Cartilage Films has acquired worldwide rights to “Summer Solstice,” a new comedy that marks the feature debut of its writer and director Noah Schamus. The movie boasts an ensemble cast led by breakout performances from Bobbi Salvör Menuez (“Under the Silver Lake”) and Marianne Rendón (“Charlie Says”).
The producers are billing Schamus’s film as a modern twist on the buddy comedy, with this one told from a queer and trans perspective. It comes as filmmakers are offering fresh takes on queer stories.
“Summer Solstice” world premiered at Provincetown Film Festival and then went on to screen at New York’s LGBTQ+ film festival NewFest, with additional selections at Mill Valley Film Festival, Woodstock Film Festival, and Deauville American Film Festival. It will be released in theaters beginning June 14 in New York at the IFC Center with a national roll-out to follow.
In “Summer Solstice,” trans man Leo’s (Bobbi Salvör Menuez) life is a jumble of auditions, acting classes, barista jobs, and situationships, all of which he hopes will amount to more. Unexpectedly, Leo’s college best friend, cisgender and straight Eleanor (Marianne Rendón), calls Leo announcing that she’ll be driving through NYC, and offers to pick him up for an impromptu trip upstate. They embark on the weekend getaway, marking their first time spent together since Leo began transitioning. The trip prompts them to reconsider how their old feelings towards one another exist within this new context.
Jasper Basch, founder of Cartilage Films, said: “’Summer Solstice’ reimagines the buddy comedy in a way that is bold and fresh, and so very of today. What Noah has done with this movie goes beyond mere queer and trans representation; there’s an actual air of understanding and of empathy in this film that feels genuinely groundbreaking. And on top of that, it’s also a smart, funny, and dramatically satisfying movie. I’m very excited to champion ‘Summer Solstice’ so that audiences can get the opportunity to fall in love with it as well.”
“’Summer Solstice’ has been a labor of love for the entire team from its inception, and we’re all beyond grateful now to have Cartilage Films bringing our work to audiences with the same spirit of sharing and joy we brought to the making of our film,” saidSchamus.
Producers Jesse Miller and Jess Zeidman said, “We’re thrilled to be working with Jasper and his team at Cartilage Films. Their mission to bring small, offbeat independent films to theaters is meaningful to us, and we’re grateful that ‘Summer Solstice’ will be seen by the type of audience its writing, directing, and performances deserve.”
The film is produced by Schamus, Jess Zeidman, Jesse Miller, Arno Mokros and Harper Makowsky. Jesse Miller negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers with Jasper Basch on behalf of Cartilage Films.
Cartilage Films was founded in 2016 by Basch as a theatrical distributor and booking agency, partnering with filmmakers and rights holders to bring their films to cinemas nationwide. Past clients of Cartilage Films included MUBI, Metrograph Pictures, Film Movement, Screen Media Films, and Arrow Films.Basch then pushed pause on the company while he worked at IFC as its head of distribution. He revived it in 2023.
