Bella Heathcote & Asif Ali Set For Survival Drama ‘Roof’ From Director Salvatore Sciortino

Matt Grobar
·2 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: Bella Heathcote (Pieces of Her) and Asif Ali (Don’t Worry Darling) will lead the survival drama Roof, marking the directorial debut of Salvatore Sciortino, which has wrapped production in Los Angeles.

The films tells the story of two co-workers who accidentally get locked on the roof of a skyscraper during the hottest holiday weekend in years. Lacking any water and unable to communicate with the outside world, they attempt increasingly dangerous ways to escape as their health rapidly deteriorates in the heat. At the same time, an unexpected friendship blooms as they mutually realize just how badly they have wrecked their lives.

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Josh Tate wrote the script and is producing alongside recent Sundance Producing Lab Fellow, Austin Sepulveda. The film was supported by a grant from Curt Willis and the Visit Knoxville Film Office, with part of the shoot having taken place in Knoxville.

“I feel incredibly fortunate to have such talented actors as Bella and Asif in my first film,” said Sciortino. “Their extraordinary chemistry together elevates our film to a truly unique place full of humor, empathy and terrifying action.”

Heathcote is an Australian actress who most recently starred alongside Toni Collette in the Netflix series Pieces of Her from creator Charlotte Stoudt. Prior to that, she starred with Emily Mortimer in the horror feature, Relic. The film, which premiered at Sundance in 2020, landed the actress a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards. Heathcote has also been seen in films including Professor Marston & the Wonder Women, Fifty Shades Darker, The Neon Demon, Not Fade Away, Dark Shadows and In Time, and on series like The Man in the High Castle.

Ali is an actor and comedian who found a breakout role as part of Disney+’s WandaVision and recently appeared in Universal Pictures’ Easter Sunday alongside Jo Koy. The actor will next be seen in Olivia Wilde’s Warner Bros. film Don’t Worry Darling, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival and is slated for release on September 23rd. Other notable credits for Ali include Disney+’s The Mandalorian, Netflix’s BoJack Horseman and Roshan Sethi’s Independent Spirit Award winner, 7 Days.

Heathcote is represented by WME, More/Medavoy Management, Australia’s JM Agency and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern; Ali by Mohammed Ali at Authentic Talent and Literary Management, CAA and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman.

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