Gravitas Ventures has acquired the U.S. and Canadian rights to Sheridan O’Donnell’s debut feature “Little Brother,” starring Daniel Diemer (“Under the Bridge”), Philip Ettinger (“First Reformed”), Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons (“Whiplash”) and Polly Draper (“Thirtysomething”). The film is slated for a September 2024 theatrical release.

“Little Brother” begins after Pete (Ettinger) attempts suicide, pushing his overbearing father Warren (Simmons) to recruit his little brother Jake (Diemer) to drive Pete from Albuquerque to Seattle for a family intervention. The brothers aren’t just oil and water; they’re fire and gasoline — and they’re both crammed inside a busted-up van for 1,400 miles with nowhere to hide. As they cross the American West, the two struggle to reconcile their past and forge a new bond.

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The film, which took home the Audience Award at the 2023 Atlanta Film Festival, is a deeply personal one for writer-director O’Donnell, who was partly inspired by his friend’s death by suicide. “I wrote the film to capture their warmth and humor and attempt to understand their mental health journey, all of which I hope deeply connects with viewers,” he said in a statement. “We’re grateful to Gravitas Ventures for championing the film and are thrilled to work with them on bringing ‘Little Brother’ to audiences.”

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Gravitas Ventures’ SVP of Acquisition and Operations Bill Guentzler said, “Gravitas is excited to be bringing Little Brother to audiences this September. Filmmaker Sheridan O’Donnell brilliantly directs Daniel Diemer and Philip Ettinger to bring out the raw, sincere, honest, and deep emotion that only two brothers with deep affection for each other can have.”

Inspirado, Made By Limbo and Circa 1888 produce. Bill Guentzler of Gravitas Ventures negotiated the deal with Bill Straus of Bridge Independent.

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