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CASTING CALL:

ATONEMENT Feature Film 

ATONEMENT

SAG-AFTRA Low Budget Agreement Feature Film

Resolve Pictures Inc

Producer: Trevor White, Tim White, David Wulf, Steven Demmler, Reed Van Dyk

Director: Reed Van Dyk

Writer: Reed Van Dyk

Casting Director: Chris Freihofer

Audition Date(s): ASAP - ECO CAST SELF TAPE ONLY

Callback Date(s): TBD

Start Date: June, 2025

Location: Dallas, TX

Rate of Pay: Low Budget Agreement Scale ($783/day +10% agent fee)

MUST BE WILLING TO WORK LOCAL TO DALLAS, TX

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MORE INFO

As much as possible we are looking for real people with interesting faces and lived experiences, authentic to the characters; interesting actors or real people with that "certain quality". The film should feel less "Hollywood" and more ripped from the grittiness of authentic life. With the exception of specific nationality for some characters, don't feel too married to the descriptions. Maybe there is someone new on your roster that has a killer look or a lived experience and you feel they should be considered. Have at it.

 

 

STORYLINE

It’s Baghdad, 2003 — the early days of the Iraq War. Three storylines collide as Lou, an American marine, fires at oncoming cars killing an Iraqi woman’s two sons and husband. Michael, a New York Times reporter, finds this woman, Mariam, and her daughter in an Iraqi hospital and writes an article about their experience. Years later, Lou is still troubled by the incident and gets in touch with Michael. He asks him to broker a meeting with Mariam in the hopes of reconciling.

 

BREAKDOWN OF AVAILABLE ROLES

 

[ASAAD] Asaad, 35-45, came into Mariam and Nora’s life at a moment of extreme trauma and loss. He was instrumental in keeping the family afloat and getting them out of Iraq. Since then he has done his best to help the women navigate the grief and suffering they have experienced. Asaad believes the best way to do this is to put one foot in front of the next. To live life and move forward. He is a bit gruff, and can have strong opinions about things. He likes to think he is in control of the decisions being made in his house. But he’s a total softie- a kind and loving guy who’ll ultimately cave to whatever his wife and mother-in-law decide/want. He loves his children dearly and dotes on them. He is a very practical, hardworking and honest guy. MUST BE FLUENT IN IRAQI-ARABIC. MAJOR SUPPORTING.

 

[BUILDING MANAGER] 70s, A little curmudgeonly. A wealth of knowledge in an aging brain. Eastern European. This character has an accent. It would be ideal if the actor has this accent already (and doesn’t put it on) but not a dealbreaker. Slighter in figure maybe- short. Maybe he has issues with his leg / is old enough for the apartment stairs to seem like a formidable obstacle for him. 1 Scene, 6 lines.

 

[HOMELESS MAN] 40s-60s male. This character is in a wheelchair or physically disabled. He is in the process of developing a religion/scientific theory that explains the machinations of the strange world that surrounds him. The preference would be to cast a wheelchair user or amputee. 1 Scene, 4 lines.

 

[MARCI] Marci, in her 50s, is a UC professor. It would be great to consider an actual academic or professor. Marci lives comfortably. She has a degree of status and authority at her institution that allows her to be able to live a little detached from the day to day of things. She may be a little rote in her interview with Lou. It’s that kind of thing where his day has been building to this, but he’s just one of a hundred people she’s spoken to, asked the same questions, said the same things to over a series of days. 1 Scene, 10 lines

 

[BENOIT] Benoit, 40s, could but doesn’t have to be French. As long as he is an interesting person and a good counterpoint to Marci and the other academics. He is a man of theory- thoughtful and mildly amused/curious about whatever situation he happens to be in. He takes more of an interest in Lou during his interview. 1 Scenes, 4 lines.

