A classic American revenge story, Blue Ruin won the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize at the Cannes Film Festival where it screened in the Directors' Fortnight.
A mysterious beach bum’s quiet life is turned upside down by dreadful news regarding a past tragedy. He sets off for his childhood home to carry out an act of vengeance but proves an amateur assassin, finding himself in a brutal fight to protect his estranged family. Director, scriptwriter and cinematographer Saulnier funded production on the film through a successful Kickstarter campaign.
»I had no intention of making this film a mouthpiece for either side of the debate about gun control/rights in America. I actually removed several lines of dialogue from the film that seemed too preachy in light of recent tragic events. I have strong beliefs about the subject, but didn’t want them to distract from the story. I’m also an unabashed fan of genre films and believe cinematic violence is an art form unto itself. I was a special effects makeup artist early in my career and appreciate the technical aspect of creating on-screen blood and guts. Off-screen violence… not so much.« (Jeremy Saulnier)
Jeremy Saulnier
Born in Alexandria (Virginia, USA), Saulnier studied at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. He directed the award-winning short Crabwalk and the cult horror-comedy Murder Party, his debut feature. Blue Ruin was screened in the Directors’ Fortnight section at Cannes. Between films, Jeremy shoots and directs spots for clients such as Kraft Foods, IBM, Viacom and the NHL.