One Village picks up Mekhi Phifer’s The Suspect Posted by Wilson Morales
November 11, 2013
One Village Entertainment, an RLJ Entertainment brand, has acquired all North American rights to the searing psychological thriller The Suspect. The film marks the directorial debut of acclaimed author Stuart Connelly. The Suspect stars Mekhi Phifer, William Sadler, Sterling K. Brown, James McCaffery and Rebecca Creskoff and is scheduled for release in the second quarter of 2014.
The film centers around a small town that encounters its first armed bank robbery at the exact moment a mysterious stranger appears. With no ID and a combative attitude, the local police struggle to tie the crime to their uncooperative suspect, but the truth is far more complicated.
The Suspect features a score by Stephen Coates of The Real Tuesday Weld, and is produced by Mary Jo Barthmaier, Robyn K. Bennett, Scott Aronson and Connelly.
The deal was negotiated by Brett Dismuke and Michael Bayer on behalf of One Village Entertainment and Scott Aronson and Mary Jo Barthmaier on behalf of Modoc Spring.
ITN Distribution is handling international sales and will present the thriller at the American Film Market.
The Suspect first premiered at the American Black Film Festival and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Actor for Mehki Phifer and Sterling K. Brown. The film proceeded to screen at festivals around the world including the Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham, AL, St. Louis Black Film Festival, the Montreal International Black Film Festival, Third World International Film Festival in San Francisco, the Louisville International Film Festival, the Twin Cities Black Film Festival, the Englewood International Film Festival and the Philadelphia Film Festival.
