Film News Roundup: Alicia Silverstone Comedy ‘Sister of the Groom’ Bought by Saban Films
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In today’s film news roundup, Alicia Silverstone’s “Sister of the Groom,” faith-based “Everyday Miracles” and South Korean drama “House of Hummingbiord” get distribution and the Indian horror movie “Lapachhapi” gets a Hindi remake.
ACQUISITIONS
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Saban Films has acquired North American rights to the Alicia Silverstone wedding comedy “Sister of the Groom” from Premiere Entertainment Group.
Written and directed by Amy Miller Gross, the film also co-stars Tom Everett Scott, Jake Hoffman and Mathilde Ollivier. Miller Gross produced for Mandorla Productions alongside Andrew Carlberg and Tim Harms.
Silverstone portrays a woman who tries to put a halt to her brother’s marriage to a much younger French woman over the course of their wedding weekend in the Hamptons. Silverstone served as executive producer and Justin Scutieri co-produced.
Charlie Bewley, Mark Blum, Julie Engelbrecht and Ronald Guttman are also in the cast. Silverstone and Everett Scott also previously appeared as a married couple in 2017’s “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul” for 20th Century Fox.
Jonathan Saba negotiated the deal for Saban Films along with Elias Axume and Devin Carter of Premiere Entertainment on behalf of the filmmakers. Premiere Entertainment handled worldwide sales.
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Cinedigm Corp has acquired all North American Distribution rights to Cotton Films’ faith-based “Everyday Miracles,” starring Gary Cole, Erik Smith and Zoe Perry, Variety has learned exclusively.
Written and directed by Marty Madden, “Everyday Miracles” centers on a reluctant faith healer (Smith) who is taken in by a horse rancher (Cole) and his family after escaping his troubled past. His new life is soon tested when his mother (Lusia Strus) comes to town, disrupting his progress and jeopardizing a possible future with his love interest, played by Perry.
The film is set to be released in September. “Everyday Miracles” was produced by James J. Bagley and Tom Tangen.
“If there was ever a time that we need stories of hope, this is it,” said Yolanda Macias of Cinedigm. “Films have the incredible power to move and inspire especially in times of trial. ‘Everyday Miracles’ is surely a film that families will enjoy watching together.”
VIRTUAL RELEASE
Kino Lorber and Well Go USA Entertainment have set a June 26 virtual theatrical release for the South Korean drama “House of Hummingbiord.”
The film, directed by Bora Kim, won three awards at its Tribeca Film Festival premiere, along with taking the Grand Prix for Best Feature Film (Generation 14+ category) at Berlinale and the Audience Award at the Busan International Film Festival.
The film centers around a 14-year-old portrayed by Ji-hu Park, who moves through life like a hummingbird searching for a taste of sweetness wherever she may find it. Ignored by her parents and abused by her brother, she finds her escape by roaming the neighborhood with her best friend, going on adventures, exploring young love and experiencing everything that accompanies growing up in a country on the brink of enormous change.
“We are delighted to welcome Well Go USA onto the Kino Marquee Platform,” said Wendy Lidell of Kino Lorber. “They are truly leaders in their field, and House of Hummingbird is a fitting first film for what I hope will be an ongoing collaboration.”
Tickets can be purchased through theatrical partner sites on www.KinoMarquee.com. Sales will help support participating art house cinemas while they are closed due to local restrictions designed to combat the spread of COVID-19.
REMAKE
Abundantia Entertainment of India and Crypt TV of the U.S. are collaborating on “Chhori,” the Hindi remake of the Indian horror film, “Lapachhapi” (translated from Marathi as “Hide and Seek”).
Nushrat Bharucha will play the lead role in the film and Vishal Furia, who directed the original, helms the Hindi remake as well.
The original “Lapachhapi” centered on young couple, forced out of their city home, seeking shelter in a house inside a haunted sugarcane field. Work on the script is currently underway with Vishal Kapoor, who also wrote the original.
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