedman (Jack Sinclair)
Ellen Wong (Rachel Spence)
Cary Elwes (Halpren Nolan)
Luc Morissette (Joseph Stanbridge)
Veronica Ferres (Drew Davis)
Frank Schorpion (Phil Rosen)

Crew

Director	Lina Roessler
Screenplay	Anthony Grieco
Cinematography	Claudine Sauvé
Editing	Arthur Tarnowski
Music	Paul Leonard Morgan
Sound	Stephan Roy
Production Design	Mario Hervieux
Costumes	Sophie Lefebvre
Make-Up	Audrey Bitton
Casting	Andrea Kenyon
Assistant Director	Erik Ajduk
Line Producer	Ginette Guillard
Executive Producers	Petr Jakl, Martin Barab, Mark Damon, Jere Hausfater, Joe Sisto, Paul E. Audet, Adam Goldworm, Kevin Bernhardt
Producers	Jonathan Vanger, Pierre Even, Cassian Elwes, Arielle Elwes, Wayne Godfrey

World sales

Foresight Unlimited

Produced by

Atomic Autumn Productions

Best Sellers Films

Lina Roessler

The filmmaker studied English and creative writing at Concordia University, acting at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and film production at York University. She has appeared as an actor in the series Private Eyes, Murdoch Mysteries, Supernatural and Killjoys. Her short films The Vow, Winter and Mustard Seed met with success at numerous international festivals. She was invited to the 2018 Berlinale Talents with her fourth short. Best Sellers is her debut feature film.

Filmography

2014 The Vow; short film 2016 Winter; short film 2018 Mustard Seed; short film 2020 Best Sellers

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2021