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Worth Watching - Sept 23: Lance Hammer's Ballast Trailer

by Alex Billington
September 23, 2008
Source: Apple

Sony Pictures Classics has recently unveiled the trailer for Lance Hammer's award winning independent film titled Ballast. Like Little Children before it, the trailer for Ballast doesn't feature any actual dialogue, just ambient sounds from the film. It's an impressive and bold way to introduce audiences to it and I commend SPC for their unique marketing efforts on this. Ballast is a drama set in the Mississippi delta, where one man's suicide affects three people's lives. This won the directing and cinematography awards from Sundance earlier this year. Unfortunately I never saw the film but heard a few fairly positive things at the time. It seems like just another good looking indie drama to set your sights on this fall.

Ballast currently has a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviews saying that the film is "stinging emotional truth and raw grit, stark in its simplicity." While I don't feel like it'll have a promising theatrical release, I'm wondering whether Ballast will be one of those rare gems that gets passed by this year.

Watch the trailer for Lance Hammer's Ballast:

You can also watch the Ballast trailer in High Definition on Apple

Ballast is both written and directed by first-time filmmakerLance Hammer, who wrote and directed a short titled Issaquena previously. This film first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January this year, where it was picked up for distribution by Sony Pictures Classics. Ballast will arrive in limited theaters (in New York City only) starting on October 1st.

Ballast Poster

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Related categories: Indies, To Watch, Trailers

Nick O.

That's a very unconventional trailer, but I love it. Really hope it gets a wider release, I'd really like to see it.
http://www.lifeasfiction.com Rahat

Curious to see it, though it does have heavy shades of George Washington.
http://www.recenzenci.pl/ recenzent

I saw Ballast in July at Era New Horizons in Wroc?aw. I really like indie and simple productions with a message (without any blast), so I thought it would be great to see Hammer's film. Unfortunately, big dissapointment. Boring, secondary, redundant. Waste of time.
Dusty

um... hmmm... I don't get it... just don't get it.
Peloquin

Is it just me or are there an abundance of first time film makers in the indie scene this year? It seems like every review you give us lately involves either a first time writer or director. This looks good though...hope it gets a decent release.
MBD

Does not strike any interest in me, Ill pass.
Jaqui

Rahat: I immediately thought of George Washington also
Natasha

Ballast is being self-distributed by the director himself, Lance Hammer and his company Alluvial Films with the assistance of Required Viewing.
http://www.myspace.com/kevjohnphotography kevjohn

Strikes much interest in me, I'll give it a shot.
http://tallycat.org Patrick

I managed to see this film in Boston last night. I thought it was amazing. I found myself enthralled by the quiet and the landscapes. I know that sounds a little too poetic, but it's true. I even looked up 'enthralled' in the dictionary. It was beautiful.
Josh

Sony Classics has nothing to do with the release of this film and did not pick it up at Sundance. Lance is self-distributing it.