Simon Fawcett's SUNLIGHT JR. Set for Marche du Film Premiere - Starring Laurie Collyer & Naomi Watts

Related: Charlie Corwin, Matt Dillon, Norman Reedus, Andrea Roa

SUNLIGHT-JR-Set-for-Cannes-Screening-20010101

The gritty, inspirational drama SUNLIGHT JR. will be unveiled to international buyers by Hyde Park International at this year's Marche du Film. Written and directed by the award-winning Laurie Collyer (SHERRYBABY) and starring Naomi Watts (J. EDGAR, KING KONG), Matt Dillon (CRASH, THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY) and Norman Reedus (THE BOONDOCK SAINTS, THE WALKING DEAD). The film is produced by Original Media's Charlie Corwin (HALF NELSON, THE SQUID AND THE WHALE), Freight Yard Films' Andrea Roa and Ariel Elia, who is producing on behalf of Empyrean Pictures. Joshua Skurla and Dan Klabin are executive producers for Empyrean, which fully financed the film, and are joined by Simon Fawcett (HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS & ALIENATE PEOPLE, IN THE LOOP) as executive producer.

SUNLIGHT JR. is currently in post production and a promo will be shown at Cannes. Shot on location in southern Florida, the story spotlights hard-working convenience store clerk Melissa (Naomi Watts) and her paraplegic boyfriend, Richie (Matt Dillon), who are trapped in a generational cycle of poverty and ignorance. They are genuinely excited, however, once they learn that Melissa is pregnant. But when she loses her job and they are evicted from the motel they live in, things go from bad to worse. Through this adversity, the couple realizes that they can never lose everything as long as they have each other.

Hyde Park International has built a robust slate for the 2012 Marche du Film, including Hugh Hudson's MIDNIGHT SUN, which has already generated significant interest among buyers; Medusa purchased Italian rights and Alliance Atlantis purchased Canadian rights. They are also selling ADULT WORLD, the latest comedy from Award-winning commercial and music video director Scott Coffey (ELLIE PARKER) starring Emma Roberts, Evan Peters and John Cusack.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / Retna Ltd.