Utopia has taken U.S. rights to writer-director-producer Lena Dunham’s latest directorial Sharp Stick which made its world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. A theatrical release is planned for later this year.
The pic marks the Girls creator’s return to feature filmmaking a decade after the start of that award-winning HBO series, and 12 years since her breakout picture Tiny Furniture won SXSW Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize.
Sharp Stick tells follows Sarah Jo (Kristine Froseth), a sensitive and naive 26-year-old living on the fringes of Hollywood with her disillusioned mother (Jennifer Jason Leigh) and influencer sister (Taylour Paige). Working as a caregiver and just longing to be seen, she begins an exploratory affair with her older, married employer (Jon Bernthal), and is thrust into a startling education on sexuality, loss and power. Dunham, Luka Sabbat, Tommy Dorfman and Scott Speedman also star.
“I’ve been so impressed with how quickly Utopia has established itself as a brave and committed voice in independent and experimental film,” Dunham stated. “They don’t cower from unusual or divisive work, and they have utter respect for the filmmakers’ voice, and I couldn’t feel luckier to be releasing Sharp Stick under their auspices.”
“Lena Dunham has been a trailblazer since her 2010 cinematic breakthrough Tiny Furniture, and her career since has firmly established her as one of the most courageous and singular minds in culture,” said Danielle DiGiacomo, Utopia’s Head of Content. “Utopia is ecstatic to be working with such a tremendous talent and to continue elevating female-driven stories to wider audiences.Sharp Stick is a treasure which shows her growth as an auteur, and commitment to hilariously and honestly portraying the young female experience.”
The deal was negotiated by DiGiacomo for Utopia and CAA Media Finance on behalf of the filmmakers.
A production of FilmNation Entertainment and Good Thing Going, Sharp Stick is produced by Lena Dunham, Michael P. Cohen, Kevin Turen and Katia Washington; executive produced by Ben Browning, Glen Basner, Taylour Paige, Jon Bernthal, Kenneth Yu and Will Greenfield, with cinematography by Ashley Connor (Madeline’s Madeline), editing by Catrin Hedström (Candyman), and music by Luis Felber and Matt Allchin.
Recent Utopia titles include the TIFF comedy and Spirit Award nominated Shiva Baby by Emma Seligman; Dasha Nekrasova’s Berlinale premiere The Scary of Sixty-First; and Sundance and New Directors/New Films 2021 selection El Planeta from Amalia Ulman. Upcoming movies include Cannes and NYFF selections Vortex by Gaspar Noe and Jane by Charlotte by Charlotte Gainsbourg; as well as Jane Schoenbrun’s We’re All Going to the World’s Fair. Utopia has since launched Utopia Originals, a division dedicated to the development, packaging, and sales of original film and television content. Its most recently announced project is a Blues Brothers docu-series with Dan Aykroyd and the John Belushi Estate.
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