Eliza Hittman is following up her 2017 Sundance winner “Beach Rats” with another coming-of-age story. Focus Features, Pastel, and BBC Films are joining forces for her next feature, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always.” Deadline broke the news.
Set in rural Pennsylvania, the drama tells the story of two teenage girls. Autumn (Sidney Flanigan ) is dealing with an unplanned pregnancy and a lack of support. Along with her cousin Skylar (Talia Ryder), she embarks “on a fraught journey across state lines to New York City,” the source hints. Hittman penned the script.
Shooting for “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” recently wrapped in New York.
Tango Entertainment, BBC Films, and Mutressa Movies co-financed the project. Pastel’s Adele Romanski and Sara Murphy are producing. “Focus Features will distribute worldwide with Universal Pictures International, excluding free UK TV rights, which are retained by BBC Films,” the source details.
Hittman won Sundance’s U.S. drama directing award for “Beach Rats,” a drama about a teenage boy struggling with his identity and sexuality. “I think there is nothing more taboo in this country than a woman with ambition, and I am going to work my way through a system that is completely discriminatory towards women,” she said in her acceptance speech. “And Hollywood, I’m coming for you.”
Hélène Louvart, who snagged an Indie Spirit Award nod for the cinematography in “Beach Rats,” re-teamed with Hittman for “Never Rarely Sometimes Always.”
“Eliza is an outstanding artist who elevates intimate tales into powerfully relatable stories, and Pastel consistently make courageous films that humanize topics too often polarized in the media,” said Focus Features chairman Peter Kujawski. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining them on the journey of bringing this timely and moving film to the world”
Rose Garnett, Director of BBC Films, added, “Eliza is one of the most exciting filmmakers working today and in ‘Never Rarely Sometimes Always’ she sensitively explores an experience women around the world can relate to. We’re proud to help Eliza tell this story.”
Hittman made her feature debut with 2013’s “It Felt Like Love.” Her TV directing credits include “13 Reasons Why” and “High Maintenance.”
