The coming-of-age drama “If I Go Will They Miss Me,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, has landed at indie distributor Rich Spirit.
The nearly $1 million deal includes U.S. rights and some international territories. A theatrical release is also planned for the fall.
Walter Thompson Hernandez wrote and directed If I Go Will They Miss Me, starring Daniel Brooks, J. Alphonse Nicholson, and Bodie Dell. The film, based on Thompson-Hernandez’s short story of the same name, follows 12-year-old Lil Ant (Del), who begins to experience strange hallucinations as he struggles to connect with his distant father (Nicholson).
“It was such a dream to premiere ‘If I Go Will They Miss Me’ at Sundance, and I’m so grateful to be partnering with Rich Spirit on this next chapter,” Thompson-Hernandez said in a statement. “This film was a labor of love from start to finish. I’m so proud of our team and can’t wait for audiences to experience this story in theaters.”
If I Go Will They Miss Me received critical acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival, with Variety’s chief film critic Peter DeBruge calling Thompson-Hernandez a “remarkable talent” and praising the film as “a unique Sundance discovery.”
“If I Go Will They Miss Me” was produced by Josh Peters, Saba Zelehi and Ben Stillman. Executive producers include Robina Riccitiello, Steve Beckman, Isaac Erickson, Jennifer J. Pritzker, Sako Fisher, Meredith Crowley, Jonathan Weiner, Grace Ray, Tyler Bagley, Jack Chinnery, Ryan Lin, Brooks, and Nicholson. Jon Batiste recorded a cover of “This Bitter Earth” for the film and served as executive producer.
The deal was negotiated by Brands Brennan Berry Picklin & Jacobs LLP and Eugene Picklin of UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers and Rich Spirit.
“Rich Spirit,” directed by James Shani, gained Hollywood attention with the well-received but controversial Donald Trump biopic “The Apprentice,” but struggled to get distribution. The company’s second release is “BLKNWS: Terms of Use,” a documentary described as “an ongoing art project that blurs the lines between art, journalism, entrepreneurship, and cultural critique.”
