Return to Eden

"Return to Eden" is a love story set in a time of rising fascism, in the polarized town of Eden, Oregon. Return to Eden refers to Josef Klein's return to America after several decades abroad, but return to Eden also refers to a longing for absolutes, for a return to paradise, which seems essential if we are to survive this time of darkness. A perspective he shares with the young girls he mentors, as a volunteer tennis coach at one of the local high schools, and a passion which is responsible for his deep sense of loneliness, a feeling of not belonging. Loneliness which is temporarily relieved when he meets Hope, a brilliant and equally lonely woman, who happens to be a dancer in Puritan Eden's only strip club. An unlikely and exhilarating friendship with tragic consequences.

Directed by Jeff Gross, Return to Eden leans on a strong ensemble — Gary Kohn, Claude Duhamel, Jim Kinney — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 0.