Editorial Staff
Anton Yelchin, Zooey Deschanel, John Hawkes, Ciaran Hinds and Ali Shawkat are set for “The Driftless Area”, a dark comedy from Zachary Sluser.
Presser follows :
Los Angeles, CA – April 23, 2014 – Unified Pictures and Bron Studios revealed today that Anton Yelchin (“Like Crazy,” “Only Lovers Left Alive,” “Star Trek”), three-time Golden Globe nominee Zooey Deschanel (“(500) Days of Summer,” “Elf,” “All the Real Girls”), Academy Award® nominee John Hawkes (“Sessions,” “Winter’s Bone,” “Lincoln”), Ciaran Hinds (“Munich,” “There Will Be Blood,” “Game of Thrones”) and Alia Shawkat (“Arrested Development,” “Cedar Rapids”) will star in the dark comedy “The Driftless Area.”
Adapted from award-winning author Tom Drury’s novel of the same title, “The Driftless Area” will be directed by Zachary Sluser, who co-wrote the screenplay with Drury.
The film is being produced by Keith Kjarval, through his Unified Pictures production/finance banner and Aaron L. Gilbert, via Bron Studios, in association with CW Media Finance. Nicole Romano at Anonymous Content manages Sluser and is Executive Producer on the film. International sales are being handled by Mimi Steinbauer’s Radiant Films, who will present the project to buyers at the Cannes Film Market in May. CAA, which packaged “Driftless Area,” represents the film’s domestic distribution rights.
“The Driftless Area” is an atmospheric dark comedy that centers on the enigmatic Stella (Zooey Deschanel) and Pierre (Anton Yelchin), a quietly resourceful bartender who returns to his hometown after the death of his parents. When Pierre falls in love with Stella, he is unwittingly drawn into a circle of fate pitting him against the volatile criminal Shane (John Hawkes).
Principal photography is scheduled to begin on May 14th in greater Vancouver.
“It is a great joy to be able to bring Tom Drury’s hauntingly beautiful story to life with such profoundly talented actors, all of whom have inspired me for years,” said Sluser.
Commented Kjarval, “We are quite excited about making this film as it is so darkly humorous and wrought with atmosphere and frankly, I am excited to be telling such a delicious story with some of my favorite actors.”
“Excited to see Bron and Unified team up again on what is a moving and comedic film, being brought to life by a dynamic young filmmaker Zachary Sluser,” said Gilbert.
Unified Pictures and Bron Studios most recently partnered on William H. Macy’s directorial debut “Rudderless,” (overseas rights also handled by Radiant Films International), which was just acquired by Paramount and Samuel Goldwyn Films for theatrical release. The film, which premiered to great acclaim at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, stars Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, Selena Gomez, Laurence Fishburne, and Felicity Huffman alongside Macy.
Unified’s latest film “Loitering with Intent,” starring Sam Rockwell, Marisa Tomei and Natasha Lyonne had its world premiering this past Friday night at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Bron Studios is currently in production in Massachusetts on the romantic comedy “Tumbledown,” starring Jason Sudeikis, Rebecca Hall, Dianna Agron, Blythe Danner, Griffin Dunne, Joe Manganiello and Richard Masur.
