‘If I Go Will They Miss Me’ Sells in Six-Figure Deal Following Sundance Film Festival Debut (EXCLUSIVE)

“If I Go Will They Miss Me,” a coming-of-age drama that premiered at Sundance Film Festival, has landed at indie distributor Rich Spirit.

The nearly $1 million deal includes U.S. rights and select international territories. A fall theatrical release is being planned.

Walter Thompson-Hernandez wrote and directed “If I Go Will They Miss Me,” which stars Danielle Brooks, J. Alphonse Nicholson and Bodhi Dell. Based on Thompson-Hernandez’s short of the same name, the film follows 12-year-old Lil Ant (Dell) who struggles to connect with his distant father (Nicholson) as he begins sensing mysterious visions.

“Premiering ‘If I Go Will They Miss Me’ at Sundance was such a dream, and I’m so grateful to partner with Rich Spirit for the next chapter,” Thompson-Hernandez said in a statement. “This film was a labor of love from start to finish; I’m beyond proud of our team and so excited for audiences to experience this story in theaters.”

At Sundance, “If I Go Will They Miss Me” earned strong reviews, with Variety’s chief film critic Peter Debruge calling Thompson-Hernandez a “talent-to-watch” and praising the movie as a “one-of-a-kind Sundance discovery.”

“If I Go Will They Miss Me” was produced by Josh Peters, Saba Zerehi and Ben Stillman. Executive producers include Robina Riccitiello, Steve Beckman, Isaac Ericson, Jennifer J. Pritzker, Meredith Crowley, Jonathan Weiner, Grace Lay, Tyler Bagley, Jack Chinery, Ryan Lynn, Brooks and Nicholson. Jon Batiste recorded a cover of “This Bitter Earth” for the film and served as an executive producer. 

The deal was negotiated by Eugene Pikulin at Bruns Brennan Berry Pikulin & Jacobs LLP and UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the filmmakers and Rich Spirit.

James Shani’s Rich Spirit landed on Hollywood’s radar with “The Apprentice,” a well-reviewed but controversial Donald Trump biopic that struggled to find distribution. The company’s second release was “BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions,” a documentary described as an “ongoing art project that blurs the lines between art, journalism, entrepreneurship, and cultural critique.”