The House Is Burning is a 2006 German, English-language independent drama film, filmed in the United States and directed by Holger Ernst and starring John Diehl. The film did not secure a commercial theatrical release in the U.S., and failed to generate any recorded box office revenue.
Contents
Plot
Set over the course of a single sweltering day in a bleak New Jersey suburb, the film follows the lives of four disillusioned suburban youth struggling to find purpose. As the summer heat intensifies, their parallel struggles collide, leading to a series of volatile confrontations.
Cast
John Diehl as Mr. Garson
Melissa Leo as Mrs. Miller
Julianne Michelle as Terry
Robin Lord Taylor as Phil
Erik Jensen as Carl
Harley Adams as Steve Garson
Nicole Vicius as Valerie
Joe Petrilla as Mike Miller
Carson Grant as The Preacher
David Tennent as Jason
Emily Meade as Anne
Robert Scorrano as Army Recruiter
Jeff Green as Army Officer
Samantha Ressler as Stella Miller
Karen DiConcetto as Sharon
Polly Chung as Bank Officer
Production and budget
The House Is Burning was produced as an independent film, and filmed in the United States. The drama was produced on a small scale, with the production team noting that the film could only be financed because every single member of the cast agreed to reduce their fee in favor of a backend financial stake.
Release and box office
It was screened out of competition at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.
The film did not secure a commercial theatrical release in the U.S., and failed to generate any recorded box office revenue. Because it relied on a backend financing model where the cast agreed to deferred salaries tied to profit margins, the film's lack of commercial marketplace distribution meant the film did not yield any financial returns for its investors or cast members.