“Dark, unnerving and thrilling, The Novice is poised to become a genre-breaking success. A film this raw made with such a steady, assured hand only comes along once in a while. We should take notice.”
Winner of the top prize at this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, The Novice is an intense psychological thriller that grips the viewer until its very last frame.
Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan), plays Alex Dall, a college freshman who begins to wildly unravel when her deep seated obsession with climbing the ranks of the varsity rowing team, no matter the cost, pushes her mind and body to a dangerous edge, while also alienating everyone around her. Furhman’s fierce lead performance collides with first-time feature filmmaker Lauren Hadaway’s bold direction and dynamic editing, creating a visceral look into a cutthroat world. With echoes of Black Swan and Whiplash, the film emerges as a propulsive, blistering cinematic experience examining the ultimate cost of achievement and excellence.