Virginia Film Festival

preceded by the short film The Exhibitor (8 min.)

Abdi, a principled but struggling young Somali fisherman, turns to piracy in desperation to support his family. His team strikes out into the open ocean, hijacking a French oil tanker and demanding a hefty ransom. His tentative friendship with one of the hostages informs his actions, putting him in a precarious position when some of the pirates result to violence – his obligations to his family, his fellow pirates, and principles pull him in opposing directions. Winner of the 2014 Sundance US Dramatic Directing Award, this textured art house film and high-stakes action thriller hybrid unveils this story of hope and survival and explores the moral gray area of piracy from the other side of the gun. Discussion with director Cutter Hodierne, writer John Hibey, and producer Raphael Swann