Samantha Buck and Marie Schlingmann’s Sundance pic “Sister Aimee” and Patricia Marcoccia’s portrait of conservative academic/YouTuber Jordan Peterson have nabbed distribution and release dates.
Set in 1926 and inspired by a true story, “Sister Aimee” follows a renowned evangelist (Anna Margaret Hollyman) who fakes her own death, leaving her empire and fame behind for a new life in Mexico. 1091 (formerly The Orchard Film Group) acquired the feature and will release it theatrically in New York and Los Angeles on September 27, Deadline reports. It will expand to more theaters and hit VOD on October 1.
When we interviewed Buck and Schlingmann, who also wrote the film, they said “Sister Aimee” provides commentary on “female ambition, identity, and the power — and privilege — of storytelling.” The filmmakers explained, “Looking at Aimee’s life and her disappearance, we felt there was a chance for an exciting, improbable, complex telling of a powerful woman’s decision to leave behind the thing that gave her that power.”
“1091 couldn’t be more delighted to be partnering with the insanely talented filmmaking duo, Samantha Buck and Marie Schlingmann, to get ‘Sister Aimee’ out into the world,” said Danielle Digiacomo, SVP Acquisitions and Strategic Partnerships at 1091. “It is a film that, like the best of them, defies all definition — genre-bending, hilarious, moving, layered, and simply unforgettable. We are so excited to bring the film to audiences and cannot wait for them to be gobsmacked by such a unique vision.”
Gravitas Ventures snagged U.S. rights to “The Rise of Jordan Peterson,” written and directed by Marcoccia. The doc will be released in theaters and on VOD October 29. It “offers a rare, intimate glimpse into the controversial period that led to his rise in profile,” per Deadline.
Peterson is a psychologist and academic who rose to fame — and infamy — in 2016 by railing against political correctness and human rights legislation. He took particular issue with being asked to use alternative pronouns by trans students and staff. Peterson’s philosophy seems designed for — and is especially palatable to — young frustrated white men. His YouTube series have nearly 150 million views and his book “12 Rules For Life” have sold 3 million copies.
“Even people who think they’ve seen it all have not seen what we’ve been able to capture in this film,” Marcoccia stated. “It’s always been important to me that the film remains nuanced, honest, and human, especially in the polarized and explosive media landscape we’re currently in.”
