EXCLUSIVE: Film Movement has acquired U.S. rights to the dramedy Queen of Glory, written, directed by and starring Nana Mensah, from Magnolia Pictures International, with plans to release it in theaters and on digital and VOD later this year.
In her debut feature, Mensah plays Sarah, a Ghanaian-American doctoral student at Columbia University who is weeks away from following her very married boyfriend to Ohio when her mother dies suddenly, leaving her as the owner of the small, Bronx-based Christian bookstore, King of Glory. Tasked with planning a culturally respectful funeral befitting the family matriarch, Sarah is forced to juggle the expectations of her loving, yet demanding family while also navigating the reappearance of her estranged father. Aided by an only-in-New York ensemble of Eastern European neighbors, feisty African aunties and a no-nonsense ex-con co-worker, she faces her new responsibilities while figuring out how to remain true to herself.
Queen of Glory was produced by Jamund Washington, Kelley Robin Hicks and Baff Akoto and also stars Meeko, Oberon K.A. Adjepong and Adam Leon. The film made its world premiere at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival, where it won the award for Best New Narrative Director. It has subsequently claimed the Hamptons International Film Festival’s Excellence in Directing Award and the Mill Valley Film Festival’s inaugural Mind the Gap Creation Prize, and is currently nominated for Independent Spirit Awards in the categories of Best First Feature and Best Supporting Male, with the latter recognition going to Mensah’s co-star, Meeko.
“Queen of Glory heralds a true coming-out-party for Nana–both in front of and behind the camera,” said Film Movement President Michael Rosenberg. “Throughout the years, we’re proud of our track record of introducing unique new talents to cinema lovers, and we’re excited that we’re able to play a part in Nana’s career – one that’s sure to be rich, varied and successful.”
“Our entire team is thrilled to partner with Film Movement and is honored to be a part of their history of bold, passionate and boundary-pushing films,” added Mensah. “We can’t wait for them to introduce this very special film to audiences this year.”
Film Movement is a North American distributor founded in 2002 that has also recently acquired Stefan Ruzowitzky’s thriller Hinterlands; Hong Sung-eun’s feature directorial debut, Aloners; Bobbi Jo Hart’s doc Fanny: The Right to Rock; Laura Wandel’s Playground; French actress Sandrine Kiberlain’s feature directorial debut, A Radiant Girl; Mario Martone’s Italian period drama, The King of Laughter, starring Toni Servillo; Olivia Peace’s coming-of-age drama Tahara; Philipp Stölzl’s Chess Story, based on the Stefan Zweig novel of the same name; Jacqueline Lentzou’s debut feature Moon, 66 Questions; and Bogdan George Apetri’s acclaimed Romanian crime thriller, Miracle.
Rosenberg negotiated the deal for Queen of Glory on behalf of Film Movement, with Head of International Sales Lorna-Lee Torres on behalf of Magnolia Pictures.
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