Film Movement Acquires N. America For ‘An American Pastoral' Doc Capturing Toxic U.S. Public School Meetings
The cinema vérité-style work – produced by Les Films d'Ici Méditerranée – won the Best Directing Award at the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA).
More from Deadline
Film Movement Acquires U.S. Rights To Adam McKay & Alan Cumming EPd Philippines Land Grab Docudrama 'Asog'
Film Movement Takes North America For Palestinian Director Scandar Copti's 'Happy Holidays'
Doc Talk Podcast: Carla Gutiérrez And Irene Taylor From Amsterdam, Plus IDFA Chief Orwa Nyrabia Decries Left-Wing Policing Of Free Speech
Film Movement have slated the work for a theatrical release in 2025, to be followed by a launch on leading digital platforms and the home entertainment marketplace.
The documentary captures the battle for control of public schools in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, a picturesque town situated in the rolling farmland of Lancaster County.
On the surface, it has all the charm of small-town America but behind its bucolic veneer lies a fracture in the making as local school board meetings turn into a battleground.
After months of vitriolic debates over Covid-19 restrictions, budget priorities, and library books, four of the five long-serving Republican incumbents announce their retirement, leaving the door open for far-right Christian Nationalists to potentially seize control.
The acquisition announcement was made by Film Movement President Michael Rosenberg and Arianna Castoldi, Head of Documentary Sales for Mediawan.
'In true vérité style, Edler offers no narration or commentary, instead letting the interpersonal dramas and behind-the-scenes events play out on screen in absorbing fashion,' said Rosenberg. 'At a time when politics has seeped into every facet of our lives, An American Pastoral shows how the fraying of our national fabric is playing out locally.'
Further recent acquisitions for Film Movement include Marie Losier's Queer Lion-nominee Peaches Goes Bananas, Shall We Dance?, starring Oscar nominee Koji Yakusho, and Pedro Martin-Calero's The Wailing.
Best of Deadline
2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Tonys, Emmys, Oscars & More
'The Last Of Us': Differences Between HBO Series & Video Game Across Seasons 1 And 2
'Ransom Canyon' Book Vs. Show Differences: From Quinn & Staten's Love Story To Yancy Grey's Plot
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Alan Tudyk Says He Was Removed From ‘I, Robot's Press Materials After Testing Higher Than Will Smith In Early Screenings: 'I Was Very Upset'
Alan Tudyk reflected on his career and revealed that there's a reason why not many people know he played Sonny in the 2004 sci-fi action film I, Robot. During an appearance on Toon'd In with Jimmy Cummings, Tudyk said that with test screening audiences, he tested higher than the film's star Will Smith. More from Deadline Michael Bay & Will Smith Part Company On Netflix Action Film 'Fast And Loose' Emmy-Nominated 'Slow Horses' Writer/EP Will Smith To Exit Show After Season 5; Reveals Emotional Farewell And His Dream Spin-Off 'Resident Alien' Canceled After 4 Seasons 'They were doing test audiences with the movie and they score the characters and I got word back, 'Alan, you're testing higher than Will Smith,'' Tudyk recalled on the podcast from June 15. 'And then I was gone. I was gone. There was no publicity and my name was not mentioned.' He continued, 'I was so shocked, I was like, 'But wait, nobody's going to know that I [play the robot].'' Tudyk voiced Sonny the robot and was motion-captured for the CGI character, saying that he 'put a lot into' his performance, adding, 'At the time, I was very upset.' Directed by Alex Proyas, I, Robot is set in Chicago 2035 as robots fill public service positions around the world. Will Smith plays Detective Del Spooner as he investigates the death of the U.S. Robotics founder, who believes that Sonny the robot murdered him. The film also stars Bridget Moynahan, Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell, Chi McBride, Shia LaBeouf, Fiona Hogan, Terry Chen, Adrian L. Ricard, Jerry Wasserman, Peter Shinkoda, Emily Tennant, and David Haysom. I, Robot was nominated for an Oscar in the category of Best Visual Effects, which it ultimately lost to the Sam Raimi-directed superhero action film, Spider-Man 2. Watch Tudyk's interview below. Best of Deadline Sean 'Diddy' Combs Sex-Trafficking Trial Updates: Cassie Ventura's Testimony, $10M Hotel Settlement, Drugs, Violence, & The Feds A Full Timeline Of Blake Lively & Justin Baldoni's 'It Ends With Us' Feud In Court, Online & In The Media 'The Boys' Season 5: Everything We Know So Far
USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Brooklyn Beckham, Nicola Peltz reveal vow renewal 3 years after they married
