As the lead-up to the 76th edition of the Cannes Film Festival gets underway, so too does the film market at the festival. And Black Bear International will have a very enticing project for sale on the Croisette: “Shell,” a thriller starring Elisabeth Moss, Kate Hudson, and Kaia Gerber.
“Teen Spirit‘ director and actor Max Minghella will direct the film, a thriller set in the near future as humanity’s cultural obsession with youth and beauty reaches disturbing new extremes. Here’s a brief synopsis for “Shell”:
In Shell, struggling actress Samantha (Elisabeth Moss) is given an opportunity to get a free trial at Shell, a pioneering health and beauty company which promises to keep its clients looking young forever. Samantha’s life and career is transformed by the treatment, and she develops a burgeoning friendship with Shell’s CEO, the ultra-glamorous Zoe Shannon (Kate Hudson). When a string of former Shell patients go missing under mysterious circumstances, including popular social media star Chloe Benson (Kaia Gerber), Samantha starts to fear she may be in danger herself.
Black Bear International and Automatik frontline the production for “Shell.” Automatik’s Fred Berger and Brian Kavanaugh Jones lead the production team, along with Minghella through Blank Tape, Moss and Lindsey McManus through Love & Squalor Pictures, and Alicia Van Couvering. Jamie Bell is also on board to executive produce. Jack Stanley pens the script for “Shell.”
Minghella sounds excited about his sophomore feature. “”Shell” packs a wildly entertaining genre movie with iconic characters and universal themes that are bound to have people talking long after they leave the theater,” he said in a press release. ” I’m so thrilled to be bringing it to life with this extraordinary cast and the incredible support of Black Bear International, Love & Squalor,and Automatik”.
Here’s what Moss had to say about “Shell”: “This is one of the most unique, entertaining, and special scripts I’ve ever read, and I am so honored to be a part of it as an actor and flattered that Max came to me with this character, who’s unlike anyone I’ve ever played before. Having worked with Max for years on “The Handmaid’s Tale,” I’m so thrilled to now be directed by him as I’m a huge fan of his as a filmmaker. We at Love & Squalor are also excited to be working alongside Automatik and Black Bear, two companies we very much admire.”
While Black Bear International distributes “Shell” in the UK and Ireland markets and has it for sale for international distributors at Cannes, CAA Media Finance and WME Independent handle its domestic release. Black Bear International also has two films at Cannes this year: “On Swift Horses” with Daisy Edgar Jones, Jacob Elordi, and Will Poulter; and Timur Bkmambetov‘s “Motor City.”
“Shell” is the third team-up this year between Black Bear International and Automatik. The other two? “Longlegs,” a thriller with Nicolas Cage and Maika Monroe, and “Fred & Ginger” with Margaret Qualley and Jamie Bell. Both of those films sold at the film market at Berlinale in February.