From wrongful convictions to personal redemption, CULPRIT delivers a psychological gut punch that keeps audiences guessing until the very end. Released on February 28th across major streaming platforms—including Apple, Prime Video, Google Play, and VOD—the indie thriller directed by Rich Ronat unfolds like a high-stakes chess match between justice and vengeance. Starring Jamie Donovan (Lethal Weapon 4), Laura Vale (Desperate Housewives), Ron Orbach, Carolyn Mignini, and Michael Dempsey, the film takes inspiration from real-life cases of exoneration, channeling the emotional and psychological toll of those freed after being wrongfully imprisoned. 

Ronat, known for his work on Grand Isle and American Sicario, co-wrote the script with lead actor Jamie Donovan. The film follows Jack, a man exonerated for a murder he claims he didn’t commit. But freedom comes at a cost—Jack finds himself relentlessly harassed, his name still tainted by doubt. Determined to clear his name once and for all, he teams up with the victim’s sister (Vale) to uncover the real murderer, setting off a taut and unpredictable game of cat and mouse. 

Photography Credit: Ben Cope

The Psychology of Innocence and Guilt 

To authentically capture the emotional weight of exoneration, Ronat immersed himself in the stories of real-life individuals who had been freed after wrongful convictions. “Each one of them had different issues with freedom,” he explains. “I found that really interesting from a character perspective.” That deep dive into post-exoneration struggles adds a rawness to CULPRIT, making Jack’s journey feel intensely personal and layered with complexity. 

The Art of the Indie Thriller 

Indie thrillers live or die by their tension, and CULPRIT thrives on an ever-shifting sense of certainty. Is Jack guilty? Innocent? Ronat plays with audience expectations, refusing to let them settle into one answer for too long. “Keeping that tension was crucial to hooking the audience,” he says. “It was a lot of fun to explore—he’s innocent. He’s guilty. Oh wait. Maybe he’s innocent.” 

Ronat credits his long-standing creative partnership with Jamie Donovan for making the storytelling so fluid. The two share a history, having studied under the same acting teacher years ago. That shared creative language allowed them to build CULPRIT’s protagonist with precision, balancing vulnerability with ambiguity. “It really helped that we both understood the character from the inside out,” Ronat notes. 

Overcoming Hurdles and Maintaining Creative Integrity 

Bringing CULPRIT from script to screen wasn’t without challenges—most notably, the industry-wide SAG strike, which forced production to halt indefinitely. “We didn’t know if we’d get permission to continue,” Ronat recalls. “Luckily, we did, but for a while, it was up in the air.” 

Beyond logistical hurdles, Ronat is passionate about maintaining “creative purity” in indie filmmaking. For him, storytelling should always take priority over industry politics or social media noise. “An audience watches a film because they want to get involved in the story,” he asserts. “Not because of what an actor said on Twitter nine years ago.” 

Building His Own Table: Good Rebel Pictures 

Determined to have greater control over his projects, Ronat co-founded Good Rebel Pictures with CULPRIT co-star Laura Vale. The decision was born from frustration. “I had five films made as a writer, but I never felt like what I had written truly came through,” he explains. Meanwhile, Vale, a seasoned actress, had long been overlooked for lead roles. Together, they set out to create a company that would champion their vision without compromise. “We don’t have to ask for a seat at the table—we’re building our own.” 

What’s Next? 

With CULPRIT now available to audiences, Ronat is already deep into his next projects. Good Rebel Pictures has just wrapped The Clutterbucks, a dark comedy set in the future, which will hit the festival circuit later this year. Up next? Seven Suspects, a high-budget thriller currently in the casting phase. 

Photography Credit: Ben Cope

As for advice to his younger self, Ronat keeps it simple: “Stay true to what you believe. Don’t let money or opinions dictate what you should do.” In an industry that often forces creatives to compromise, CULPRIT stands as proof that staying true to the story—and trusting the audience to follow—is a gamble worth taking.