EXCLUSIVE: Juno Films has acquired rights to the experimental drama The Same Storm, from writer-director Peter Hedges (Ben Is Back), for distribution in the U.S., Canada and the UK. The film will open at the Quad Cinema in NYC and the Laemmle Santa Monica on October 14.

Filmed during the Covid pandemic using cell phones and laptops, The Same Storm invites viewers into the lives of 24 characters as they navigate the spring and summer of 2020. With lockdowns, the Black Lives Matter movement and the looming 2020 election as key backdrops, the film explores the importance of human connection, family and love during a time when all of that seemed out of reach.

Two-time Golden Globe winner Sandra Oh (Killing Eve), Emmy and Golden Globe winner Mary-Louise Parker (Colin in Black & White), two-time Oscar nominee Elaine May (Crisis in Six Scenes), Emmy nominee Moses Ingram (Obi-Wan Kenobi), Independent Spirit Award nominee Raúl Castillo (Cha Cha Real Smooth) and Noma Duzemweni (Made for Love) star in the film, which made its world premiere at the 2021 Telluride Film Festival. Pic is presented by Evenstar Films in association with Straight Up Technologies and Home Plate Pictures. Dianne Dreyer, Elizabeth Cuthrell, and David Urrutia served as its producers.

“Peter Hedges’ film The Same Storm captures a period that bound us together through uncertainty, anxiety and fatigue while keeping us physically apart from family, loved ones and friends,” said Juno Films CEO, Elizabeth Sheldon. “The performances from the all-star cast allow viewers to laugh at our collective experience, to cry for our losses, and to remember what it felt like during those dark days when despite the risk we came together for Black Lives Matter, comforted those who suffered loss, and relied on the kindness of strangers and the love of family.”

“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Elizabeth Sheldon and Juno Films,” added Hedges. “The Same Storm was made with a whole lot of love during a fraught and challenging time. The ferocity and generosity of our extraordinary cast and crew fill every on-screen moment. I couldn’t be more proud of and grateful for everyone who helped make this possible.”

Juno Films is a boutique film distributor and world sales agent founded by Sheldon, who has over 20 years of experience in the distribution of documentary and feature films for both North American all-rights releases and international sales. The company’s recent releases include Andres Alegrie and Abel Sanchez’s doc Song for Cesar, Lucile Hadzihalilovic’s surreal drama Earwig, and Antonio Tibaldi’s We Are Living Things.

Cinetic Media Senior Executive Jason Ishikawa negotiated the deal for The Same Storm with Sheldon on behalf of the filmmakers.