Kitty Green's new film The Assistant will make you see sexual misconduct in Hollywood in a whole new way

With Harvey Weinstein's trial still unfolding in the news, the accusations of sexual misconduct and sexual abuse in the entertainment industry have been top of mind for many. Now, one of the first films to deal with these allegations directly has made its debut.

The Assistant follows a day in the life of Jane (played by Julia Garner), a junior assistant who works for a powerful film producer at a production company. As she follows her daily routine, Jane grows increasingly aware of her boss' sexually predatory behaviour and her role in covering it up.

It's the first scripted feature from Australian writer-director Kitty Green, who's best known for her documentaries Ukraine Is Not a Brothel and Casting JonBenet. While her latest film is a work of fiction, Green conducted research that included interviewing more than 100 people who had worked as assistants in the entertainment and advertising industries.

She joined host Tom Power live in the q studio to discuss the film, what it's like to be releasing it during Weinstein's trial, and its importance in the #MeToo era.

The Assistant is out now in the U.S. It will hit theatres in Canada on Feb. 7 in Toronto and Montreal, Feb. 14 in Vancouver, and March 6 in Ottawa.

Download our podcast or click the 'Listen' link near the top of this page to hear the full conversation with Kitty Green.

— Produced by ​Cora Nijhawan