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Exclusive: Nicolas Cage, FKA twigs, Noah Jupe and Souheila Yacoub are set to star in Egyptian-American director Lotfy Nathan’s The Carpenter’s Son exploring the rarely told story of the childhood of Jesus with a horror take.

Paris-based Cinenovo and L.A.-based Spacemaker are producing. Goodfellas is overseeing international sales apart from in North America, which it will co-rep with Anonymous Content and WME.

Nathan has taken inspiration from the apocryphal Infancy Gospel of Thomas for the screenplay. Dating back to the 2nd Century Ad, the text recounts the childhood of Jesus.

Per the official synopsis, “The Carpenter’s Son tells the dark story of a family hiding out in Roman Egypt. The son, known only as ‘the Boy’, is driven to doubt by another mysterious child and rebels against his guardian, the Carpenter, revealing inherent powers and a fate beyond his comprehension. As he exercises his own power,...

Exclusive: Principal photography has started in Tunisia on contemporary drama Contra, set in the aftermath of the powerful anti-government protests that provoked a wave of change in the region, known as the Arab spring.

The film (previously known as Before Spring) is being directed by Egyptian-British filmmaker Lotfy Nathan and will star French Tunisian actor Adam Bessa, known for his performances in recent action movies Mosul and Extraction.

A modern day parable about resistance, the film centers on the story of Ali, a young Tunisian who dreams of a better life, making a precarious living selling contraband gas at the local black market. When his father suddenly dies, he’s forced to take charge of his two younger sisters and their impending eviction. The movie will feature a combination of local actors and non-professionals.

Nathan’s narrative debut, shot on 35mm film, is being produced by Julie Viez (Long Day’s Journey Into Night...

Rlje Films has released the first trailer for Joe Keery’s social media satire “Spree,” six months after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival.

Music giant Drake, Adel “Future” Nur, Anthony Gonzales, Matte Babel and Alex Hughes are executive producers through Dreamcrew Entertainment. Eugene Kotlyarenko directed “Spree” with “Stranger Things” star Keery playing amoral rideshare driver Kurt Kunkle who becomes a murderer in pursuit of becoming a social media star by equipping his car with cameras for a live stream. Former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Sasheer Zamata and David Arquette also star and Kyle Mooney, Mischa Barton and Frankie Grande feature as characters in the film.

“Throughout his career, Drake has always made a point to support young creatives as well as provide opportunities and Dreamcrew Entertainment is an extension of this — embracing young, up and coming story tellers like Eugene who are given the backing so they can tell their stories uninhibited,...

Brian O’Shea makes second buy after Welcome To Chechnya.

In its second pick-up of a Sundance title, The Exchange has taken international sales rights to satire Spree and will launch sales at the Efm next week.

After Brian O’Shea and his team acquired sales rights to Sundance documentary Welcome To Chechnya, Spree complements a slate that include Noomi Rapace and Peter Dinklage thriller The Thicket.

AMC-owned Rlje snapped up North American rights to Spree in Park City and has guaranteed a theatrical release to the Next selection starring Joe Keery (Stranger Things), Sasheer Zamata (Saturday Night Live), David Arquette (Scream franchise), Kyle Mooney,...

Rlje Films is nearing a deal for the North American distribution rights to “Spree,” starring “Stranger Things” actor Joe Keery, an individual with knowledge of the deal tells TheWrap.

The film from director Eugene Kotlyarenko is executive produced by Drake and is a satire about the social media and tech age. “Spree” premiered last Friday at the Sundance Film Festival at the Marc theater in the Next section of the festival.

Rlje Films will release the movie theatrically.

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Keery plays a social media obsessed rideshare driver for a company called “Spree” who finds the perfect way to go viral by partaking in a murder spree all from the comfort of his car, which he’s decked out with livestream cameras. The only person who can stop him is a stand-up comedian with her own viral...

Exclusive: AMC-owned Rlje Films is closing a North American deal near $2 million at the Sundance Film Festival for Spree, an edgy gonzo satire that stars Stranger Things‘ Joe Keery, Sasheer Zamata, David Arquette, Kyle Mooney, Mischa Barton and Josh Ovalle. Pic premiered last Friday at the Marc and several entities bid.

Keery plays a disaffected young guy who seeks quick validation by engaging in a murder spree in a rideshare car, called Spree, and chronicling it on a Facebook-live type site called #TheLesson. He’s decked out his car with cameras for a nonstop livestream full of killer entertainment. In the middle of all this madness, a stand-up comedian with her own viral agenda, Jessie Adams, crosses his path and becomes our only hope to put a stop to his misguided carnage.

Prolific indie director Eugene Kotlyarenko makes his Sundance debut with this gonzo satire of demented social media obsession.