Claim: Whiplash is a film.

Whiplash is a 2014 American drama film written and directed by Damien Chazelle , depicting the relationship between an ambitious jazz student -LRB- Miles Teller -RRB- and an aggressive instructor -LRB- J. K. Simmons -RRB- . Paul Reiser co-stars as the student 's father . The film opened in limited release domestically in the US and Canada on October 10 , 2014 , gradually expanding to over 500 screens and finally closing after 24 weeks on March 26 , 2015 . Over this time the film grossed $ 49 million , against a production budget of $ 3.3 million .   Whiplash premiered in competition in the US Dramatic Category at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival on January 16 , 2014 , as the festival 's opening film . Sony Pictures Worldwide acquired the international distribution rights . At the 87th Academy Awards , Whiplash won Best Film Editing , Best Sound Mixing , and Best Supporting Actor for Simmons , and was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture .