Smooth Talk
35th Anniversary and Co-presented by Women in Film and Television-Houston
With Director Joyce Chopra
Co-presented by Women in Film and Television-Houston. Followed by a Q&A with director Joyce Chopra, moderated by HCAS's Artistic Director Jessica Green.
Loosely based on Joyce Carol Oates’ celebrated short story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” and produced for PBS’ American Playhouse, the narrative debut from director Joyce Chopra features a revelatory breakout performance from Laura Dern as Connie, the fifteen-year-old black sheep of her family whose summertime idyll of beach trips, mall hangouts, and innocent flirtations is shattered by an encounter with a mysterious stranger (a memorably menacing Treat Williams). Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, Smooth Talk captures the thrill and terror of adolescent sexual exploration as it transforms the ingredients of a standard coming of age portrait into something altogether more troubling and profound.
This film can be viewed across North America.
| Country, Year | United States, 1985 |
|---|---|
| Director | Joyce Chopra |
| Writer | Joyce Chopra, Tom Cole, and Joyce Carol Oates |
| Cast | Treat Williams, Laura Dern, Mary Kay Place, Levon Helm, Elizabeth Berridge, William Ragsdale |
| Producer | Martin Rosen |
| Language | English |
| Runtime | 92 MINS, SECS |
| Genre | Narrative |
| Event Type | Film |
Special Guests
Joyce Chopra
Joyce Chopra has produced and directed a wide range of award-winning films, ranging from Smooth Talk, winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Dramatic Feature at the Sundance Film Festival with Laura Dern and Treat Williams, The Lemon Sisters with Diane Keaton and the A&E thriller The Lady in Question with Gene Wilder. She has received American Film Festival Blue Ribbon and Cine Golden Eagle Awards for her numerous documentaries, including Fire In Our Hearts, about a school for tribal girls in India and the autobiographical Joyce at 34, which is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art.