Principal photography has begun on the thriller 40 Acres starring Danielle Deadwyler in one of her first feature roles following 2022’s Till.
The pic is currently shooting on location in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. The independent pic also stars Kataem O’Connor (The Way Home), Michael Greyeyes (1923), Milcania Diaz-Rojas (The Bold Type) and Leenah Robinson (1923).
Billed as a “post-apocalyptic thriller,” synopsis reads: Hailey Freeman and her family are the last descendants of African American farmers who settled in 1875 in rural Canada after the first Civil War. Two hundred years later, they struggle to survive in a famine-decimated future and make their last stand against a band of cannibals intent on taking their home.
The film is directed by R.T. Thorne (The Porter). Joining Thorne are director of photography Jeremy Benning (Accused), production designer Peter Cosco (Women Talking), costume designer Charlene Akuamoah (Robyn Hood), and editors Sandy Pereira (Young Werther) and Dev Singh (The Porter). Mongrel Media will distribute inside Canada.
The film is produced under the SAG-AFTRA interim independent film agreement, with the participation of Telefilm, CMF – PPRC, NOHFC, Crave, Ontario Creates, and CBC. The film is produced by Jennifer Holness (Home Again) of Hungry Eyes Media.
“Beneath the surface of a suspenseful thriller, 40 Acres is a story about Hailey (Deadwyler), an ex-military matriarch trying to prepare her children for an unforgiving world and how her philosophy clashes with views of her eldest son Emmanuel (O’Connor),” said Thorne.
Producer Holness added: “Over the past four years of developing, financing, and now producing 40 ACRES, I have never lost sight of what an incredible story and script it is. Steeped in Black cultural mythology exploring a near future reality we can all imagine, and with Danielle Deadwyler as our badass matriarch, leading this great cast, including Michael Greyeyes, is everything I hoped for. I’m pulling out all the stops to help R.T. deliver a film that will blow all of your minds.”
Danielle Deadwyler is represented by Play Management, Paradigm, Ziffren Brittenham, and Shelter PR.