The ongoing actors strike has had a significant impact on this year’s American Film Market (AFM). The event, which takes place at the new headquarters in the Le Meriden Delfina hotel, has seen a significant decrease in the number of projects available for producers and sales agents to consider. The main issue is the difficulty in attaching well-known actors to projects until the actors union, SAG-AFTRA, reaches a new deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents streamers and major studios.
However, despite the strike-induced slowdown, the indie business is finding ways to continue moving forward. Several star-studded packages have been launched at AFM this week, proving that creativity and determination can prevail even in challenging circumstances.
The Syndicate is pitching a new thriller called “Turn Up the Sun!” from Welsh filmmaker Jamie Adams, starring James McAvoy. The film also features a talented European cast, including Lucas Bravo, Aisling Franciosi, and Almudena Amor. “Turn Up the Sun!” follows two couples who accidentally book the same countryside mansion for a weekend getaway, only to discover that things may not be as they seem. The thriller has already begun shooting in the U.K. under an Equity-PACT agreement.
Film Bridge International is set to produce an supernatural thriller titled “Killing Faith.” The film will feature Guy Pearce and DeWanda Wise in the lead roles, with Tim Roth in final negotiations to co-star. “Killing Faith” tells the story of an atheist doctor who agrees to escort a distressed mother, convinced her daughter is possessed by the devil, on a dangerous journey through a treacherous desert. The project has secured a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, allowing filming to start in New Mexico in January. Film Bridge has also closed multiple international pre-sales on the film, including deals with Signature Entertainment in the U.K., Umbrella Entertainment in Australia and New Zealand, and Falcon Films for the Middle East and North Africa.
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GFM Global Sales has launched “Robin and the Hood,” a family adventure comedy directed by Phil Hawkins. The film stars Naomie Harris as an unscrupulous land developer and Gwendoline Christie as an environmental activist. Mark Williams, known for his role as Arthur Weasley in the “Harry Potter” films, plays the town mayor. “Robin and the Hood” has completed principal photography and will be released in the U.K. and Ireland as a Sky Original on the Sky Cinema channel.
“Last Meals” is a new drama that has attracted the attention of Yellowstone star Kelly Reilly. She is currently in final negotiations to join Samuel L. Jackson and Boyd Holbrook in the cast. The film, directed by Tony-winner Kenny Leon, follows the story of Walter, a disgraced former White House chef, who finds himself cooking last meals for death row inmates thirty years after his fall from grace. David Strathairn is also in negotiations to join the project. “Last Meals” has secured a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement and is set to begin shooting in Atlanta on November 28th. The Solution is handling international sales on the film, with CAA Media Finance and Sentient representing domestic rights.
In addition to these films, the late Joan Didion, an American writer, is getting the biopic treatment. Matthew Wilder, known for his work on “American Martyr” and “Your Name Here,” is set to direct the film, which will focus on a dreamlike day in Didion’s life in 1960s California. The film will explore her encounters with the jailed Manson Family killers, Black Panther protestors, and Nancy Regan. Enfant Terrible, led by David Michaels, is producing and selling the yet-to-be-titled biopic, with plans to shoot the movie in Los Angeles next year.
Despite the ongoing actors strike and the challenges it presents, the indie film industry continues to thrive. Through creative solutions and determined efforts, filmmakers are finding ways to move forward and bring their projects to life. The packages launched at AFM demonstrate the resilience and adaptability of the independent film community, proving that even in challenging times, the show must go on.
