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Josh Margolin | Switzerland | USA | 2024
Filmmaker Josh Margolin brings to the silver screen his feature directorial debut based on a real-life experience of his grandmother in THELMA. He writes and directs a love letter to the world’s oldest generation, rarely celebrated on-screen for their aging, autonomy and the importance they put on family.
Many elderly people today can attest to the experience Margolin’s grandmother encountered from a phone scamming scheme. I know personally because it happened to my dad. Fortunately, he didn’t fall for the scam, but many did and for a long time it was one of the most lucrative scams in recent years.
Margolin says, “My grandmother has always been larger-than-life to me, and I felt compelled to dramatize her story with her trappings of a genre that captures her powerful spirit and celebrates her grit and tenacity—to action.” Adding, “I want the audience to feel these challenges viscerally, never making light of the strength it takes for the elderly of today to move through the modern world after all they have been through.”
Synopsis: Ninety-three-year-old Thelma Post (June Squibb) falls prey to a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, Daniel (Fred Hechinger). The caller exclaims that he is in trouble, needing her immediate financial help, and pleading not to tell his parents. Thelma sends the requested $10,000 cash to the address given to her.
Later in the day, Thelma realizes Daniel was not in trouble. Thelma’s ire is up! The strong, witty, and in-charge Thelma is confident she can handle her mishap for the good. Embarrassed that she fell for this elder-abuse scheme, she keeps the situation to herself, and calls on a long-time friend, Ben (Richard Roundtree) for help. Reluctant to go along with Thelma’s escapade due to the imminent dangers, Ben is forced to jump on board when Thelma steals his fancy high-powered scooter. Thelma ropes him into the harrowing journey across Los Angeles to bring justice to those responsible for the crime, and to get her money back.
Inspired by Tom Cruise’s MISSION IMPOSSIBLE films, Thelma has no fear and takes us on a wild ride as the relatable, new action hero of the aged.