Weed-growing nun documentary Breaking Habits is heading to the U.S. after Cranked Up, the fledgling genre of Good Deed Entertainment, got high on a deal for the Salon Pictures film.
The label struck a deal with UK sales firm Film Constellation for the doc in Cannes and will release in the U.S. GDE’s Kristin Harris and Brandon Hill negotiated the deal with Film Constellation’s Fabien Westerhoff.
The film, which has already sold in multiple territories, is directed by Rob Ryan and follows Christine Meeusen, a corporate exec-turned-cannabis farmer who found her calling in medicinal marijuana. It tells how Meeusen, betrayed by a bigamist husband after 17 years, fled penniless with her three young children and discovered the lucrative business of cannabis farming. She adopted the persona of a nun called Sister Kate and founded Sisters of the Valley, a business that makes and sells medicinal cannabis products.
Meeusen’s firm, which broke big on social commerce site Etsy, has faced a number of challenges over the years including run-ins with the county sheriff and black-market thieves playing a role as well as threats from local drug cartels and the California state Bureau of Medical Cannabis Regulation.
Sisters Kate and Claire are in Cannes to meet with buyers as Film Constellation’s world sales effort continues. The film will be ready for release later in 2018.
Producers are Nick Taussig and Paul Van Carter’s Salon Pictures. The doc was written and directed by Ryan, who previously directed feature-length BBC Two doc Sprint, about five sprinters on their journey to the Beijing and London Olympic games. Ian Berg and Christopher J Reynolds are exec producers.
“The timeliness of this project, along with the poignant and inspiring story of Sister Kate made this a film we could not pass up. We look forward to releasing this picture and getting it to audiences as soon as possible,” said GDE’s CEO and founder Scott Donley.
Salon Pictures’ founding partner Nick Taussing added, “We’re thrilled that Good Deed’s new label, Cranked Up, is on board, and we look forward to working with them to make the film a great success in its domestic territory, the U.S.”
Credit: deadline.com
