‘Liberation’: VMI Worldwide Boards WWII Pic Starring Stephen Lang And Elsie Fisher — Toronto

EXCLUSIVE: VMI Worldwide has acquired world rights to the WWII title Liberation, formally known as Avenue of the Giants, starring Stephen Lang (Avatar), Elsie Fisher (Eighth Grade), Robin Weigert (Deadwood) and Luke Blumm (Where The Crawdads Sing).

Written and directed by filmmaker Finn Taylor, the film tells the true story of Herbert Heller (Blumm), who kept his experience as a teenage boy surviving for years in Auschwitz hidden from his family. That is until he meets Abbey (Fisher), a young teenager whose own brush with pain and death inspires him to open up as well, leading the two of them to exchange their stories as a meaningful and healing friendship is born.

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The deal was negotiated by Jessica Bennett, COO of Productions and Acquisitions, Mickey Guerin, VP of Legal and Business Affairs for VMI, and Mark Halloran and Executive Producer Noah Lang on behalf of the filmmakers.

The film was produced by George Rush and Jeanine Thomas and will debut at the Hamptons International Film Festival. The film will be introduced to buyers at TIFF.

“Liberation is a powerful film and telling of a Holocaust survivor who kept his devastating story a secret. Performed by Stephen Lang in his best role yet,” said Andre Relis, VMI Worldwide CEO.

Producer Jeanine Thomas added: “Creating this film has been one of the most impactful experiences of my life. The opportunity to not only honor the victims of the Holocaust and those suffering in silence psychologically but to honor my friend Herbert is perhaps the greatest chapter of my professional life thus far.”

VMI’s recent titles include Darkness Of Man, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme; Corner Office, starring Jon Hamm; Come Out Fighting, starring Kellan Lutz and Tyrese Gibson; and Clean, with Adrien Brody.

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