Gravitas Ventures has acquired North American rights to distribute Stella Hopkins’ directorial debut, Elyse. The drama, also written by Stella Hopkins, stars Anthony Hopkins, Lisa Pepper, Aaron Tucker, Tara Arroyave, Fran Tucker, Anthony Apel, Julieta Oritiz, and Danny Jacobs. Elyse is slated for release in theaters and on demand on December 4, 2020.
Elyse (Lisa Pepper) languidly meanders out of a cold, concrete, designer house mirroring a mausoleum, externalizing the spirit of her dead son, Cody. She returns home disoriented, unwilling to join the family dinner, misconceives the gathering as a threat to her private life, and is unwarrantedly infuriated with her egocentric mother, Goldie, and her devoted husband, Steven. In a psychotic blackout, Elyse commits vehicular manslaughter of her son and his nanny, Julia. Elyse isn’t the only victim; her delusional thinking, narcissism, and violence annihilate her husband. Memory and hallucination intertwine to expose a history of trauma, revealing the truth: Elyse is Catatonic and institutionalized in a State Hospital. Elyse’s recovery is reliant on the dissolution of her marriage, the restoration of the relationship with her mother, and the mutual absolution with the nanny’s daughter, Carmen. It’s the care from Dr. Lewis (Anthony Hopkins) and the unconditional love from her nurse, David, that promise Elyse a new life.
“With great respect, I dedicate Elyse to the mental illness community and the memory of my mother. The film aims to convey my deep personal understanding of the devastation a family endures when a loved one is painfully afflicted with a mental disorder. It was a great honor to work alongside cinematography master, Dante Spinotti, and direct my outstanding cast and husband, Academy Award winner, Anthony Hopkins,” said Stella Hopkins.
“Stella’s assured directorial debut delivers emotional catharsis through intricate shifts in perspective and the layered performances of Lisa Pepper and Anthony Hopkins. We look forward to debuting the film to North American audiences,” said Tony Piantedosi, Vice President of Acquisitions at Gravitas Ventures.
Gravitas Ventures’ Vice President of Acquisitions, Tony Piantedosi negotiated the deal with John McGrath at UTA.