Lifetime Nabs Indie Pic ‘Return to Zero’ for Global Push

“Return to Zero” was a labor of love for writer-director Sean Hanish, and now Lifetime is giving a global platform to the independently financed pic.

“Zero” stars Minnie Driver and Paul Adelstein in the story of a couple who are devastated and break up after enduring a stillbirth but wind up reuniting when the wife becomes pregnant again. Alfred Molina, Connie Nielsen, Sarah Jones, Andrea Anders and Kathy Baker also star.

Pic will bow May 17 in the U.S. and also be rolled out on Lifetime channels in Canada, the U.K., France, Spain and key Southeast Asian territories. A+E is also handling global sales of the title in other territories.

Pic was inspired by Hanish’s personal experiences. He self-financed the project, which piqued Lifetime’s interest in making it the cabler’s first global premiere. Paul Jaconi-Biery produced “Zero” with Hanish.

Pic premiered Sunday at an indie film fest in Rome.

“Every once in a while, a film comes along that has the power to make a difference in the lives of others. ‘Return to Zero’ is that powerful and moving story that so many people around the world who have faced similar challenges can relate to,” said Christian Murphy, A+E Networks’ senior VP of international programming and production. “We felt it very important to present this moving film with such incredible performances from A-list stars as the first global premiere for Lifetime.”

TV bizzers will notice a familiar name in the list of producers for “Zero”: CBS senior exec VP Kelly Kahl, the Eye’s longtime scheduling guru. He and Hanish have been friends since their college days, which prompted Kahl to embark on a very rare bit of moonlighting as an exec producer.

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