Vertical has acquired the North American rights to “My Mother’s Wedding,” the directorial debut from Kristin Scott Thomas, the Academy Award-nominated and BAFTA-winning actress.
Inspired by the story of her own family, the movie was written by Scott Thomas and her husband John Micklethwait. It stars Sienna Miller, Emily Beecham, Scott Thomas and Scarlett Johansson. Vertical will release the movie in theaters this summer.
The film is described as following “three sisters who return to their childhood home for a momentous weekend: the third wedding of their twice-widowed mother, Diana Frost (Scott Thomas). The three daughters are from very different walks of life: Georgina (Emily Beecham) is a hospice nurse; Victoria (Miller) is a Hollywood star; and Katherine (Johansson) is a Captain in the Royal Navy. Over the weekend, the family gathers to celebrate the new marriage, but mother and daughters alike are forced to revisit the past and confront the future, all with help from a colorful group of unexpected wedding guests.”
Incredibly, this is the third time Scott Thomas and Johansson have played mother and daughter, after 1998’s “The Horse Whisperer” and 2008’s “The Other Boleyn Girl.”
“Directing has been on my mind for some time now and it was a fascinating journey experiencing all the facets of filmmaking from scouting locations to the final edit and all the areas in between,” Scott Thomas said in a statement. “The story has many layers and we took a good look at family dynamics, particularly between women and our romantic pursuits. Parts of the film are directly drawn from my own childhood, while others are what anyone with a sister can relate to. And it allowed me to work with a very talented cast led by Scarlett, Sienna and Emily. It was an absolute joy and privilege.”
“Kristin’s directorial debut is a poignant and heartwarming exploration of the beautiful chaos of family, brought to life by a stellar cast led by Scarlett, Sienna and Emily. We are thrilled to bring this exceptional film to North American audiences later this year,” Vertical partner Peter Jarowey said.
“My Mother’s Wedding” was produced by Finola Dwyer and Steven Rales and executive produced by Scott Thomas, Micklethwait and Caroline Levy. The crew also includes director of photography Yves Bélanger, CSC, production designer Andrew McAlpine, editor Joan Sobel, ACE, costume designer Sinéad Kidao, with music by Rolfe Kent.
Vertical SVP of acquisitions Tony Piantedosi and Jarowey negotiated the deal on behalf of Vertical and CAA Media Finance negotiated on behalf of the filmmakers.
