Menemsha Acquires North American Rights to Coming-of-Age Comedy ‘Ethan Bloom’ (EXCLUSIVE)

Menemsha Films has acquired North American rights to “Ethan Bloom,” an interfaith coming-of-age comedy from Herschel Faber, the director of “Cavemen.”

The distributor will launch the film on the festival circuit this spring, followed by its theatrical release in North American cinemas.

The cast includes Joshua Malina (“The West Wing,” “Scandal”), Rachelle Lefevre (“The Twilight Saga”), Carlos Ponce, who is also a singer and songwriter, and Mindy Sterling (the “Austin Powers” trilogy). The film is led by rising stars Caroline Valencia, best known as young Selena Gomez in the hit Hulu series “Only Murders in the Building,” and Hank Greenspan, who appeared in the CBS sitcom “The Neighborhood” for eight seasons.

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The film centers on 13-year-old Ethan Bloom (Greenspan), who should be preparing for his bar mitzvah – but against the wishes of his widowed Jewish dad (Malina), he is convinced his spiritual calling is with the Catholic church, where he secretly finds solace under the guidance of Father Diaz (Ponce).

Through the wisdom of an unconventional rabbi (Lefevre), the love of his complicated family, and his first romance with a cowboy-boot-wearing girl who can put him in a headlock, Ethan must confront his lies and grief to discover that faith isn’t about choosing sides—it’s about honoring all the messy, beautiful pieces of who we are.

Neil Friedman of Menemsha Films said, “The film ‘Ethan Bloom’ is a one-of-a-kind coming-of-age story featuring two wonderful young actors. The adult cast including Joshua Malina, Rachelle Lefevre and Carlos Ponce are equally compelling, making this film a unique look at faith, love and family we’ve yet to see on screen until now.”

Faber added, “’Ethan Bloom’ is about every kid who’s ever felt caught between different worlds—whether that means faith, culture, or family expectations—and writer Maylen Dominguez and I set out to tell a story that could make people laugh, cry, and see themselves. I’m thrilled that Menemsha Films understands this story’s heart and its breakout potential to reach audiences everywhere.”

Faber previously wrote, directed and produced “Cavemen,” a feature-length romantic comedy starring Skylar Astin (“Pitch Perfect”), Camilla Belle, Chad Michael Murray and Jason Patric, which was released theatrically by Well Go USA. As a screenwriter, Faber wrote “Mac and Devin Go to High School,” starring Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa, and has placed in the semi-finals of the Nicholl Fellowship and Austin Film Festival.

Dominguez previously won the Zaki Gordon Award for screenwriting and an NBC/Universal award for TV writing.

The deal was negotiated by Friedman on behalf of Menemsha Films, and Faber and Dominguez on behalf of Fascination Media and Plato’s Daughter Productions. The film was produced by Faber and Dominguez.