Margin Call (2011)

Margin Call is a 2011 American drama film written and directed by J. C. Chandor in his feature directorial debut. The principal story takes place over a 24-hour period at a large Wall Street investment bank during the initial stages of the 2008 financial crisis. It focuses on the actions taken by a group of employees during the subsequent financial collapse. The title is a reference to a 'margin call', the situation where a financial market participant must provide additional collateral for an existing financial market contract in response to increasing credit risk. The film stars an ensemble cast consisting of Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Mary McDonnell, Demi Moore, and Stanley Tucci.

The film was produced by Myriad Pictures, Benaroya Pictures and Before the Door Pictures. It was produced in association with Washington Square Films. Theatrically, it was distributed by Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions in North America, with Myriad handling international distribution through independent distributors. The director and screenwriter, J. C. Chandor, is the son of an investment banker; the screenplay was partially informed by Chandor's own foray into real estate investments in New York City shortly before the financial crash. The score was composed by Nathan Larson.

The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 25, 2011, and opened in theaters nationwide in the United States on October 21, 2011. It received positive critical reviews, and was nominated for several awards for its screenplay and direction, including a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. It won best first film at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards and best original screenplay at the San Francisco Film Critics Circle Awards in 2011. It grossed $2.5 million in domestic ticket sales after expanding to 178 theaters, and the film had a day-and-date release with video-on-demand sales that, based on early indicators, were comparable to theatrical ticket sales. The DVD and Blu-ray editions were released in the U.S. on December 20, 2011.