A renowned, Oscar-nominated producer of acclaimed independent films including Little Miss Sunshine and Safety Not Guaranteed, Marc Turtletaub has made his second feature directorial outing with the Sundance-premiering Puzzle. The film follows Agnes (Kelly Macdonald), a suburban mother who is taken for granted by her family. Her turning point comes as she stumbles upon Robert (Irrfan Khan) and his exciting world of jigsaw puzzle competitions that reanimates her life.
When Turtletaub read Oren Moverman’s compelling script, there was nothing to puzzle over. “I read an enormous amount of screenplays, and I had been looking for the next project for myself,” Turtletaub told Deadline at Sundance, with Macdonald, Khan and David Denman also in attendance. “It was the writing and the subject matter that touched me.”
The same could be said for Khan, who had been hungry of late for a different kind of cinematic experience. “The writing just created a spell on me, the simplicity of it and the way it contains the complexity of life, and human beings,” the actor said. “I’ve been doing these big studio movies, so I was looking for a movie which is more intimate, more personal.”
To hear more from Deadline’s conversation with the Puzzle team—as Macdonald discusses her nerves in taking on the film’s leading role—click above.
The Deadline Studio is presented by Hyundai. Special thanks to Calii Love.
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