Margaret Qualley (Stars at Noon NZIFF 2022) and Christopher Abbott (Piercing NZIFF 2018) star as Rebecca and Hal, a dominatrix and her long-time submissive. Theirs is a connection founded on humiliation and degradation, so when Hal learns he is to become the CEO of his late father’s luxury hotel chain he concludes that the time for indulging in his fantasies of submission is over. He attempts to end his working relationship with Rebecca, but she is unconvinced. When they met, he was meek, insecure—it is only because of her efforts that he now has the self-confidence to perform as CEO, and doesn’t that surely entitle her to half his salary? Set over one night in one hotel room, what follows is an evening of quippy screwball tête-à-tête, blackmail and cat-and-mouse power plays.

View the full NZIFF 2023 programme at nziff.co.nz.