The Anniversary party

The Anniversary party was co-directed, co-written and co-produced by actors Alan Cumming and Jennifer Jason Leigh, marking the latter’s directorial debut. The story centres on a married couple (Leigh and Cumming), who decide to hold a party to celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary. She is an aging actress past her prime; he is a writer set to direct the film version of his novel. Over the course of the day and the night guests come and go, consisting of friends, colleagues and neighbours, mostly Hollywood types involved in the film industry in some way or another. Having only recently re-united after a tumultuous period, both partners are to a degree on edge and eager to display the stability of their union. The status quo becomes increasingly tested over the course of the soiree as revelations threaten to destroy their re-established happiness. Having collaborated on the script for several years the two directors conceived the film as a low budget ensemble comedy/drama and this feature was originally shot on video. Stars: Alan Cumming, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kevin Klein, Jane Adams, Phoebe Cates, John C. Reilly, Parker Posey, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Beals.