Our friends at Raven Banner Entertainment have acquired all rights here in Canada to Natalia Leite's revenge thriller M.F.A. The thriller about sexual violence on campus was written by Leah McKendrick who also stars in the film.
Raven Banner Entertainment announced... that it has acquired all rights in Canada to M.F.A., a critically acclaimed powerful thriller starring Francesca Eastwood in a stand out role. The film, from female director and female screenwriter, takes on the searing current issue of sexual violence on campus. Raven Banner will release this fall alongside Dark Sky Films in the U.S.M.F.A. was directed by Natalia Leite (Bare) from a debut screenplay by actress Leah McKendrick (Bad Moms). McKendrick also co-stars in the film along with Clifton Collins Jr. (Westworld, Knight of Cups).The deal was negotiated by Raven Banner's Managing Partners, Michael Paszt and James Fler, and Ryan Kampe and Lydia Rodman of New York-based worldwide film sales company Visit Films.M.F.A., which was nominated for the Grand Jury Award at the 2017 SXSW festival, tells a gripping story of a young woman forced to take action to protect herself in "perhaps the bravest, rawest rape-revenge thriller yet" (No Film School). Noelle (Francesca Eastwood, Final Girl, Outlaws and Angels), an art student struggling to find her voice, is sexually assaulted by a fellow classmate. Attempting to cope with her trauma, she impulsively confronts her attacker, leading to a violent altercation that culminates in his accidental death.Noelle tries to return to normalcy, but when she discovers she is only one of many silenced sexual assault survivors on campus, she takes justice into her own hands. A vigilante is born - retribution is the inspiration she's been waiting for.
Screen Anarchy's Peter Martin caught the film as SXSW this year and in an article that drew a comparison with another film that dealt with this subject matter he had this to say,
M.F.A. goes in a different direction and more closely resembles a genre thriller, especially because of the way that Noelle responds. It's not any less valid a reaction, but by comparison, it feels more familiar, less disturbing at a cellular level. The colors are vibrant and the action is coherent and vibrant. Francesca Eastwood gives a stirring, sterling performance, transforming from a wallflower into a dynamic powerhouse. Leah McKendrick is supportive as her "best friend," a character with more depth than might be initially assumed.
You will find a link to Peter's article below.