Amanda (Juliette Binoche) arrives at her mother’s place and finds her in bed with her stepfather Martin (Tom Courtenay). Martin has already been warned that he cannot have sex with Leslie (Anna Calder-Marshall), who suffers from advanced dementia. Shocked, Amanda decides to call the police.
A difficult moral conundrum lies ahead: to what extent has Leslie lost the ability to be conscious of her best interests? And if so, who has the right and responsibility to make decisions on her behalf – the spouse, the child, or the institution? How little do we actually understand about the consent and sexuality of the elderly? As Amanda and Martin make increasingly challenging decisions, the consequences of the situation begin to slip out of their control. At the same time, Amanda’s teenage daughter discovers her own desires. The finality of life and burst of youth intertwine in this profound tale of morality set in London.
Queen at Sea caused waves both in the audience and among critics at the Berlinale, where the uncompromising vision of director-writer-editor-producer Lance Hammer, based on years of background work, was awarded the Silver Bear, and veteran actors Tom Courtenay and Anna Calder-Marshall were recognized for their heartbreaking performances.
LANCE HAMMER (b. 1967) studied architecture at the University of Southern California before discovering his true calling in cinema. Prior to directing his debut feature, Ballast (2008), he worked as an art director on several major Hollywood blockbusters such as Batman and Robin (1997). Ballast went on to win the U.S. Dramatic Directing Award at the Sundance Film Festival, along with numerous other honors, establishing Hammer as one of the most exciting new voices in independent cinema. Eighteen years later, he returns with an uncompromising film Queen at Sea (2026) written specifically with Juliette Binoche in mind for the lead role.
Milja Mikkola