Radhika Apte Joins Sarah Megan Thomas and Stana Katic In “A Call To Spy”
IFC Films will release “A Call To Spy” in theaters and on VOD on October 2, 2020.
At the beginning of WWII, with Britain becoming desperate, Churchill orders his new spy agency – “SOE” – to recruit and train women as spies. Their daunting mission: conduct sabotage and build a resistance. SOE’s “Spymistress,” Vera Atkins (Stana Katic) recruits two unusual candidates: Virginia Hall (Sarah Megan Thomas), an ambitious American with a wooden leg, and Noor Inayat Khan (played by Radhika Apte), a Muslim pacifist.
Together, these women help to undermine the Nazi regime in France, leaving an unmistakable legacy in their wake. Inspired by true stories, this original screenplay draws on SOE, OSS (precursor to CIA), and CIA files, as well as interviews with living relatives.
This is the untold story about the personal sacrifice of courageous individuals who put their lives on the line to fight for freedom.
Directed by | Lydia Dean Pilcher
Produced by | Sarah Megan Thomas
Written by | Sarah Megan Thomas
Edited by | Paul Tothill
Cast | Sarah Megan Thomas, Stana Katic, Radhika Apte, Linus Roache, and Rossif Sutherland
The British were almost wholly unaware of what was going on in occupied France at the beginning of the war. Thus women, who would presumably not be doubted overmuch by the Nazis, were inducted into the espionage operations to learn about Nazi activities and undermine them if possible.
The trailer shows the would-be spies being considered first and then trained. We know the Soviets were fond of using women as spies, but that the British too used them, on a smaller scale, is not as well known. The movie looks compelling, both in terms of what it is about and also how it looks. This fascinating story has rarely been told in films.
“A Call to Spy” seems to be focusing on the characters instead of events, which is always welcome. We are presented with the context, but only in rudimentary terms to explain how dangerous the job was.
