The Case Against 8
Cotner and White's documentary is a battlefield report from the public and court-room fight to repeal a California Constitutional amendment that forbids marriages between same sex couples. At stake is not only the fulfilment of same sex couples’ dreams but also the definition of family and equality for all. The filmmakers are anything but cold and distant to the subject matter and opt instead for total emotional engagement, fountains of tears and Hollywood pathos. They willingly use court-room drama schematics and favorably portray certain figures, observe preparations for litigious scuffles and scrupulously build tension. They reconstruct court-room antics, show the fear and uncertainty, and prolong emotional moments. Their story gets additional flamboyance as another chapter in the civil rights struggle ongoing for years in the United States.
awards
RiverRun IFF 2014 – Audience Choice Award, Jury Prize; SXSW FF 2014 – Audience Award; Sundance FF 2014 – Directing Award; Vail FF 2014 – Festival Award
Ben Cotner
Graduated from Pitzer College. He spent 10 years as an executive at Paramount Pictures and Open Road Films handling acquisition and production. His dossier includes work on films such as Davis Guggenheim’s An Inconvenient Truth, Steven Soderbergh’s Side Effects, Joe Carnahan’s The Grey and David Ayer’s End of Watch.His award-winning documentary co-directed with Ryan White, The Case Against 8, is his directorial debut.
Filmography
2014 Sprawa przeciwko ósemce / The Case Against 8 (co-dir., doc.)
Ryan White
Documentary filmmaker who began his career as the co-director of a film about soccer, Pelada. He later directed Good Ol’ Freda, about Fred Kelly, secretary to the The Beatles. White’s biggest hit is his coproduction with Ben Cotner, The Case Against 8, which garnered awards at Sundance and SXSW, and is predicted by many to be an Oscar favorite.
Filmography
2010 Pelada – futbol bez granic / Pelada (co-dir, doc.)
2013 Good Ol’ Freda (doc.)
2014 Sprawa przeciwko ósemce / The Case Against 8 (co-dir., doc.)
