Augustus Meleo Bernstein’s new movie At the Gates is getting a November 3 theatrical release date in New York and Los Angeles from Picturehouse.
The Beacon Pictures and Five Towers production stars Miranda Otto, Noah Wyle, Ezekiel Pacheco, Vanessa Benavente and Sadie Anne Stanley. Bernstein wrote and directed in his feature debut.
In the movie, Ana (Benavente), a housekeeper from El Salvador, brings her teenage son Nico (Pacheco) to help her clean an affluent family’s Los Angeles home. But after being told by her employers Marianne (Otto) and Peter Barris (Wyle) that immigration officers are searching for her, she accepts the invitation to shelter in their house until the crisis blows over. As days go by and the interactions between the two families become increasingly tense, Nico begins to question their hosts’ true intentions.
The pic’s theatrical rollout follows several festival stops including New York Latino Film Festival, where it won the Best U.S. Narrative Prize, the Woodstock Film Festival, and SCAD Savannah Film Festival.
“At the Gates is a gripping combination of noir and political commentary that creates a tense and emotional ride,” says Bob Berney, CEO of Picturehouse. “Set in what could be the not-too-distant future, the film asks how far you would go to protect your family.”
Bernstein also produced along with Jhanvi Motla and Paulo Torre. The film’s cinematographer is Alan Torres, and Julia Newman composed the score. Executive producers are Colleen Camp, Berney, Armyan Bernstein and Rodrigo Garcia.
“I believe in the power of film to make social change,” Augustus Meleo Bernstein said. “I have tried to make a film with a lot of heart that is also a thrilling, captivating experience.”