As the 73rd Berlin Film Festival rolls into its first weekend, one of the buzziest titles on the ground is the taut political thriller Reality, starring Euphoria and White Lotus breakout Sydney Sweeney.
The film debuted in the festival’s sidebar Panorama section Saturday evening and has since received widespread acclaim from critics and the wider festival crowd. In Deadline’s review, Damon Wise described the pic as an “astonishingly effective docu-drama hybrid.”
The story follows the real-life U.S. whistleblower Reality Winner, a former intelligence officer who was given the longest prison sentence ever imposed for the unauthorized release of classified material (five years and three months). Winner had passed documents to the media in 2018 about Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. elections.
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Sweeney portrays Winner in the film from director Tina Satter, who adapted the screenplay with James Paul Dallas from her own 2021 Broadway play Is This A Room.
The drama opens on a Saturday afternoon in June 2017 when 25-year-old Winner was confronted at her Georgia home by the FBI. Over a tense 85 minutes, the pic follows the cryptic conversation that took place between Winner and the FBI agents.
Shortly after the film’s debut, Sweeney and Satter spoke to Deadline in Berlin about how they crafted the thriller, the early positive response from audiences, and whether the real Reality Winner has seen the film.
Sweeney also teased her upcoming horror film Immaculate, which Deadline this week revealed also co-stars Simona Tabasco (The White Lotus).
DEADLINE: It’s the morning after the premiere, and you got rave reviews. How does it feel?
TINA SATTER: Pretty damn good! We put a lot of work into this for a long time. And then to have the film be received like this is super meaningful and exciting.
SYDNEY SWEENEY: It’s a bit surreal. As Tina said, we worked so hard. It was such a short shoot…
DEADLINE: How long was the shoot?
SWEENEY: 16 days, and everyone puts so much into the process, so it’s beautiful to have the premiere here and see the reviews we’re getting.
DEADLINE: Sydney, I heard you met the real-life Reality Winner. How was that experience, and what did you speak about?
SWEENEY: Yeah, when I booked the film, Tina put us in contact, and I started texting her and asked to talk more in-depth. So we zoom’d for a couple of hours. I want to respect her privacy and keep our conversation private. But I learned so much about her world, and I tried to take on as much as I possibly could as an actor.
DEADLINE: Has Reality seen the film?
SWEENEY: Her family has. Her mom, dad, and sister are here in Berlin.
DEADLINE: What did they think?
SWEENEY: They made me cry last night. It was a special moment. They said such kind things. It was really amazing.
DEADLINE: Are there plans to screen the film for Reality?
SWEENEY: It was such a big moment in her life that had so many consequences. So for anybody having to go back and relive something like that, it would be traumatizing, so she’ll take her time with it. But she talks to us. She’s supportive.
DEADLINE: Tina, why was Sydney the right choice for this role?
SATTER: I’d seen her perform in things and thought she was excellent, and there was something about Sydney as a new young American actress that was interesting to me. She hadn’t read for the role when we first met on Zoom, but talking to her, she was so intelligent and down to earth. And then, once we got down to work, it was great.
DEADLINE: What do you both think this film says about America and law enforcement in general?
SATTER: It says things are complicated. As democracies change, how do the structures of the state continue to support people in a humane way? Let’s look at how citizens get treated. Let’s pay attention to the fabric of our democracy.
DEADLINE: Sydney, you’ll be most familiar to audiences for your performances in Euphoria. Traditionally, it’s considered difficult for an actor to move from TV to the big screen. How are you finding the transition?
SWEENEY: I’m still feeling it out. And Reality is the first film I’ve taken on where I’m the lead. So it’s a new territorial space for me to investigate. But I’m loving it. Between seasons two and three of Euphoria, I’ve just been packing in films, because it’s so much fun to play all these different characters. That’s the main reason I want to be an actress.
DEADLINE: What’s next for you both?
SWEENEY: On Friday, I wrapped a movie that I produced called Immaculate. I filmed it in Rome.
DEADLINE: The horror film with Simona Tabasco from ‘The White Lotus’ season two?
SWEENEY: Yes, so that wrapped on Friday. And then before that, I did Madame Web for Sony and Marvel. And Monday, I’m leaving for Australia, where I start filming a rom-com for Sony that I’m also producing.
DEADLINE: What can audiences expect from a Sydney Sweeney horror film?
SWEENEY: It’s madness. I go unhinged, which always is fun. But it’s also beautiful. I really wanted to make sure that it was a beautifully shot horror film because we were filming in such a beautiful location. Rome is stunning, so I wanted to do the locations justice.
DEADLINE: Why have you also decided to move into producing?
SWEENEY: I’ve always loved building my characters, and I also wanted to build worlds, so I love being involved in the creative process behind the camera before the actors show up. I love learning about the mechanics behind films and TV shows.
DEADLINE: Tina, will you be coming back to the big screen?
SATTER: Yes! There are a couple of things to come, but we’re still in the early stages.
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