Vertigo Releasing is pleased to announce the acquisition of THE NOVICE for the UK and Ireland, to be released in cinemas and on digital platforms on 1st April 2022. THE NOVICE is Lauren Hadaway’s feature debut as a writer-director, and is based on her personal experience as a competitive collegiate rower. Hadaway’s credits include sound department editing credits on Whiplash, Justice League, The Hateful Eight and Southpaw.
Isabelle Fuhrman (Orphan) plays the lead, Alex Dall, an obsessive college freshman who joins her university’s rowing team and undertakes an extreme physical and psychological journey to make it to the top varsity boat, no matter the cost.
THE NOVICE debuted at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival, where it won three awards including Best Actress for Fuhrman and Best US Narrative Feature Film. The film has also been nominated for five Film Independent Spirit Awards, including Best Feature, Best Director and Best Female Lead.
Ryan Hawkins, Kari Hollend, Steven Sims, Zack Zucker produced, with Alex Engemann, Michael Tennant, Chris Hines and Ryan Bartecki serving as exec producers. Picture Movers, H2L Media Group and ZNZ Productions were the production companies involved.
Vertigo Releasing acquired the film from Script to Film. The deal was negotiated by Edward Caffrey and Fanny Ostojic.
