Ben Foster’s Thriller “Sharp Corner” Acquired by Vertical for 2025 Release
EXCLUSIVE: Vertical has acquired U.S. rights to Sharp Corner, an indie psychological thriller, starring Ben Foster (Hell or High Water) and Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother), which scored positive reviews out of the Rome Film Festival and TIFF, where the deal was completed.
The film will be released in the spring of next year. It is based on a short story by Russell Wangersky that was nominated for the Scotiabank Giller Prize.
Sharp Corner is about Josh McCall, a family man who has no idea what he’s doing, and his wife Rachel Smulders as they flee the city to an idyllic country home, the perfect place for their son Max (William Kosovic), age six. On their first night in their new home, however, a tragic car accident interrupts their plans. Josh is drawn to the tragedy, and he becomes obsessed with saving lives at the sharp turn in front of his home. Rachel wants to forget the accident. Josh’s obsession causes him to put his son and wife in danger, which sets in motion a chain of events that threatens to tear his family apart.
The film, directed by Jason Buxton, is his second after Blackbird (2012). Blackbird won Best Canadian First Feature Film at the Toronto Film Festival as well as the Grand Jury Prize for Cannes Ecrans juniors. Elevation Pictures will release the film in Canada. It also stars Gavin Drea, who starred in Daisy Jones & The Six. Range Media Partners and Neon International are co-representing the domestic rights of the film, with AFM continuing to represent the foreign rights.
Peter Jarowey commented, “We’re excited to bring Sharp Corner in the US later this spring.” Jason’s second feature is a psychological thriller with a satirical twist, enhanced by Ben Foster and Cobie.
After the positive response from TIFF, producer Paul Barkin said, “we’re thrilled to partner up with Vertical to bring Jason Buxton’s relatable and tense morality story to a large audience in the U.S.”
Sharp Corner is a Canada/Ireland Co-Production produced by Telefilm Canada and Crave with support from The Canada Media Fund. Screen Nova Scotia Content Creator Fund. Ontario Creates. In association with Fis Eireann/Screen Ireland. 120dB films and Blue Rider Media Capital provided the production financing.
The producers are Barkin, for Alcina Pictures; Marc Tetreault & Jason Levangie, for Shut Up & Colour Pictures; Susan Mullen, for Kobalt Films; and Buxton, for Workhorse Pictures. Cameron MacLaren and Neon’s Kristen Figeroid served as EPs, alongside Adrian Love, Laurie May and Noah Segal of Elevation Pictures.
Jarowey, along with Kristin Harris, SVP of Production & Development at Vertical, negotiated the deal. Barkin and Figeroid handled the production.
