Critically Acclaimed Actor Joins Filmmaker’s English-Language Debut Film
Montréal – February 9, 2017 – Seville International, alongside Sons of Manual and Lyla Films, is pleased to announce that Jacob Tremblay has joined the cast of THE DEATH AND LIFE OF JOHN F. DONOVAN from actor/director Xavier Dolan. Tremblay will star alongside Kit Harington, Jessica Chastain, Natalie Portman, Susan Sarandon and Kathy Bates. Principal photography is underway in Montreal and will continue in Prague, the UK and New York.
THE DEATH AND LIFE OF JOHN F. DONOVAN takes place in the early 2000’s and centers on the tribulations of an American TV star in his late twenties (Harington) and his correspondence with Rupert Turner (Tremblay), a young actor-to-be living with his mother (Portman) in England. Their lives take dramatic turns when the existence of their pen pal relationship is publicly exposed, eliciting the most ill-founded assumptions, and sending Donovan in a vertical downfall. A decade later, the young actor recollects his relationship with his past idol over the course of an interview.
“The talent involved in this project is unparalleled,” said Anick Poirier, Senior Vice President, Sales, Seville International. “Xavier is a visionary and he has proven once again that he attracts first class actors by adding Tremblay to this superb ensemble. We’re looking forward to sharing this project with the world.”
Tremblay catapulted to critical acclaim with his role as Jack in the Academy Award® nominated film, Room. For his portrayal as the sheltered son of a young woman held captive, he earned a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination and was awarded the Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, the Critic’s Choice Movie Award for Best Young Performer and the National Board of Review Award for Breakthrough Performance. He will next be seen opposite Naomi Watts in Colin Trevorrow’s Book of Henry for Sidney Kimmel, Double Nickle and Focus Features, as well as starring in the adaptation of R.J. Palacio’s best-selling novel Wonder with Julia Roberts for Mandeville, Lionsgate and director Stephen Chbosky. He is also set to star in Shane Black’s Predator for Davis Entertainment and 20th Century Fox. Tremblay is represented by United Talent Agency, Play Management and Jackoway Tyerman.
Lyse Lafontaine of Lyla Films (Laurence Anyways) and Xavier Dolan and Nancy Grant of Sons of Manual (It’s Only the End of the World, Mommy, Tom at the Farm, I Killed My Mother) are producing the film along with executive producer Joe Iacono.
Seville International is handling international sales of the film in all media around the world, with the exception of France where the producers and Seville International jointly sold the rights to Mars Films, and in the US, where the film is being jointly handled by CAA. eOne and Les Films Séville will directly distribute the film throughout Canada and Québec.
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About Entertainment One
Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is a global independent studio that specialises in the development, acquisition, production, financing, distribution and sales of entertainment content. The Company’s diversified expertise spans across film, television and music production and sales, family programming, merchandising and licensing, and digital content. Through its global reach and expansive scale, powered by deep local market knowledge, the Company delivers the best content to the world.
Entertainment One’s robust network includes film and television studio The Mark Gordon Company; content creation venture Amblin Partners with Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, and Reliance Entertainment; leading feature film production and global sales company Sierra Pictures; unscripted television production companies Renegade 83; world-class music labels Dualtone Music Group and Last Gang; and award-winning digital agency Secret Location.
The Company’s rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 100,000 hours of film and television content and approximately 40,000 music tracks.
Seville International is the company’s Montréal-based international film distribution arm specializing in strong independent films with crossover potential and arthouse films with award pedigree from Québec, Canada and around the world.
For more information:
Jackie Rubin
Entertainment One
jrubin@entonegroup.com
424.274.4151