EXCLUSIVE: Utopia’s Circle Collective has acquired North American rights to filmmaker Lilian T. Mehrel’s Honeyjoon.
Pic stars Ayden Mayeri (Jackpot!), Amira Casar (Call Me By Your Name), and José Condessa (Turn of the Tide).
The movie, which made its world premiere at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival will open with week-long theatrical runs in New York beginning June 10 at IFC Center, Los Angeles on June 12 at the Laemmle Royal, June 19 at the Laemmle Town Center, June 26 at the Laemmle Glendale, and in Chicago June 19 at the Gene Siskel Film Center, with additional markets nationwide to follow.
Set against the lush backdrop of the Azores, the dark comedy follows June (Mayeri) and her Persian-British mother Lela (Casar) as they travel to a romantic island for a grief anniversary, one year after the loss of June’s father, arriving with very different ideas of how to cope. Surrounded by honeymooners, June tries (and flirts) to reclaim her joie de vivre, while Lela is deep in the dark. When a hot philosophical surfer (Condessa) takes them on a tour, a wildly funny, sensual, emotional journey unfolds — towards connection, catharsis, and coming back to life.
Honeyjoon also won the biggest film production prize in the world, the Tribeca AT&T Untold Stories Award for $1M.
Mehrel said: “I love riding that fine line of dark humor and emotion, the full spectrum of feelings. I think it makes you feel alive. That’s why I made Honeyjoon. To feel alive together. To share the inside joke of being human. To inspire you to flirt. Or call your mom. Or both. I can’t wait.”
“With Honeyjoon, Lilian transforms grief, desire, and human connection into something electric and unique. Experiencing it with an audience for the first time was unforgettable: laughter, tears, gasps, and cheers moving in waves through the packed theater. We’re proud to bring Lilian’s singular voice to audiences everywhere. This one will stay with you,” said Utopia’s Teddy Duvall.
In addition to directing, Mehrel wrote and produced the movie with Andreia Nunes, with Wonder Maria Filmes and Bärli Films. Executive producers include Rostam Zafari, Sepanta Mohseni, and Azadeh Vatanpour, with cinematography by Inés Gowland. The film is supported by Tribeca Studios, AT&T Untold Stories, SFFILM Rainin, and the Portugal Film Commission.