Premiering at the Slamdance Film Festival, where it received the Grand Jury Award for Best Breakout Feature, Zoë Eisenberg’s romance drama Chaperone will be getting a release this fall, opening in theaters in Hawaii on September 11 ahead of an October 3 digital premiere. Starring Mitzi Akaha, Laird Akeo, Kanoa Goo, Krista Alvarez, and Jessica Jade Andres. Ahead of the release, we’re pleased to exclusively debut the first trailer.
Set in Hilo, Hawaii and featuring an entirely AANHPI cast, Chaperone follows Misha, an unambitious 29-year-old woman who finds a dangerous acceptance in a bright 18-year-old athlete who mistakes her for a fellow high school student. The film also makes history as Zoë Eisenberg is only the fourth female filmmaker to direct a feature shot completely in Hawaii.
“When I was 29, a 17-year-old boy mistook me for a teenager and asked me out to a party. While I declined, I couldn’t help but wonder: what kind of woman would have gone to that party? From there, the questions grew,” said the director. “What happens when a woman chooses not to pursue career or motherhood, the two narrow avenues society has opened for women to hold space in? And how do you respond if your aspirations consistently disappoint those around you? Prior to my creative career, I spent a decade working in a corporate setting where I didn’t identify with my career-driven, family-focused colleagues. Was I succeeding as an adult if I didn’t resemble any of the adults around me? And who do you surround yourself with when you feel alienated from your peers? Are adults like Misha flawed? Or is it society’s metrics for measuring adulthood that are broken, and if so, what are the consequences? Who will suffer them?”
See the exclusive trailer below along with a pair of posters:
