Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY Releasing has acquired Stephanie Turner’s “Justine” for digital release, Women and Hollywood can exclusively reveal.
Directed, written, and starring Stephanie Turner, the drama tells the story of Lisa (Turner, “First Man,” “Dirt”), a woman whose life changes overnight when her military husband — and the father of her two children — is killed.
A trailer for the pic sees Lisa’s father-in-law (Glynn Turman, “Queen Sugar”) describing her as a “robot” who is unwilling to discuss her grief with anyone. Lisa’s daughter can’t help but notice that her mom is unable to so much as mention her dad’s name.
Lisa isn’t just dealing with the emotional impact of what’s happened — her husband’s absence also leads to financial problems for their family. Cash-strapped and told she “can’t afford to be too picky,” Lisa is advised to get a job. She’s hired as a nanny for eight-year-old Justine (Daisy Prescott). Building a relationship with Justine proves to be instrumental in Lisa’s journey back to herself, and she seems to make a major mark on Justine as well.
“You can’t just let people tell you how to live your life,” she tells Justine. “You have to keep being Justine.”
“The original idea I had for the story began with the relationship between a girl — who is sheltered from society by everyone — and her new nanny, who refuses to shelter her in the same way,” Turner told us. “Then I kind of worked backwards and built the story from there.”
“Stephanie Turner’s directorial debut showcases authentic performances from a talented cast adept at portraying the range of emotions central to the film’s emotional heart — grief and joy,” said ARRAY President Tilane Jones. “Stephanie’s exploration of women’s roles as caretakers and nurturers while also trying to care for themselves is rarely depicted. We’re proud to amplify this new and exciting voice in cinema.”
ARRAY Releasing will distribute “Justine” digitally on Netflix beginning Friday, March 13 in celebration of Women’s History Month. The film will be available on the streamer in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
Check out a trailer and poster for “Justine” below.
ARRAY Releasing’s other recent acquisitions include Numa Perrier’s “Jezebel” and Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Kathleen Hepburn’s “The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open.” The former centers on a young woman who is introduced to sex work by her sister and the latter tells the story of two Indigenous women who cross paths another under desperate circumstances.
