“It was three years ago when the video of me and Tommy Webber went viral,” says Deanna (Ryann Shane, “Banshee”) in a new trailer for Kyra Sedgwick’s “Story of a Girl.” The video captured Deanna — who was 13 at the time — having sex. And she’s been branded as “the school slut” ever since.
It’s not just the halls of her high school where Deanna’s tormented. “Her home life is even more troublesome as her father’s anger and disappointment over the incident has left him unable to look her in the eye,” the film’s official synopsis details. “Ready to move on, Deanna longs to escape a life defined by the mistakes of her past.” (The use of the word “mistake” here is concerning, especially because the trailer indicates that Deanna may not have consented to the video being recorded or possibly even to having sex with Tommy— the specifics aren’t made clear. It sounds like this girl is being bullied and slut shamed. The jerks mistreating her are the ones making mistakes.)
“I deleted as much as I could, but some stories just stick,” Deanna observes. Even handing in a resume results in her being recognized from her viral past.
An adaptation of Sara Zarr’s novel of the same name, “Story of a Girl” marks actress Sedgwick’s directorial debut. “The Closer” alumna has won an Emmy and Golden Globe. Laurie Collyer (“Sherrybaby”) and Emily Bickford Lansbury penned the script.
“Story of a Girl” premieres on Lifetime July 23.
