Thandiwe Newton ventures to the frosted depths of the forest in IFC Films’ “God’s Country,” inspired by James Lee Burke’s short story “Winter Light.” In the film, Newton portrays Sandra Guidry, a college professor living in a rural town while grieving the recent loss of her mother. On the day of the funeral, Sandra finds a mysterious truck parked in her driveway that belongs to hunters looking to hunt on her property. Sandra is soon drawn into a battle of escalating wills in the Western-set thriller.
“God’s Country” is directed Julian Higgins, who co-wrote the screenplay with Shay Ogbonna. Jeremy Bobb, Joris Jarsky, Jefferson White, Kai Lennox, and Tanaya Beatty also star. The film first at 2022 Sundance Film Festival, and is produced by Miranda Bailey, Halee Bernard, Julian Higgins, and Amanda Marshall. Executive producers include Jason Beck and Anthony Ciardelli.
Director Higgins said in a press statement that he...
“God’s Country” is directed Julian Higgins, who co-wrote the screenplay with Shay Ogbonna. Jeremy Bobb, Joris Jarsky, Jefferson White, Kai Lennox, and Tanaya Beatty also star. The film first at 2022 Sundance Film Festival, and is produced by Miranda Bailey, Halee Bernard, Julian Higgins, and Amanda Marshall. Executive producers include Jason Beck and Anthony Ciardelli.
Director Higgins said in a press statement that he...
- 7/28/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Julian Higgins, the writer, director and producer behind the Sundance breakout God’s Country, has signed with A3 Artists Agency for representation.
Higgins’ feature directorial debut, based on the short story “Winter’s Light” by James Lee Burke, is set in the snowy wilderness of the American West. In the character-driven thriller, BAFTA and Emmy winner Thandiwe Newton plays Sandra Guidry, a Black professor living and working in a rural college town who discovers a mysterious red truck parked in her driveway, and soon learns it belongs to a pair of local hunters seeking to enter the forest behind her house. Sandra turns them away politely but firmly – her experience tells her these are not the sort of men to welcome freely into her world. But they won’t take no for an answer, and soon Sandra finds herself drawn into an escalating battle of wills that puts...
Higgins’ feature directorial debut, based on the short story “Winter’s Light” by James Lee Burke, is set in the snowy wilderness of the American West. In the character-driven thriller, BAFTA and Emmy winner Thandiwe Newton plays Sandra Guidry, a Black professor living and working in a rural college town who discovers a mysterious red truck parked in her driveway, and soon learns it belongs to a pair of local hunters seeking to enter the forest behind her house. Sandra turns them away politely but firmly – her experience tells her these are not the sort of men to welcome freely into her world. But they won’t take no for an answer, and soon Sandra finds herself drawn into an escalating battle of wills that puts...
- 2/24/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Screenplay based on short story by renowned crime writer James Lee Burke.
IFC Films has picked up North American rights to Julian Higgins’ feature debut God’s Country starring Thandiwe Newton following its world premiere at virtual Sundance 2022 last month.
Newton plays a troubled Black professor living and working in a rural college town in the American West who gets into an escalating feud when local hunters use her land to enter a forest.
Rounding out the key cast are Jeremy Bobb, Joris Jarsky, Jefferson White, Kai Lennox and Tanaya Beatty.
Higgins adapted the screenplay with Shaye Ogbonna from the short...
IFC Films has picked up North American rights to Julian Higgins’ feature debut God’s Country starring Thandiwe Newton following its world premiere at virtual Sundance 2022 last month.
Newton plays a troubled Black professor living and working in a rural college town in the American West who gets into an escalating feud when local hunters use her land to enter a forest.
Rounding out the key cast are Jeremy Bobb, Joris Jarsky, Jefferson White, Kai Lennox and Tanaya Beatty.
Higgins adapted the screenplay with Shaye Ogbonna from the short...
- 2/12/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
IFC Films has acquired the North American rights to “God’s Country,” a thriller and modern-day Western starring Thandiwe Newton that premiered at this year’s Sundance.
