'' Paint It Black '' is a 2016 American film directed by Amber Tamblyn and co-written with Ed Dougherty based on Janet Fitch 's 2006 novel of the same name . The film premiered at the 2016 LA Film Festival . A young artist commits suicide and the mother blames his girlfriend . After her boyfriend , Michael , ignores her for days , Josie ( Alia Shawkat ) , receives a phone call from the police informing her that he committed suicide at a motel . At the funeral she is attacked by Michael 's mother , Meredith ( Janet McTeer ) , who blames Josie for his death . Michael 's father , Cal , takes her out for drinks after the funeral to explain that Michael was heavily depressed and that he and Meredith had an unusually close relationship with Cal being regarded as the interloper
2016 LA Film Festival
LA Film Festival
Paint It Black (2016 film)