Finding a unique location to place a neo-noir––a genre usually synonymous with the concrete jungles of cities––Eve Symington’s directorial debut Brut Force is set within California’s central coast wine country. Acquired by XYZ Films for a video-on-demand release on April 21, we’re pleased to debut the exclusive trailer for the film starring Lelia Symington, Tyler Posey, Vico Escorcia, and Patricia Velásquez.
The film follows newly-fired reporter Sloane Sawyer (Symington), who hears that someone has been harassing vineyard workers in her hometown, so she starts investigating. When haunting beauty Dulce goes missing and the alluring Tico Reyes shows up looking for her, Sloane is drawn down a twisting trail of violence and crime, determined to help those she’s come to care about in this town… before it’s too late.
“Beneath the surface of California’s ‘wine country’ bubble complex histories, racism, class struggles, and moral grey areas, all of which makes this world ripe for a modern noir story. Noir films show society’s dualism, often exposing the underbelly of society’s shiny façade. The lead character in Brut Force is a young woman who lives between the two worlds, fluent in both Spanish and ‘wine lingo’: a modern, female take on a classic noir detective,” says director Symington.
She adds, “I have a long and abiding love for noir films, both classics and reinventions of the genre, from Double Indemnity to Chinatown. I directed the film in a very specific, noir-inspired style. This includes a sense of heightened realism, leaning into noir techniques like deliberate indoor lighting, artistically constructed frames, creative blocking, and slightly stylized dialogue. Together with my Director of Photography Emilie Silvestri, we crafted a sun-soaked world, both beautiful and ominous, and made great use of our gorgeous locations. As a cinephile with a strong interest in social equity, I wanted to make Brut Force to bring these two passions together. I have been directing short films since I was eleven years old, so it is truly a dream come true to bring my first feature into the world.”
Watch the exclusive trailer below.
Brut Force arrives digitally on April 21.