Joseph Sperber's feature debut, the political murder mystery 'Behind Closed Doors,' has announced its cast as production starts in Los Angeles. The film stars Elijah Reed, Nick Samson, Melissa Alce, Christian Haines, and Charrell Mack. It unfolds in real time during a single night in 1979.
Writer and director Joseph Sperber's 'Behind Closed Doors' is now in production in Los Angeles. The cast includes Elijah Reed from 'Doom Patrol,' Nick Samson from 'Poser,' Melissa Alce from 'Matlock,' Christian Haines from 'Law & Order,' and Charrell Mack from 'The Pitt.' This marks Sperber's first feature film after his short 'Let Us Play,' which featured Doug Jones and screened at the LA Shorts International Film Festival. Producers Galileo Mondol and Carlos Lopes of BT Studios lead the project, with Aaron Schmidt and Martin Taube as director of photography. The story centers on a wounded federal agent, played by Haines, who collapses into his neighbor's apartment, played by Samson, sparking a nightmarish standoff amid Cold War tensions. Sperber described his excitement in a statement: “I’m very excited to tell this timely political story set in Washington, exploring truth and paranoia against the backdrop of the Cold War.” He highlighted the real-time format: “What particularly intrigues me from a suspense and cinematic standpoint is the idea of presenting the film in real time; immersing the audience as events unfold in a single location over the course of one night.” Mondol and Schmidt noted the challenge: “We were immediately drawn to Joseph’s political thriller because of the challenge it presented to us as producers. In a single-location story, there are no gimmicks to hide behind — every performance, creative decision, and technical element has to carry its weight.”
