A Closer Look at This Year’s Sundance-Supported Oscar Nominees: Margin Call

Kevin Spacey in Margin Call

Nate von Zumwalt, Editorial Coordinator

Leading up to the 84th edition of the Academy Awards this Sunday, February 26, we’re profiling all seven of this year’s Sundance-supported Oscar nominees. Click here for the full list of nominees.

Margin Call, written by J.C. Chandor

J.C. Chandor’s anxiety-ridden Wall Street drama belies his relatively light filmmaking résumé. Margin Call boasts an enthralling ensemble cast (Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Stanley Tucci)  and a daunting premise tucked into a script that thrills without sacrificing plausibility—all courtesy of first-time director, Chandor. Equally smart and pertinent, the film follows a team of shot callers at a fictitious investment bank (although loosely modeled on Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns) as a series of momentous events unravel at the onset of the 2008 financial crisis. Margin Call expertly probes a complex financial world at its most fragile moments, all the while examining the professional, personal, and moral obligations of those involved.

  • Nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the 2012 Academy Awards 
  • Margin Call screened in the Premieres section of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival
  • This is J.C. Chandor’s first feature-length film.
  • The all-star cast features Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Stanley Tucci, and Demi Moore.

News title Lorem Ipsum

Retracing Ryan Coogler’s Sundance Institute Journey

Feature Film Program Founding Director Michelle Satter recalls Sundance Institute’s journey with and support of Ryan Coogler and his feature directorial debut Fruitvale Station.I met Ryan Coogler in the fall of 2011 when he came in to have a conversation about his script, Fruitvale Station. As I listened to Ryan speak about why he needed to tell this story, his deep, personal commitment to the project became evident.

Donate copy lorem ipsum dolor sit amet

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapib.