The thriller Soft and Quiet, which plays out in real time, follows a single afternoon in the life of an elementary school teacher as she organizes a mixer of like-minded women. When the group heads home, the teacher encounters a woman from her past, leading to a volatile chain of events.
Soft & Quiet is a 2022 American horror thriller film written, produced and directed by Beth de Araújo in her directorial debut. It stars Stefanie Estes and Olivia Luccardi. Jason Blum serves as an executive producer under his Blumhouse Productions banner. The film premiered in the narrative competition at South by Southwest Film Festival on March 12, 2022. It was released on November 4, 2022, by Momentum Pictures.
About the Story
Kindergarten teacher Emily organizes the first-time meeting of the “Daughters for Aryan Unity”, an organization of white supremacist Caucasian women, which includes ex-convict Leslie, small grocer owner Kim, and disgruntled retail worker Marjorie. The members present have various grievances against immigrants, minorities, Jews, feminists, inclusion policies such as diversity quotas, and organizations such as Black Lives Matter. The meeting, held in a church, is cut short when the church pastor, uncomfortable with the topic of the group, threatens Emily into leaving. To save face, Emily decides to invite the others to her home; Leslie, Kim, and Marjorie accept.
The four travel to Kim’s store for food and drink. While Emily is selecting wine, Asian-American sisters Anne and Lily arrive. Unaware that the shop was closed, they attempt to purchase wine, but are refused service by Kim. Lily confronts Kim refusing service, causing Emily to intervene.
Anne attempts to defuse the situation, only to be intimidated by Emily into purchasing the most expensive item available. As the two sisters leave, Marjorie initiates a verbal confrontation with Anne which degenerates into violence. Kim arms herself with a pistol and forces the sisters out at gunpoint; while leaving Lily taunts Emily about her brother, who is currently in a county correctional facility serving time for rape.
Emily’s husband Craig arrives and attempts to defuse the situation, but Leslie, who is incensed, suggests going to Anne’s home to vandalize the property and steal her passport. Craig initially refuses, but is browbeaten by Emily into going along. The four women along with Craig arrive at Anne’s home and perform acts of petty vandalism before Kim finds Anne’s passport. Before they can leave, Anne and Lily suddenly arrive home and discover the intruders. Confused and unsure of what to do, the home invaders bind and gag Anne and Lily at gunpoint and discuss their options. Unable to condone the situation, Craig leaves.
Leslie suggests cleaning up the property to remove physical evidence of their presence and intimidating the sisters to keep them quiet. While drinking, Leslie and Marjorie beat Anne and Lily and force-feed Lily various food and drink. Lily begins choking; the women remove Anne’s gag and she explains that Lily has a peanut allergy. Leslie finds an epi-pen too late and Lily dies from the allergic reaction.
The group begins infighting due to this development; Kim and Marjorie want to leave immediately while Emily insists they need to remove the physical evidence. Leslie suggests making it look like a rape to make it seem less likely a group of women committed the attack, and then sexually assaults Anne with a carrot while the other three women clean up the crime scene. Leslie then suffocates Anne with a pillow.
Soft and Quiet (2022)
Directed by: Beth de Araújo
Starring: Stefanie Estes, Olivia Luccardi, Dana Millican, Melissa Paulo, Eleanore Pienta, Cissy Ly, Jon Beavers, Jayden Leavitt, Shannon Mahoney, Rebekah Wiggins, Nina E. Jordan, Josh Peters
Screenplay by: Beth de Araújo
Production Design by: Tom Castronovo
Cinematography by: Greta Zozula
Film Editing by: Lindsay Armstrong
Costume Design by: Bridget Bruce, Jillian Johns
Makeup Department: Amber Jahn
Music by: Miles Ross
MPAA Rating: R for disturbing racial violence including rape and pervasive language including offensive slurs.
Distributed by: Momentum Pictures
Release Date: March 12, 2022 (SXSW), November 4, 2022 (United States)
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