We’re still waiting for a new Pope, but blessings are flowing in the indie film sector. “A Little Prayer,” the acclaimed drama that debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023, has secured North American distribution after the breakdown of its original deal.
Written and directed by “Junebug” scribe Angus MacLachlan, “A Little Prayer” resonated with Sundance audiences thanks to its small, grounded storytelling and emotional performances from leads David Strathairn and Jane Levy. Music Box Films will now take the film out for a theatrical release later in 2025.
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Two years ago, Sony Pictures Classics scooped up the project in Park City (the prestige label previously released “Junebug,” which introduced Amy Adams in 2005 and landed her an Oscar nomination). In late 2023, the Writers Guld of America kicked off what would become painful dual Hollywood labor strikes, forcing talent to join picket lines and many films to delay release. Somewhere in work stoppages, individuals familiar with “A Little Prayer” said, the SPC acquisition could not be finalized. The rights to the film reverted to MacLachlan and producers, paving the way for Music Box to come aboard.
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“We caught ‘A Little Prayer’at Sundance, loved it, and waited dutifully for it to see a U.S. release. That never materialized, and when we heard that Angus was looking for a partner to bring this quiet stunner to audiences, we leapt at the opportunity,” the distribution company said in a statement, adding that the film “remains what it was all along: a deceptively modest, enormously moving film with terrific performances from David Strathairn, Jane Levy, and the whole ensemble. We are proud to bring the film to theaters and give it not only a prayer, but a real chance to stir and delight audiences.”
The ensemble includes Will Pullen, Anna Camp, Dascha Polanco and a delicious supporting turn from beloved character actor Celia Weston.
“A Little Prayer” follows a fractured family in the American south. Humble servant and small business owner Bill (Strathairn) suspects his son and right hand (Pullen) is cheating on his beautiful, salt-of-the-earth wife (Levy). As Bill investigates and tries to hold his family together, his shortcomings as a parent and husband manifest all around him. Levy, meanwhile, tries to reconcile her future with her self-worth.
The movie closes the Chicago Critics Film Festival this evening, where MacLachlan and Levy will sit for a conversation. The sale of the film was negotiated by Brian Andreotti of Music Box Films and producer Lauren Vilchik on behalf of the filmmakers.
