Netflix is about to knock out competitors for the worldwide distribution rights to Halle Berry’s directorial debut.
Berry’s “Bruised,” an MMA drama that is screening as a work-in-progress at the Toronto Film Festival, is stitching up a sale close to $20 million, insiders familiar with negotiations said. Endeavor Content is repping filmmakers in the deal, with Sierra/Affinity assisting on international.
The director also stars in this tale of a washed-up MMA fighter struggling for redemption as both an athlete and a mother. Berry directed from a script by Michelle Rosenfarb. Though the film will screen virtually on Saturday from Toronto, it’s unclear when the picture will lock and deliver to the streaming service.
Berry was the cover star of Variety‘s TIFF preview issue, wherein she discussed her journey to the screen — and the two broken ribs that almost halted production on her big jump to the director’s chair.
“I didn’t want to stop because I had prepared for so long,” Berry said. “We had rehearsed; we were ready. So my mind, my director’s mind, was just — keep going. And I compartmentalized that, and I just kept going: ‘I’m not going to stop. I’ve come too far. I’m going to act as if this isn’t hurting. I’m going to will myself through it.’ And so we did.”
Producers on the project include Basil Iwanyk, Brad Feinstein, Guymon Casady, Erica Lee, Paris Kassidokostas-Latsis, Terry Dougas, Linda Gottlieb and Gillian Hormel.
Deadline first reported news of the sale.