Writer-director Rachel Israel’s romantic comedy “Keep the Change” made for quite the directorial debut at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival. In addition to winning Best U.S. Narrative Feature and Best New Narrative Director, the film garnered a Special Jury Mention for the Nora Ephron Prize, which is given annually to a woman writer or director. Now, North American audiences will be able to enjoy the film in various theaters thanks to Kino Lorber’s distribution acquirement.
Based on Israel’s award-winning short, “Keep the Change” follows David Cohen (Brandon Polansky), who is high-functioning autistic, as he falls in love with Sarah (Samantha Elisofon). It is, according to the official press release, a “refreshingly off-kilter story about the ups-and-downs of romantic love — and the rewards of acceptance, self-love, and mutual trust.”
As Israel told Women and Hollywood, the project was inspired by lead actor Brandon Polansky and his experience as a member of JCC Manhattan’s autistic community. “I came to know some amazing people there and became obsessed with bringing them to the screen,” she said. “I had never seen characters anything like them portrayed in narrative film before.”
Its multiple awards and forthcoming distribution further validate what Israel has known all along: This is truly a film for everyone. She stressed, “Because our film deals with the subject of disabilities and specifically autism, people who haven’t yet seen it might dismiss it as a niche film — but it’s not a niche film. To me, this is a full butter popcorn movie: entertaining, moving, and opening up a world that most people have never seen before.”
“Keep the Change” is set to open this year’s ReelAbilities Film Festival and will open in New York on March 16. A national release will follow shortly thereafter.
