Falling Angels

Falling Angels is set in 1969, as free love, Cold War anxieties, LSD and the early stirrings of feminism unsettle conventional family life. Three sisters, Lou, Sandy and Norma Field, grow up under the strict, military-style discipline imposed by their father, Jim, while their mother, Mary, has withdrawn into a state of unresponsiveness following mysterious events in the past. The girls care for her and nurse their own private hopes: Lou, the rebellious one, is ready to leave what feels like a barracks rather than a home; Sandy, naive and romantic, dreams of an older suitor; and awkward Norma is only beginning to discover the allure of adolescence. Their father's controlling nature and their mother's unpredictable condition stand in the way of those plans. The story turns on the damage caused by secrets and on the obligations that bind parents and children.

Scott Smith directed the film, his first feature, from a screenplay by Esta Spalding, with Robin Cass and Rhonda Baker producing. It is a Canadian and French co-production from Wild Bunch, Minds Eye Entertainment and Triptych Media, running 109 minutes. Miranda Richardson and Callum Keith Rennie lead the cast as the parents, alongside Katharine Isabelle, Kristin Adams, Birkett Turton and Mark McKinney. Reception was modest: on TMDB the film holds a rating of 6 out of 10 from 23 votes, indicating a small audience and a mixed response.