Lance Hammer’s Queen at Sea Explores Dementia, Consent and the Right to Control Your Own Life
Lance Hammer's Queen at Sea, marking his return to feature filmmaking after 18 years, delves into themes of aging, dementia, and individual freedom. This drama features Tom Courtenay and Anna Calder-Marshall as Martin and Leslie, a senior couple residing in London. Earlier this year, the film earned the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, where Hammer was also honored with the Jury Prize. Following an incident where Leslie's daughter Amanda (Juliette Binoche) finds Martin and Leslie in a compromising situation, Martin faces arrest. Leslie subsequently undergoes a rape examination and is admitted to a care facility. Inspired by personal narratives and the 2015 Henry Rayhons case, the film also highlights Amanda's daughter Sarah (Florence Hunt). Curzon is distributing Queen at Sea.
Key facts
- Lance Hammer’s Queen at Sea is his first feature in 18 years, following 2008 Sundance winner Ballast.
- Tom Courtenay and Anna Calder-Marshall jointly won the Silver Bear for their roles at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year.
- Hammer also received the Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival.
- The film centres on Martin and Leslie, an elderly couple in London, and Leslie’s advanced dementia.
- Martin is arrested after Leslie’s daughter Amanda calls the police when she finds them having sex.
- Hammer was inspired by the 2015 case of Henry Rayhons, a former Iowa state representative charged with and acquitted of third degree felony sexual abuse.
- Hammer collaborated with social and healthcare professionals, who he later cast, to ensure authenticity in safeguarding scenes.
- The film is released by Curzon.
Entities
Artists
- Lance Hammer
- Tom Courtenay
- Anna Calder-Marshall
- Juliette Binoche
- Florence Hunt
- Gaspar Noé
- Dario Argento
- Michael Haneke
- Anthony Hopkins
- Emmanuelle Riva
- Adolpho Veloso
- Henry Rayhons
- Lola Young
Institutions
- Berlin International Film Festival
- Sundance Film Festival
- Curzon
- Wild Bunch
- Alluvial Film Company
- Canal+
- Seafaring LLC
- Berlinale
- Sundance
- AnOther
- Letterboxd
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Paris
- France
- Los Angeles
- United States
- Iowa
- Mississippi Delta
- Berlin
- Germany