Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions have picked up Ray Romano’s feature directorial debut Somewhere in Queens, which previously had a world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival. The three-time Emmy winner also co-wrote, stars and produced the film. Roadside plans to give Somewhere in Queens a theatrical release next year. The pic currently stands at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
In the film, Leo Russo (Romano) lives a simple life in Queens, New York with his wife Angela (Laurie Metcalf), their shy but talented son “Sticks” (Jacob Ward), and Leo’s close-knit network of Italian-American relatives and neighborhood friends. Happy enough working at the family construction business alongside his father (Tony Lo Bianco) and younger brother (Sebastian Maniscalco), Leo lives each week for Sticks’ high-school basketball games, never missing a chance to cheer on his only child as he rules the court as a star athlete. When the high-school senior gets a surprising and life-changing opportunity to play basketball in college, Leo jumps at the chance to provide a plan for his future, away from the family construction business. But when sudden heartbreak threatens to derail Sticks, Leo goes to unexpected lengths to keep his son on this new path.
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The movie also stars Jennifer Esposito and Sadie Stanley.
Eda Kowan, Lionsgate’s EVP Acquisitions & Co-Productions, said, “Ray Romano has delivered an outstanding directorial debut, creating a vibrant family tapestry that is immediately relatable and heartfelt. We are very proud to be distributing the film with our partners at Roadside and feel it will really connect with audiences.”
Howard Cohen, co-president, Roadside Attractions, added, “We at Roadside fell in love with Ray Romano’s accomplished directorial debut, which takes us into the heart of the boisterous and unforgettable Russo family in Queens,” said Cohen. “Ray finds deeply satisfying drama and humor in their ostentatious celebrations and caustic expressions of love.”
Romano said, “I am so excited to know that Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions will be bringing this movie to theaters everywhere. I lived with every facet of this production for years, as a director, co-writer, actor, and producer. It’s such a personal story for me, and it’s inspiring to see these two companies step up because they believe in the movie as much as I do.”
Pic is co-written by Mark Stegemann, produced by Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa, Romano, and Stegemann.
The acquisition was negotiated by Kowan, Cohen, and Lionsgate’s Grace Duplissea and Kaycee Holcomb.
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