Margin Call

Margin Call is a 2011 American drama film written and directed by J. C. Chandor in his directorial debut. The story takes place over 24 hours 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 due to increased 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 WSF. 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 partly inspired by Chandor's own foray into real estate investments in NYC shortly before the financial crisis. The score was composed by Nathan Larson.