Julian Higgins directed the film that stars Newton as a reclusive college professor living in a small, Western town who gets into an escalating battle of wills with two locals who insist upon parking their truck and trespassing onto her land.
IFC Films plans to release “God’s Country” theatrically in fall 2022.
“God’s Country” is based on a short story called “Winter Light” by author James Lee Burke. Higgins and writer Shaye Ogbonna first adapted the story as a short film before expanding it as a feature, but this time turning the character into a Black woman and expanding the part and character’s backstory significantly.
While the film has the trappings of a thriller and Western, it’s far more of an intimate, slow-burn...
Julian Higgins directed the film that stars Newton as a reclusive college professor living in a small, Western town who gets into an escalating battle of wills with two locals who insist upon parking their truck and trespassing onto her land.
IFC Films plans to release “God’s Country” theatrically in fall 2022.
“God’s Country” is based on a short story called “Winter Light” by author James Lee Burke. Higgins and writer Shaye Ogbonna first adapted the story as a short film before expanding it as a feature, but this time turning the character into a Black woman and expanding the part and character’s backstory significantly.
While the film has the trappings of a thriller and Western, it’s far more of an intimate, slow-burn...
- 2/11/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Exclusive: IFC Films has acquired North American rights to Julian Higgins’ feature directorial debut God’s Country, starring BAFTA and Emmy winner Thandiwe Newton, on the heels of its debut at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. It will release the film won in a bidding war in theaters this fall.
The acquisition is IFC Films’ third out of this year’s virtual festival, following its pick-up of the horror-thrillers Resurrection (starring Rebecca Hall and Tim Roth) and Watcher (starring Maika Munroe), and marks the seventh for its parent company AMC Networks.
Higgins and Shaye Ogbonna scripted God’s Country, which is based on the short story “Winter’s Light” by James Lee Burke. In the character-driven thriller set in the snowy wilderness of the American West, Newton plays Sandra Guidry, a Black professor living and working in a rural college town who discovers a mysterious red truck parked in her driveway,...
The acquisition is IFC Films’ third out of this year’s virtual festival, following its pick-up of the horror-thrillers Resurrection (starring Rebecca Hall and Tim Roth) and Watcher (starring Maika Munroe), and marks the seventh for its parent company AMC Networks.
Higgins and Shaye Ogbonna scripted God’s Country, which is based on the short story “Winter’s Light” by James Lee Burke. In the character-driven thriller set in the snowy wilderness of the American West, Newton plays Sandra Guidry, a Black professor living and working in a rural college town who discovers a mysterious red truck parked in her driveway,...
- 2/11/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Westworld Emmy winning actress Thandie Newton will headline Julian Higgins’ feature directorial debut God’s Country for Cold Iron Pictures and The Film Arcade, Deadline has learned.
The neo-Western thriller is set in the bleak winter landscape of the Mountain West. Newton plays a college professor living on her own at the edge of the national forest. One day she confronts two hunters trespassing on her land, triggering a battle of wills with dangerous ramifications.
Screenwriter Shaye Ogbonna adapted the script with Higgins from James Lee Burke’s short story Winter Light. Burke is The New York Times bestselling author of the Dave Robicheaux detective series and numerous other novels. He has received two Edgar Awards and the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America, as well as a Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts in Fiction and a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize. Burke’s 40th novel will be released this year.
The neo-Western thriller is set in the bleak winter landscape of the Mountain West. Newton plays a college professor living on her own at the edge of the national forest. One day she confronts two hunters trespassing on her land, triggering a battle of wills with dangerous ramifications.
Screenwriter Shaye Ogbonna adapted the script with Higgins from James Lee Burke’s short story Winter Light. Burke is The New York Times bestselling author of the Dave Robicheaux detective series and numerous other novels. He has received two Edgar Awards and the Grand Master Award from the Mystery Writers of America, as well as a Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts in Fiction and a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize. Burke’s 40th novel will be released this year.
- 2/19/2020
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
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