Nicola and Brooklyn Peltz Beckham had a wedding so nice they decided to do it twice. The couple, who married in Palm, Beach, Florida, in April 2022, on Aug. 11 shared photos from a vow renewal ceremony. They gushed about the event in their Instagram captions, with Brooklyn, 26, writing, "Forever my girl." Nicola, 30, wrote, "this day meant so much to us" and "in every lifetime." On her Instagram story, "The Last Airbender" actress also shared a fan account's side-by-side photos comparing her vow renewal look to model mom Claudia Heffner Peltz wearing the same dress in her own wedding pictures. Nicola's father, businessman and investor Nelson Peltz, officiated the ceremony, with brother Brad − who was the "man of honor" at the Peltz Beckhams' 2022 wedding − also in attendance. A post shared by 𝓃𝒾𝒸𝑜𝓁𝒶 (@nicolaannepeltzbeckham) Brooklyn told People magazine on Aug. 6 that "it was beautiful." She added: "To be honest, I could renew my vows every single day with her." Per the magazine, the ceremony took place on Aug. 2. The photographer and hot sauce brand founder, who has a tattoo with his original vows, said, "These ones were actually longer than my original ones." He called three years of marriage with Nicola "a never-ending play date" and opened up about their low-key dynamic. "We don't like to go out for dinner, really. We don't like to party or anything like that. When we are together, which is a lot of the time, we just hang out with our four dogs, and drink wine at home," he said. David, Victoria Beckham took a European family vacation Though Brooklyn's parents, David and Victoria Beckham, attended his 2022 wedding, they didn't appear in the photos shared by the couple. USA TODAY has reached out to the Beckhams for comment. Previously, in February 2024, Victoria Beckham showed her support alongside sons Cruz and Brooklyn at the premiere of Nicola's directorial debut, "Lola," in Los Angeles. Following the 2022 ceremony, both Victoria and David Beckham shared posts welcoming Nicola to the family. In the days before the vow renewal ceremony, the Beckhams shared European vacation photos showing the family – including David, Victoria, Cruz, Harper and Romeo – enjoying time together on a yacht and at a French truffle restaurant. How did Nicola and Brooklyn Peltz Beckham meet? Speaking for Glamour's June cover story, the couple opened up about their memorable first impressions when they met while dating other people. "The first time I saw Nicola at Coachella [in 2017], I was instantly drawn to her. She was gorgeous, obviously, but it was her warmth and energy that stuck with me. Even though it was a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, I never forgot it," Brooklyn said. Nicola told the magazine: "It was brief, but I felt something. I had a boyfriend, he had a girlfriend – but there was this instant charm. He took a few photos of me, and somehow that moment stayed with me for years." The two revealed their engagement in 2020. They also explained the decision to change both of their names, with Nicola saying, "For me, it really mattered. Especially as a woman. If you don't want to give up your name, combining them is a good solution." As for public scrutiny, which both had experienced growing up in notable families, Brooklyn said, "Ignore the noise. Keep your head down, work hard, be kind. People are always going to talk. What matters is that we're happy together."
Cosmopolitan
6 hours ago
- Cosmopolitan
Will Cate Blanchett Star in a ‘Squid Game' US Spin-Off?
Ever since that shocking Squid Game season 3 ending, fans have been talking about the possibility of a US spin-off series starring Cate Blanchett (and helmed by David Fincher). And though Squid Game creator Hwang Dong-hyuk previously revealed to Variety that Cate's cameo in the series finale was 'not related' to the rumored spin-off, the actress is now weighing in on her future with the franchise. When asked about starring in an English-language spin-off or sequel series, Cate told Variety she is 'wildly open to anything,' adding, 'I mean, I'd love to work with David [Fincher] again. It's been ages. But no, I don't know anything more than you do. I'm not being coy. I really don't.' Way back in October 2024—long before the Squid Game series finale aired—Deadline reported that a brand-new spin-off was being developed for Netflix with David Fincher at the helm of the project. However, little else has been heard about the project since in June 2025, Hwang Dong-hyuk said he hadn't 'heard officially from Netflix about David Fincher creating a Squid Game.' But fret not, because the Squid Game creator is open to the possibly of a spin-off series. As he told Entertainment Weekly, 'I'm not trying to say that I'm going to close the door to spin-offs or sequels altogether because they say never say never.' And from the sound of it, Cate is down as chances are, even if she did know anything about a sequel series, she wouldn't be allowed to share any deets. While speaking about her Squid Game cameo with Variety (which she apparently landed 'out of the blue'), Cate noted how everything she learned about her role 'was on a need-to-know basis.' As she explained, 'I got a couple of storyboards. I had to [learn to] play the game very quickly. I had to practice and practice. I knew there were four or five setups that they were going to do, and I knew what they needed from every shot, and then I was given the sides. But it was one of the more mysterious jobs.'
