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Interview: Brit Marling Writes and Toplines Anarchist Thriller 'The East,' "an action film for a girl" (EXCLUSIVE VIDEO)

Interviews

Brit Marling is a fascinating example of a brainy talent who in 2009 turned her back on the financial security of Wall Street to follow her yen to make movies. She and her Georgetown buddy Zal Batmanglij, while they were unable to get work in film, spent that first summer trawling around the country with backpacks living off the grid with anarchist collectives, direct action groups and freegans, dumpster diving and train hopping, which later became rich fodder for their current film, their second together, the terrorist thriller "The East." See our flipcam interview and trailer below.

By Anne Thompson
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May 21, 2013 3:29 PM
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Video

Zal Batmanglij and Brit Marling team up for the second time in the espionage thriller "The East," which stars Marling, Ellen Page, Patricia Clarkson and Alexander Skarsgard. The pair previously collaborated on the screenplay for Batmanglij's debut film "Sound of My Voice," in which Marling also starred as a bewitching cult leader.

By Ryan Lattanzio
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April 26, 2013 1:08 PM
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Video

The first trailer for "The East," director Zal Batmanglij's follow-up to "Sound of My Voice," has landed via distributor Fox Searchlight. The film just debuted at Sundance (check out ThePlaylist's review here). Brit Marling, who also co-wrote the film, stars as a woman who infiltrates an anarchist group and quickly finds herself in over her head. Ellen Page, Alexander Skarsgard and Patricia Clarkson also star. Page voices the trailer, threatening terrorist attacks.

By Sophia Savage
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January 21, 2013 2:32 PM
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Video

Zal Batmanglij's Sundance 2011 Fest entry "Sound of My Voice," which he co-wrote and produced with the film's star, Brit Marling, who plays a charismatic cult leader, opens April 27. (Batmanglij's follow-up with Marling, "The East," is already in the can and will also be released by Fox Searchlight.) Take a look at the film's eerie first chapter.