BTTL Sponsors Gus Van Sant’s Dead Man’s Wire at Venice: A Dark, Surreal True-Crime Return

Sep 2, 2025

Breaking Through The Lens was honored to fiscally sponsor Gus Van Sant’s Dead Man’s Wire, which premiered out of competition at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival to enthusiastic reviews and a 13½-minute standing ovation. With BTTL Advisor Tiffany Boyle and former BTTL Jury Member Lee Broda serving as Executive Producers, the project represents both a bold cinematic statement and a collaboration that brought together a remarkable creative team.

The film marks Van Sant’s return to feature filmmaking and is based on the true story of Tony Kiritsis, who in 1977 held mortgage broker Richard Hall hostage in Indianapolis with a “dead man’s wire” shotgun rigged around his neck. Bill Skarsgård stars as Kiritsis, with Dacre Montgomery as Hall, Carey Elwes as Detective Michael Grable, Colman Domingo as radio DJ Fred Temple, Myha’la as a tenacious reporter, and Al Pacino in a cameo role as Hall’s father. The result is a stylized and unsettling portrait of media spectacle, public fascination, and blurred lines between justice and performance.

Critics highlighted the film’s audacious tone and ensemble performances. The Guardian praised it as “surreal and sharply composed,” while Variety described it as “a true-life thriller that totally plays in its hair-trigger way,” acknowledging Van Sant’s willingness to bend the facts in service of mood and theme. The Film Stage drew comparisons to Dog Day Afternoon, calling it “a lively ensemble piece” that embraces pulpy energy without losing its psychological weight. The Venice audience responded with fervor, delivering one of the festival’s longest ovations.

Produced by Elevated Films, Pressman Film, Balcony 9 Productions, Sobini Films, and more, Dead Man’s Wire has already secured North American distribution through Row K Entertainment, with an international rollout ahead. For us at BTTL, Venice was also a moment of connection: it was a pleasure to meet Producer Cassian Elwes, whose deep experience in independent cinema helped shepherd the project, as well as his brother Carey Elwes, who brings gravitas to his leading role in the film.

Dead Man’s Wire demonstrates Van Sant’s ability to transform true crime into a surreal, unsettling meditation on spectacle and power. With its bold creative choices, strong ensemble, and meaningful collaborations both on and off screen, the film is poised to resonate far beyond the Lido.