Cannes Hot List: Producer Susan Dynner Returns to the Riviera with a Hush-Hush Shane West Private Screening
Who’s making big waves at Cannes 2024?
So far the list includes Sydney Sweeney, Greta Lee, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Yorgos Lanthimos, Panorama CEO Mark Pennell, Catalyst’s Holly Anderson Levow, and the list keeps growing.
In an already jam-backed schedule, Buyers and Execs are racing to The American Pavilion to get on the list for a just-announced hush-hush screening from Indie Scene Stalwart Susan Dynner.
After success with Sundance winner “Brick” and previous Cannes hit, “Punk’s Not Dead”, Producer Susan Dynner is back on the French Riviera Saturday, May 18.
And it’s already sold-out.
The venue is promising to find more seats. Email publicist Henry Eshelman to get on the waiting list at heshelman@platformgrp.com.
So stay tuned?
The Soul Trader is a twelve-minute short directed by Susan Dynner (Brick, Punk’s Not Dead, Code Blue: A Love Story) and starring Shane West (A Walk to Remember, ER, The Dirty South), Donna Mills (Knots Landing, Nope, Origin), and newcomer Shauna Grace.
“Here’s the thing about Shane [West].
We’ve seen him as a heart throb, an action star, a character actor.
He makes interesting choices and the audience loves him.
I’m already double-confirmed. I’ll be at the screening.
I’m curious what we see in France.”
Distribution Exec
The film screens at The American Pavilion during the 77th Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, May 18 at 1530h (3:30PM) CEST, followed by a cocktail and hors d’oeuvre reception at the American Pavilion Terrace.
RSVP to be on the waiting list via publicist Henry Eshelman at heshelman@platformgrp.com.
“This morning we’ve had calls from 2 different agencies asking to get on the list.
I just barely got my confirmation.
I’m curious to see what susan has for us.
I’ll be there.”
Film Market Insider
The Soul Trader is directed and produced by Dynner, written by newcomer Mike Underwood, photographed by Matthias Schubert (The Door Man, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, Shelter in Solitude), produced by Lauren Bancroft (The Making of Happier Than Ever: A Love Letter to Los Angeles, Wild Bitch, Bite Size Halloween), edited by David Hopper (God Bless America, In Between Songs, Rust Creek), and executive produced by Shauna Grace, with music composed by Jeff Russo (Fargo, Ripley, Star Trek: Discovery).
The film has been produced by Dynner’s Los Angeles-based production company Aberration Films as both festival fare as well as proof of concept for a feature or TV series.
The Soul Trader follows the story of Coral Chase (Shauna Grace), an occult hitwoman who has the power to steal life-extending souls, which she then sells to vain, wealthy elites like Erica Claessen (Donna Mills), who clings to the crumbs of youth. She’s flanked by stoic bodyguard Damien (Shane West), who ultimately emerges from the shadows as her rival when she’s about to carry out a money-spinning hit at a target’s home and realizes she’s not the only one with murder in mind.
Dynner says, “The Soul Trader introduces a new breed of complex heroine to our screens. On one hand, she’s a devoted single mom trying to make ends meet for her ten-year-old son. On the other, she’s a cold, contract killer with occult powers and now rivals want to learn her secrets.
It’s a sexy and provocative short with a killer twist, but I think this is only the beginning. Our short is a proof of concept for something much bigger and we can’t wait to let Coral loose on the world. We were so lucky to pull together an incredibly talented team of actors and crew who brought so much to the shoot and the production.”
West adds, “Working on The Soul Trader was great fun. It’s good to flex your Machiavellian muscles every now and again and I got to do that playing Damien. It’s a short that packs a big punch and has huge potential.”
More info at www.thesoultrader.com.
