DEADLINE EXCLUSIVE: Vertical has picked up rights to the crime thriller Mother’s Milk, directed by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte (As You Are), with plans to distribute it in North America, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The film in which two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby) stars opposite Olivia Cooke (House of the Dragon) and Jack Reynor (Midsommar) will hit theaters across North America beginning September 1, debuting in the other territories shortly thereafter.
Written by Joris-Peyrafitte and Madison Harrison, Mother’s Milk follows journalist Marissa Bennings (Swank) who, after the murder of her estranged son, forms an unlikely alliance with his pregnant girlfriend Paige (Cooke) to track down those responsible for his death. Together they confront a world of corruption and drugs in the underbelly of a small city in upstate New York. And as they get closer to the truth, they unearth an even darker secret.
Also starring Dilone, Hopper Penn, Norm Lewis and Karen Aldridge, the film is produced by Shaun Sanghani of SSS Entertainment, as well as Siena Oberman of Artemis Pictures and Emma Tillinger Koskoff of First Love Films. Swank and Joris-Peyrafitte exec produced along with Peter Winther, Luke Daniels, Brent Stiefel and Justin Lothrop of Votiv Films, Lizzie Friedman, Karen Lauder and Greg Little of Priority Pictures, Peter Jarowey and Rich Goldberg of Vertical, and Jeffrey Giles and Michael Lurie of The Syndicate.
Sanghani’s SSS Film Capital financed the pic, with his sales banner The Syndicate handling worldwide sales, co-repping domestic with UTA Independent.
Said Mother’s Milk‘s producers of the acquisition, “Vertical has had success with exclusive theatrical releases on several of their recent titles and when we heard they wanted to go down this same path with us, we were thrilled. It’s apparent we all share the same passion and confidence in this beautiful, engaging film that Miles has crafted behind our amazing actors and their top-notch performances.”
“This film will capture your attention from the very first moment,” added Vertical Partner Jarowey. “Hilary and Olivia’s performances are perfection, leaving your heart racing with every twist and turn. It’s a thrill to re-team with producer Shaun Sanghani and be working with Miles again who has delivered a performance driven narrative that is on the pulse of current events here in the US and around the world. We know audiences will be riveted once they are able to see it in theaters this summer.”
Jarowey and Senior Vice President of Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi negotiated the deal for Vertical, with The Syndicate and UTA Independent on behalf of the production.