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Andie MacDowell (Groundhog Day, Four Weddings and a Funeral), Patrick Gibson (The OA, Tolkien) and exciting new discovery Rain Spencer lead the cast of Sarah Elizabeth Mintz’ debut feature film Good Girl Jane, it was announced today by Astute Films’ President Fred Bernstein. After being shut down in 2020 due to the pandemic, Astute committed to returning to production a year later and principal photography wrapped today, in Los Angeles, where the film is set.

Odessa A’Zion (“Grand Army”, “Fam”, “Nashville”), Jules Lorenzo (“Skate Kitchen”, Betty), Olan Prenatt (“Mid90s”), Diego Chiat, Eloisa Huggins and Gale Harold (“Queer as Folk”, “Deadwood”) star along with musical artists Yeek and Shakewell. 

Sundance Fellow, Mintz developed the project at the famed festival’s Writer’s Intensive in 2017 inspired by her own personal story. Her short of the same name premiered to critical acclaim at the Raindance Film Festival in 2018.

Failing to find intimacy in her broken home, a lonely young girl (Spencer) falls hard for a charming drug dealer and becomes entangled in his meth ring run by Los Angeles teens.

Good Girl Jane is being produced by Astute Films’ Dominique Telson, Fred Bernstein and Simone Williams, along with indie producer Lauren Pratt. Rick Jackson is Executive Producer.

“Drug abuse and depression are afflictions stigmatized by society due to misconception, fear and shame,” said Mintz. “As a person who has struggled through these experiences, and grown stronger despite them, I am committed to telling a story which sheds light on the overwhelming reality of our “sadness epidemic.” My hope for this film is to offer a window into why someone might manage their pain with desperate acts of self-harm. Good Girl Jane is a tribute to the highs and lows of this struggle and to those currently in its throes.”

“Good Girl Jane speaks not only to this generation, but to generations to come – and their families,” said Telson. “We have seen many films about drug addiction, but Sarah Mintz has given us unique insight into the alienation, loneliness, sex, drugs, and communal bonds that permeate the culture. It is a riveting ride packed with the kind of realism and truth that audiences will embrace,” added Bernstein.

Sarah Mintz received her BFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she completed her thesis film Transit, starring Dakota Johnson. Sarah mentored with filmmakers Cary Fukunaga on “True Detective”, Joachim Trier on Louder Than Bombs, and worked with Alejandro Inarritu on The Revenant. Sarah was a Sundance Fellow in the 2017 Writer’s Intensive and 2018 Sundance Strategic Financing Intensive with her project Good Girl Jane. She completed a short film of the same name starring Rachelle Vinberg (Skate Kitchen, Betty) and Travis Tope (American Vandal), with cinematography by Jake Saner (Ghosts of Sugar Land). The short premiered at the Raindance Film Festival in London.

Golden Globe-nominee MacDowell’s recent film roles include No Man’s Land opposite Frank Grillo and Love After Love opposite Chris O’Dowd. MacDowell is currently shooting the Netflix limited series, Maid, opposite her real-life daughter, Margaret Qualley, with John Wells serving as producer/director, alongside producer, Margot Robbie.  MacDowell has been nominated for three Golden Globes for her roles in Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Green Card and Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Gibson has appeared in the critically acclaimed Netflix series “The OA”, 20^th Century Fox’s The Darkest Minds, Fox Searchlight’s Tolkien opposite Nicolas Hoult and Lily Collins, and In A Relationship opposite Emma Roberts and Michael Angarano.

Lauren Pratt graduated with a BA in film production from USC's School of Cinematic Arts and began her career at Anonymous Content under the mentorship of Michael Sugar. At Anonymous Content, she worked with Michael during production of Steven Soderbergh's “The Knick” and Academy Award winner Spotlight. Pratt also produced the short film “Good Girl Jane”, written and directed by Mintz.

Macdowell is repped by Gersh. Gibson is repped by ICM Partners. Harold is repped by Atlas. Spencer is repped by Osbrink. Mintz is repped by Gary Ungar and Reed Baumgarten of Exile Entertainment.

ABOUT ASTUTE FILMS

Veteran film production executive Fred Bernstein launched Los Angeles-based, privately-funded motion picture financing and production company Astute Films, LLC with Rick Jackson in 2015. Bernstein, who previously headed production at Columbia Pictures, and the business and operations of Universal Pictures, created Astute Films with Jackson to facilitate the production of quality films that both entertain and matter. Dominique Telson a long time exec at Showtime Networks joined shortly thereafter to run development and production.

Astute Films is currently in post-production on Here Today starring Billy Crystal and Tiffany Haddish and Queen Bees which features Ellen Burstyn, James Caan, Jane Curtin, and Ann-Margret. Recent Astute Films releases include, The Best of Enemies starring Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell, An Interview with God with David Strathairn and Brenton Twaites, and Premature, featuring Zora Howard and Joshua Boone.