EXCLUSIVE: Gravitas Ventures has secured the North American rights to distribute Elyse, the directorial debut drama from Stella Hopkins starring her husband, Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins. Lisa Pepper, Aaron Tucker, Tara Arroyave, Fran Tucker, Anthony Apel, Julieta Oritiz, and Danny Jacobs also star in the film, which will get a theatrical and on-demand release on December 4.

Written by Stella, the drama follows the titular character (Pepper) who, in a psychotic blackout, commits vehicular manslaughter of her son and his nanny. Memory and hallucination intertwine to expose a history of trauma, revealing the truth: Elyse is Catatonic and institutionalized in a State Hospital. Her recovery is reliant on the dissolution of her marriage, the restoration of the relationship with her mother, and the mutual absolution with the nanny’s daughter, Carmen. It’s the care from Dr. Lewis (Anthony Hopkins) and the unconditional love from her nurse, David, that promise Elyse a new life.

“With great respect, I dedicate Elyse to the mental illness community and the memory of my mother,” said Stella Hopkins. “The film aims to convey my deep personal understanding of the devastation a family endures when a loved one is painfully afflicted with a mental disorder. It was a great honor to work alongside cinematography master, Dante Spinotti, and direct my outstanding cast and husband, Academy Award winner, Anthony Hopkins.”

Gravitas’ VP of Acquisitions, Tony Piantedosi handled the rights deal with John McGrath at UTA.

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