The Headhunter's Sister

Scott Saunders won the Someone to Watch Award at the 1998 Independent Spirit Awards with this tale of a loosely connected group of friends, lovers, and relatives who interact in the midst of a brutal heat wave. Featuring a satisfyingly dense narrative, The Headhunter’s Sister is full of wild digressions and creative plot-twists. Ray (Bob McGrath) is the backbone of the film – a white-collar slacker who brings new meaning to “summer hours,” non-chalantly ducking work to soak up sun in Central Park. Meanwhile, Ray’s California-based sister Linda (Elizabeth Schofield) comes to New York for some brotherly love and winds up purging her demons with heroin after she meets Harlan (Michael Harris), an uncompromising addict. And Ray’s wife Teresa (Isabel Robayo) is a Colombian immigrant who earns money as a phone sex operator, despite her limited understanding of the English language. Ultimately, Theresa becomes frustrated by her inability to communicate with Ray and begins an affair with Luis (Roberto de la Pena), who is only interested in her money. This indie drama from IFC Films won top honors at the Seattle International, Florida, and Bangkok Film Festivals and is not to be missed.