 

[MINISTER] Christian Minister in his 40s-60. Ideally Armenian. This is open, just so long as he is a unique person. We want to try to avoid the sort of standard white middle aged male Pastor that would usually come to mind. Also, the Khachaturians would probably be going to a church with Arabic or Armenian speakers. 1 scene, 1 speech

 

[CLUB MANAGER] A woman in her mid 20s to mid 40s. We’d be excited to cast a real person/manager in this role if they worked. Not necessary though. Her scene will be filmed in one shot, so we need someone who we don’t have to cut around. The character though is savvy and good at getting things and people “handled”. She knows how to talk to all the different types of people she encounters (DJs, bouncers, bartenders, club-goers), how to keep everyone reasonably happy and how to get people to do their job. Maybe she’s a little burnt out by the job? We’d love to find some specificity with this character- maybe British? Maybe overweight? Not necessarily these things exactly- we just want her to feel lived in. 1 scene, 5 lines

 

[DANCING MAN] Dancing man, 25-35, is shorter, slight of frame, and has a real joie de vivre going for him, effeminate. It should be enjoyable to watch him dancing in the club just by nature of how much fun he is clearly having and how well he moves. He clearly has no inhibitions or self doubts, and it can be enjoyable to even just watch someone who has that kind of confidence. No physical match for Lou. So it feels even stranger when Lou gets up in his face. 2 scenes, 1 scripted line, other lines ad-libbed.

 

[BOUNCER/SECURITY] These two characters can merge into the same guy, mid 20s-mid 40s, depending on who we can find. We’d love for this to be someone real. Perhaps big and overweight? A kind hearted guy who is big nonetheless and would be pretty scary to have kick you out of a club. He doesn’t have to be overweight as long as he is interesting and real. 3 scenes, lines.

 

[FORMER MARINES] For this support group scene we would like to cast real Marines who have and can talk about their lived experiences. They should all be around Lou’s age, late 30s, some could be a little older or a little younger. We are looking for real people with interesting stories to tell in this support group. 1 scenes. All lines ad-libbed.

 

[FEMALE CLUB GOER] In her mid 20s, she’s a little buzzed and having a night with her friends. Pretty, doesn’t have any issues kinda hitting on Lou. In a VIP booth at the club, she shows interest in Lou immediately, but her friends pull her away for a photo. She asks him to wait. 1 scene. Lines will be ad-libbed.

 

[CHURCH WOMAN] Arabic or Armenian, in her 40s. Likely Arabic. Another member of the church community who has a sort of friendship with Mariam. She may also be an immigrant who moved with her family to California, but perhaps not from wartime Iraq. She is very involved with church boards and volunteer programs. This is because the Church gives her a sense of community. It is also the one place in her life where she is able to feel like she has a little bit of control and agency. (i.e. she’s a gossip). 1 scene, lines are ad-libbed

 

[JOSEPH] He is Middle Eastern, Iraqi, and specific. An interesting kid of 6 years old. At the very least it would be great if can speak Arabic. Iraqi Arabic is a specific dialect. Same language mostly, different sound. He plays with his brother in the yard. Dialogue will be ad-libbed. 2 SCENES. This project does not contain mature content in scenes involving minor talent. DO NOT SUBMIT IF THE CHILD CANNOT SPEAK ARABIC

 

[SAM] A Middle Eastern young boy, around 4, ideally Iraqi, who can speak some Iraqi. He plays in the yard with his brother and his lines will be ad-libbed. 2 SCENES. This project does not contain mature content in scenes involving minor talent.  DO NOT SUBMIT IF THE CHILD CANNOT SPEAK ARABIC

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TO SUBMIT FOR THIS PROJECT:

READ AND FOLLOW THE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS VERY CAREFULLY.

Failure to follow the instructions will likely result in your submission being lost, mis-filed or accidentally deleted.

 

- Email a recent headshot or photo and an acting resume or a list of any acting experience to the casting office.

- Include all contact information including:

-NAME

-EMAIL ADDRESS

-PHONE

-Age and DOB of any minors

-CITY/STATE of residence

-COUNTY of residence

 

-Make the subject heading of your email: TONE - (Name of Role).  Example:  TONE - Asaad



-Send the email to submit.freihofercasting@gmail.com

(If you do not send to the email address listed, your submission WILL NOT BE SEEN.)

-If you are selected to audition for the project, you will be contacted by email. Check emails regularly.

 

- NO PHONE CALLS