Sally Potter’s newest film, “The Party,” is set to make its world premiere at Berlinale this month, where it’s screening in competition. Fortunately for those of us who can’t make it to the fest, Variety has unveiled an exclusive clip of the black and white ensemble comedy. Now we know what we’re missing: the minute-long clip is fast-paced, awkward, and hilarious. You’ve never seen a pregnancy announcement met with this kind of reaction before.
The film centers on “a gathering at the London townhouse of a married couple, Bill (Timothy Spall), an academic, and Janet (Kirstin Scott Thomas), a politician, who has just been promoted to the top tier of her party,” Variety writes. “[Bill] has given up some opportunities in his working life in order to support hers,” Potter has explained. “And with that decision come some disappointments, some frustrations.”
The couple welcome five guests to their home, and according to Potter, who both wrote and directed the film, “Each of these people hold secrets. Things that have been hidden come out in a sequence of revelations in a somewhat catastrophic way which all makes it sound rather bleak and heavy, but, in fact, this is a comedy, albeit wrapped around some tragic elements.”
The clip focuses mostly on Bill and Janet’s guests. A couple, played by Emily Mortimer and Cherry Jones, announce that they are expecting triplets. “Was that a boast or a cry for help?” Patricia Clarkson’s character asks. And she doesn’t stop there. She proposes a toast to someone else and comments on overpopulation. Check out the clip below.
Potter’s previous credits include “Ginger & Rosa,” “Yes,” and “Orlando.”