Lena Dunham’s Sundance Intercourse Romp ‘Sharp Stick’ Opens – Specialty Preview – Deadline

Lena Dunham is again. Sharp Stick — the author/director/actor’s observe to HBO collection Women and her first movie since Tiny Furnishings (2020) – opens in LA at Landmark’s renovated single-screen NuArt Theatre and on the Quad Cinema in NYC. It expands to 40 to 50 screens subsequent weekend, heading to about 100 thereafter – a mixture of AMC, Alamo, Laemmle and Harkins circuits and prime U.S. arthouses. 

Presales have been sturdy, mentioned Utopia’s advertising and distribution VP Kyle Greenberg. A handful of showings with Dunham Q&As are bought out, natch. The movie, which Utopia acquired out of Sundance, releases on PVOD August 16. Deadline assessment here.

Dunham writes directs, produces and stars with Kristine Froseth, Jon Bernthal, Luka Sabbat, Scott Speedman, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Taylour Paige and Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Sarah Jo (Froseth) is a delicate and naive 26-year-old residing on the fringes of Hollywood together with her disillusioned mom (Leigh) and influencer sister (Paige). Working as a caregiver and simply longing to be seen, she begins an exploratory affair together with her older, married employer (Bernthal).

No shock Women followers, there’s fairly some intercourse. Greenberg mentioned advertising required a “fast and agile social marketing campaign” within the face of what he known as “stunning” and “more and more puritanical coverage requirements throughout various key social promoting platforms” (Fb, Instagram, Twitter) as algorithms flagged advertising supplies. “It’s no secret that Utopia has performed with dangerous materials. We’re proud of that.” he mentioned. In The Scary of Sixty-First, two roommates are haunted by the spirit of Jeffrey Epstein after unwittingly transferring to a Manhattan condominium he as soon as owned. Sharp Stick’s social marketing campaign targets primarily youthful millennial and older Gen Z and owes quite a bit to “the supremely enthusiastic solid and their sturdy collective social media presence.”

Elsewhere in specialty, Bleecker Avenue presents A Love Music in 4 theaters in NY and LA, increasing thereafter. The Sundance and Tribeca Pageant choice, written and directed by Max Walker-Silverman, stars Dale Dickey and Wes Studi. Dickey is Faye, a lone traveler biding her time fishing, birding and stargazing in a rural Colorado campground as she awaits the arrival of Lito (Studi), a determine from her previous who’s navigating his personal tentative and nomadic journey throughout the rugged West. Deadline assessment here.

IFC Movies presents Resurrection at 60 theaters. On digital August 5. One other Sundance official choice, written and directed by Andrew Semans and starring: Rebecca Corridor (Passing), Tim Roth (Sunset, Bergman Island), Grace Kaufman, Michael Esper, Angela Wong Carbone. Corridor is Margaret, main a profitable and orderly life, completely balancing the calls for of her busy profession and single mother or father to her fiercely unbiased daughter, Abbie. It’s all upended when an unwelcome shadow from her previous, (Roth) returns. Battling her rising worry, Margaret should confront the monster she’s evaded for 20 years who has come to conclude their unfinished enterprise. Deadline assessment here.

Greenwich Leisure presents Ali & Ava directed by Clio Barnard. That includes Claire Rushbrook, Adeel Akhtar, Ellora Torchia. Sparks fly as two individuals develop a deep connection regardless of the lingering legacy of previous relationships. A compelling love story enveloped in music and imbued with humor. Through Cannes and TIFF. BAFTA nominee for Greatest British Movie. Opens in NY on the Quad Cinema and AMC Kips Bay, increasing to 30+ markets together with LA subsequent Friday. Deadline assessment here.

United Artists Releasing presents Ron Howard’s Thirteen Lives for a weeklong qualifying theatrical run forward of its Amazon Prime launch August 5. With Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, Viggo Mortensen, Tom Bateman. Written by William Nicholson. The unbelievable true story of the great world effort to rescue a Thai boys soccer workforce trapped within the Tham Luang cave throughout an sudden rainstorm. A workforce of the world’s most expert and skilled divers be part of with Thai forces and greater than 10,000 volunteers to try a harrowing rescue of the twelve boys and their coach with the whole world watching. Deadline assessment here.

Lionsgate presents thriller Paradise Highway with Frank Grillo, Juliette Binoche, Morgan Freeman. Written and directed by Anna Gutto, Sally (Binoche), a truck driver, has been pressured to smuggle illicit cargo to avoid wasting her brother Dennis (Grillo) from a lethal jail gang. With FBI operative Gerick (Freeman) scorching on her path, Sally’s motivations and conscience are challenged when the ultimate bundle seems to be a teenage woman (Hala Finley).

EXPANDING: A24’s indie juggernaut Everything Everywhere All At Once by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert – in theaters since April — is leaping again as much as round 1,500 screens (from 170). The Daniels additionally promised on Twitter that the kinetic Michelle Yeoh-starrer will function “some good quaint bloopers and outtakes like a basic Hong Kong flick” within the credit.  

A24’s Marcel The Shell With Sneakers On expands to 750 screens from 590.