10/31/23 Vertical Takes North America For Dermot Mulroney, Darren Mann & Mena Suvari Crime Thriller ‘Breakwater’ As Film Mode Ent. Launches Sales At AFM

EXCLUSIVE: Vertical has taken North American distribution rights for James Rowe’s crime thriller Breakwater starring Dermot Mulroney, Darren Mann and Mena Suvari as Film Mode Entertainment kicks off sales at the AFM.

Mann plays a young ex-convict, recently released from a Virginia prison, who embarks on a mission to track down the daughter of a fellow inmate and mentor, played by Mulroney, at his request.

Breaking the terms of his parole he crosses into the state of North Carolina, from where he connects with the woman who is living a seemingly idyllic life in a seaside hamlet in the picturesque Outer Banks area.

As they grow closer against the backdrop of the out-of-season holiday resort, Eve’s dark past closes in on them both.

Further cast members include Alyssa Goss (The Bobby Brown Story, How High 2) and Sonja Sohn (The Wire, Utopia).

The feature recently won the Audience Favorite Feature Film Award as well as Best Actor for Mulroney at the Boston Film Festival and is also set to screen at the SCAD Film Festival in Savannah.

“We can’t wait for audiences to see Dermot Mulroney like we’ve never seen him before. The film raises the genre bar to new heights and is commercially viable while staying true to its artistic integrity,” said Clay Epstein, President of Film Mode Entertainment.

The film’s producers are Matt Paul, Dana Lustig, Larry Hummel, and Ed Winters. Executive producer is Jay Paul.

“Loose Cannon Pictures is committed to bringing unconventional stories to screen and we are proud to be partnered with powerhouse sales and distribution teams to bring Breakwater to audiences worldwide,” said producer Matt Paul of Loose Cannon Pictures.

Breakwater is the second feature film from Loose Cannon Pictures, whose first film, Violet, starring Olivia Munn and Luke Bracey, was Justine Bateman’s feature directorial and official selection at both TIFF and SXSW in 2021.

“James has crafted an incredibly tense thriller, filled with equal parts mystery and adrenaline, that will have audiences guessing until the very last scene,” remarked Vertical’s SVP of Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi. “We’re excited to be presenting the film to audiences this winter.”

Upcoming and past Vertical releases include Cannes opener Jeanne Du Barry, Berlinale opener She Came to Me, and Tribeca 2023 title He Went That Way.