'Ex-Husbands' Shines at San Sebastian Film Festival Premiere

Noah Pritzker's deeply personal father and son story, Ex-Husbands (also known as Men of Divorce), made its world premiere in competition at the esteemed San Sebastian Film Festival this Sunday. As one of the few U.S. productions in attendance, this film was able to bring its cast along, thanks to an interim agreement with SAG-AFTRA.

In Ex-Husbands, Griffin Dunne stars as a New York dentist grappling with his wife's request for a divorce after 35 long years of marriage. The narrative unfolds alongside his sons, played by James Norton and Miles Heizer. On a trip intended to provide relief from his troubles, the father unwittingly journeyed to the Mexican resort of Tulum. Coincidentally, that weekend was also hosting his oldest son's bachelor party, upon which a broader family crisis reveals itself.

The film, which dissects family bonds and questions about love, life, and death, was warmly received by the predominantly Spanish press. The premiere was held at an 8.30 am screening on Sunday morning and was followed by a gala screening that same evening.

Ex-Husbands was produced under the auspices of Academy Award winner Bruce Cohen (American Beauty). Co-producing credits belong to Alexandra Byer at Rathaus Films and Nicolás Celis at Mexico City-based Pimienta Films (Birds of Passage). This film is part of a select group, just under 500 independent feature productions, to have earned a SAG-AFTRA Agreement since the Actors’ Strike on July 14.

During the festival, Pritzker shared how the interim agreement was instrumental to the success of an independent production like Ex-Husbands. Dunne, also an executive producer for the movie, shared that he consulted with SAG before joining the festival tour. He revealed that the film, independently financed and without a distributor at the time, was not integral to the major issues SAG was negotiating, so his participation had the organization's blessings.

Now, moving from the raw meat of the news onto the juicy tidbits. The inextricable bonds of family, the existential questions that haunt us, and the heart-tugging blend of comedy and drama - welcome to the world of Ex-Husbands. It’s an all-you-can-eat buffet of raw emotions and sublime storytelling wrapped in the tortilla of a single father’s journey.

Speaking of tortillas, there's an amusing twist of irony in a dentist enjoying a Mexican bachelor party - one too many margaritas and that could be a lot of dental work! And let's not forget about the birthday gift that unfortunately keeps giving: the divorce papers. Personally, I'd stick with a bad tie every single time.

Also, I can't help but raise a glass to Griffin Dunne, who not only plays a central role but also took on an executive producer mantle. Shuffling between two significant roles is not everyone's cup of tea (or should I say tequila?), but I guess if you've gone from playing a lawyer to a Supreme Court judge, the sky's the limit.

So while the acting world might be facing some tumultuous weather due to the strikes, I'd argue that Ex-Husbands serves as a beacon of light. It's a testament that stories can still be told, that the human spirit still persists, and that somewhere in between roles of parents and grandparents, actors can wolf down strength and inventiveness from every character they portray.

Cheers to the Ex-Husbands team - who not only managed to survive but thrive amidst industry-wide strikes, and in doing so, provided us with a film that explores the depths of human emotions with a healthy side of humor and warmth. In an industry where it's weather or not you survive the storm, here's hoping the forecast looks promising for these independent features. Sunny with a chance of more Ex-Husbands-like triumphs, perhaps?

Griffin Dunne, if you’re reading this, hope we get to see you playing a dentist at a return bachelor party in ‘Ex-Ex-Husbands’. Now that would be a sweet tooth kind of sequel. Guess for now, we’ll just have to sit tight and “brace” ourselves for more.