In our world today, many people have certain issues and mental illnesses that range from a cry for help to loneliness and the need to reach out to a helpline in The Listener.

During the pandemic, writer Alessandro Camon was inspired to create this human story to address mental illnesses, with Steve Buscemi (Fargo, Ghost World) directing and Tessa Thompson (Creed, Thor: Ragnarok) in the starring role.

The cast includes an all-star lineup who lend their voices speaking to the operator, including Logan Marshall-Green (The Invitation, Upgrade), Derek Cecil (House of Cards, The Outsider), Margaret Cho (30 Rock, All-American Girl), Blu Del Barrio (Star Trek: Discovery, Starfield), Ricky Velez (The King of Staten Island, I Love My Dad), Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development, The To Do List), Jamie Hector (Bosch, All Eyez on Me), Casey Wilson (Gone Girl, Ass Backwards), Bobby Soto (The Tax Collector, A Million Miles Away), and Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona, The Town).

Here is the official synopsis:

Directed by Steve Buscemim and starring Tessa Thompson as Beth, a helpline volunteer who is part of the small army that gets on the phone every night across America, fielding calls from all kinds of people feeling lonely, broken, and hopeless. Over the last year, the tide has become a tsunami. As Beth goes through her shift, the stakes rise: is this the night she will lose someone? Save someone? Eventually, Beth’s own story comes to light, revealing why she does it. All along we remain with her: listening, comforting, connecting—patching the world back together, one stitch at a time.

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LRM Online’s Gig Patta chatted with writer Alessandro Camon about the origination of the film, helpline volunteers, the pandemic, mental illness, and nearly a one-person film.

Alessandro Camon is a producer and writer born in Italy and now residing in Los Angeles. He wrote with Oren Moverman on the screenplay of The Messenger, which was nominated for an Academy Award. His other producing credits included Owning Mahowny, Thank You For Smoking, The Cooler, Bad Lieutenant: New Orleans, and Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. His other writing credits included the award-winning play Time Alone, which is currently being worked on as a film set to be directed by Camon.

The Listener is currently available VOD.

Watch the exclusive interview with Alessandro Camon below. Let us know what you think of the interview.

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Source: LRM Online Exclusive, Vertical