The feature film Prodigy makes its Netflix debut on Wednesday, August 22. This “little indie that could” has chugged all the way to the top of the streaming food chain. Released by Gravitas Ventures in March, the title performed so well On Demand, it caught the eye of the industry giant when it came time to find a more permanent home.
Prodigy is a contained, psychological thriller with some Twilight Zone-esq edge. Here is a brief synopsis:
A discrete branch of the military calls upon psychologist James Fonda to take the case of a dangerous patient, nine-year-old Ellie. As their session begins, the young girl dissects Dr. Fonda’s unconventional methods, revealing her genius-level intellect. Only by challenging her to a battle of wits does Fonda begin to unravel the supernatural mystery surrounding Ellie — a deadly secret that threatens to destroy them both. Prodigy wrapped an eventful festival run last year, accepting invites to nine festivals, including trips to Cinequest, Fantaspoa (Brazil) and Santa Cruz — where the film took home Best Narrative Feature honors. The film carried that success into its digital release, drawing a broad audience on Amazon, and maintaining a fresh Rotten Tomatoes score.
Written and directed by Alex Haughey and Brian Vidal, the film stars Richard Neil ( Veronica Mars , Horizon Zero Dawn ) and introduces 9-year-old Savannah Liles in the titular role. Savannah has received universal praise for her work, and recently won both a Young Entertainer and Young Artist Award for her performance as a “miniature Hannibal Lecter”.
