The Tested 2010 Film
This was the official website for the 2010 film, The Tested.
The content is from the site's 2010 archived pages and other outside sources.
SYNOPSIS
A life shattering tragedy sends three people on vastly different paths to a similar goal of redemption and understanding.
One year ago, plain clothes cop, JULIAN VARONE gunned down an unarmed teen. DARRAYLYNN WARREN, the teen's mother, has spiraled into a pit of despair, while his brother, DRE, flirts with ganglife. As Julian prepares to get back to work, the three realize they cannot find closure without the other.
Along with those themes the film explores loss, revenge, and injustice. And the complex relationship between a mother and son who are dealing with the death of a family member. Being a 16 year old male and having to deal with his thirtysomething mother is already difficult, they just don't seem to speak the same language. But because of the death in their family a constant push-pull struggle ensues. He feels the need to grow up and become a man, while her needs are bit more complex - she wants him to step up as the head of the household and yet is still very protective of him. The fact that she is still grieving makes it nearly impossible for this relationship to fully blossom. After a mother already loses one of her sons, how can the remaining son carry all the responsibilities of the family? But there's another side to all of this as well. How can the cop live with shooting an innocent kid? How do they all move past the tragedy and find their way through?
- AUNJANUE ELLIS (Darraylynn Warren)
- ARMANDO RIESCO (Julian Varone)
- FRANK VINCENT (Lieutenant Marino)
- MICHAEL MORRIS JR. (Dre Warren)
- ANNIE PARISSE (Lisa Varone)
- NATHAN CORBETT (Curtis)
- TOBIAS TRUVILLION (James)
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
"The Tested" has been with me for sometime. Something has happened over the past decade to really make me take notice of a certain part of this city that I didn't know all that well.
Nine years ago I moved into Manhattan - Gramercy Park, to be more specific.. Gramercy, if you don't know, is one of the nicest areas in all of New York City. But something that I'm sure you don't know is that it houses one of the Top 12 Most Dangerous Schools in the entire city (according to the New York State Department of Education). This statistic, coupled with a horrifying incident involving a pregnant woman walking past the school who was bludgeoned by a stool thrown out of a 6th floor window, really got my interest.
It made me think about what causes someone to act so violently, or how terrifying it'd be to attend one of New York's toughest high schools. How do you learn? How do you progress? When I went to high school my biggest concern was having to get through "Beowulf" - these kids have to worry about getting stabbed!
- RUSSELL COSTANZO (Writer/Director)
- MELISSA B. MILLER (Producer)
- W. MICHAEL WEINSTEIN (Executive Producer)
- RAYMOND K. JAVDAN, ESQ.
(Legal Counsel/Executive Producer) - STEVEN PRIGGE (Executive Producer)
- FRANK VINCENT (Co-Producer)
- RODNEY C. PARNTHER (Consulting Producer)
- MICHAEL TAYLOR (co - editor)
- CHRIS SCARAFILE (Director of Photography)
- ALEX BROOK LYNN (Production Designer)
- REBECCA MUH (Costume Designer)
- ANDREW MELNYK (Production Sound Mixer)
- EVE BATTAGLIA (Casting Director)
BLOG POSTS
The Tested will be available on Netflix, Itunes, Amazon, etc. on July 24th. We couldn't be more excited and we hope you'll stay home and watch it. Then tell your friends to stay home and watch it.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2012
An Editor, Producer, and Director walk into BAM
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2012
This joint is Jumping
One of the highlights of the evening was when the principal of PS 131 announced the 5 high school winners of the Film Study Awards for comedy short films. In addition to the certificates, the winners also received T shirts of the Joker character from this Batman store. Just watching the proud, smiling young film makers standing on stage, wearing these prized t shirts brought tears to my eyes.
You know it's a great screening when the festival organizers have to kick you out of the theater because they have to prep for the next one.
It was so nice to have Aunjanue, Michael, and Tobias there and a bunch of the crew.
And thanks to Filmmaker Mag for the shout out!
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2012
Brooklyn's Gotta Have It!
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2012
Newly released clip from The Tested!
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2012
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2011
The Tested at BAM!
The Tested screens at BAM Friday, February 17th at 6:50pm and Sunday February 19th at 2pm. Q and A with director Russell Costanzo and actress Aunjanue Ellis after screening.
As part of its New Voices in Black Cinema series, BAMcinematek will screen tomorrow The Tested, Russell Costanza’s debut feature that was developed as part of the IFP Narrative Lab. The film is tough and ambitious New York drama, the kind of film Sidney Lumet might have made at one point, and it deals with both institutional racism and the struggle to achieve forgiveness. It also boasts an amazing performance by Aunjanue Ellis (pictured). This is a film that has flown a bit too much under the radar and is well worth checking out. The trailer is below, and tickets can be bought at BAM.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2011
Great Response at Our Image Film & Arts Fest
A quote from OUR IMAGE FILM & ARTS FESTIVAL
An audience favorite!! The audience actually held an hour long discussion of the film after the screening. They loved the "complexity of the characters; the accurate portrayal of how a life of deep poverty & injustice can lead to extremely difficult choices; the powerful writing, directing, and performances....." They also all agreed that although difficult to watch, this is story that needed to be told.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2011
HOUSTON THEN DENVER
The Tested screens in Houston next week than off to Denver where the film and the director Russell Costanzo is compared to Sidney Lumet and Spike Lee.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2011
The Tested Going International
The Tested will be screening in Quebec at the Cinema Du Parc as part of the Montreal Black Film Fest.
If you happen to be there:
screenings:
Sunday, September 25th at 5pm
Monday, September 26th at 9pm
ABOUT ME
THE TESTED
- NEW YORK
- CITY
- Directed
- by Russell Costanzo and Produced by Melissa B. Miller: A life shattering tragedy sends three people on vastly different paths to a similar goal of redemption and understanding