Emma Higgins' debut feature and coming-of-age horror tale is produced by Director X's Fela and When We Were Kids Entertainment.
BY ETAN VLESSING MARCH 21, 2024 6:00AM
Women Talking breakout star Kate Hallett and Ragnarok star Herman Tømmeraas have nabbed lead roles in the teen thriller Sweetness from director Emma Higgins.
Hallet will play Rylee Baker, a 16-year-old who has a chance encounter with her idol, pop star Payton Adler (Tømmeraas), whom she soon discovers is a dysfunctional drug addict. Rylee decides to help Payton, only to see her misguided plan turn dark as she becomes intent on turning teenage fantasies into reality.
The cameras will roll on Sweetness next month in North Bay, Ontario. Higgins, a veteran music video and commercial director, is making her debut feature with the indie genre pic, which she also wrote.
“Horror is my favorite genre, and when I first started writing this film 10 years ago, I knew that this coming-of-age story with its sinister twists and turns could do what those movies did for me growing up and leave audiences thoroughly entertained and a little bit disturbed,” Higgins said in a statement.
Also joining the ensemble cast is Aya Furukawa, Amanda Brugel and Steven Ogg (The Walking Dead). Sweetness is produced by Fela and When We Were Kids Entertainment, with Taj Critchlow and Daniel Quinn sharing producer credits.
Toronto and Los Angeles-based Fela was founded by Director X and Critchlow. Sweetness marks the production banner’s first move into feature films after its roster of directors helmed music videos for Drake, Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Rosalía, Jay-Z, SZA, Coldplay, Future, Eminem and others.
Elevation Pictures will release Sweetness in Canada, with Altitude Film Sales handling the international sales.