Kyle Gallner, who will appear in the upcoming “Scream,” and “Escape Room: Tournament of Champions” actress Holland Roden, are starring together in a psychological thriller called “Mother, May I?”
Laurence Vannicelli (“Vera”) directed and wrote the film that’s currently in post-production in Los Angeles, and Verve Ventures, the independent film finance and sales team at Verve Literary and Talent Agency, is coming aboard the project to handle North American sales.
“Mother, May I?” is the story of Emmett (Gallner) and Anya (Roden), who unexpectedly inherit his estranged mother’s house after her passing. As they sift through her estate, Anya begins acting more and more like Emmett’s mother— forcing him to question if she’s pushing him to confront his traumatic past or if she’s actually been possessed by his mother’s spirit.
Vannicelli developed the film with his partner Daisy Long, who during the pandemic hatched the idea for the story for Vannicelli to write and direct. The film also contains supernatural elements that are illustrated through movement and dance, and Long, a former ballerina, choreographed the supernatural sequences.
Gallner and Roden are also joined in the cast by Chris Mulkey (“Twin Peaks”). Roden is also a producer on the film alongside Dane Eckerle, Daniel Brandt, Long and Cole Eckerle.
Sam Slater, Paul Bernon and Phil Keefe of Burn Later Productions served as executive producers on “Mother, May I?” along with Alex Whitney, Erin Donovan, Chris Long and Raj Trivedi. Jason R. Ellis of Eclipse Management & Entertainment is a co-producer. Dane and Cole Eckerle produced on behalf of their company Bad Grey.
Craig Harmer was the director of photography and Keola Racela is the editor.
“Due to COVID, we tried to build our production pod to be as safe and tight-knit as possible,” producer Dane Eckerle said in a statement. “The result was everyone living and working on one property and getting closer than on any traditional set. We formed an amazing bond, and the hope is that the unity and energy of the production comes through in the quality of the final product.”
“’Mother, May I?’ is an example of a spine chilling, haunting, supernatural thriller done right! Excited to get this in front of distributors and audiences alike,” Amy Beecroft of Verve Ventures said in a statement.
Gallner is known for roles in “American Sniper,” “Dear White People,” “The Finest Hours” and will next be seen in the upcoming reboot of “Scream.” HRoden starred as Lydia Martin on “Teen Wolf” and more recently appeared in “Mayans M.C.,” “Escape Room: Tournament of Champions” and “Ted Bundy: American Boogeyman.”
Vannicelli is represented by Circle of Confusion. Roden is represented by A3 Artists Agency, Eclipse Management & Entertainment, and Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham. Gallner is represented by Paradigm Talent Agency, Integral Artists, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller & Gellman. Mulkey is represented by Buchwald.