IFC has greenlit “Sisters,” a half-hour dark comedy from Sarah Goldberg and Susan Stanley.
The six-episode series follows two women (Goldberg and Stanley), one born in Canada and the other in Ireland, who discover they are half-sisters and embark on a road trip to find their alcoholic father. Goldberg and Stanley, real-life best friends, co-created the series.
“Sisters” was developed by Peer Pressure, Shaftesbury, RTÉ and Declan Lowney, who is set to direct the first three episodes. Peer Pressure and Shaftesbury produce in association with Mermade and Gaze Pictures. The rights to the series are held by Sundance Now in the U.S., Crave in Canada and RTÉ in Ireland. Fremantle will distribute the series in all other territories. Filming is currently underway on location in Ireland and will conclude in late June.
Goldberg is best known for starring as Sally Reed in HBO’s “Barry.” She also played Lolly Lavigne in the 2015 VH1 series “Hindsight.” Her film credits include “The Night House,” “The Report” and “The Hummingbird Project.” She is repped by UTA, Mosaic, B-Side Management and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox.
Stanley’s acting credits are primarily from stage roles in plays including “Portia Coughlan” and “The Beauty Queen of Leenane” as well as the short film “Hotel Amenities.” Along with Goldberg, she has written a screenplay for Focus Features. She is repped by The Lisa Richards Agency.
“We are thrilled to be making ‘Sisters,’ a character-driven comedic drama about how the absence of a parent in childhood can affect life in your thirties, and the macabre humour that can come with trauma,” said Goldberg and Stanley.
“I am beyond myself with excitement at the thought of spending time with Susan and Sarah,” said director Declan Lowney. “I look forward to the thrilling balancing act required to bring the drama and comedy of these beautiful scripts to life. ‘Sisters’ is a gift of a show for any director, and I’m so thrilled to be part of their family.”
“‘Sisters’ made me want one. The messy bonds of friendship and family are a perfect fit to IFC and Sundance Now’s unique mix of slightly off comedies,” said Blake Callaway, general manager of IFC. “Sarah and Susan have found so much humor among the wreckage of flawed, failed and absent parenting. These siblings and their breakout creators are going to be just fine.”