From Round Films (Rebecca Miller and Damon Cardasis recently-launched production company) comes the feature film Saturday Church, written and directed by Cardasis, with Miller producing alongside Spring Pictures’ Mandy Tagger Brockey and Adi Ezroni.

The musical fantasy drama, with a score composed by Nathan Larson (Boys Don’t Cry), follows Ulysses, a teenager from the Bronx struggling with gender identity and religion, who uses fantasy and music to escape his real life and discover out who he truly is. It tells the story of 14-year-old Ulysses, a shy and effeminate boy, who finds himself coping with new responsibilities as “man of the house” after the death of his father. Living alongside his mother, younger brother, and conservative aunt, Ulysses is also struggling with questions about his gender identity. He finds an escape by creating a world of fantasy filled with dance and music. Ulysses’ journey takes a turn for the better when he encounters a vibrant transgender community, who take him to “Saturday Church,” a program for LGBTQ youth. Ulysses manages to keep his two worlds apart; appeasing his aunt and discovering his passion for the NYC ball scene, and voguing, until his double life is revealed. Ulysses must find the courage to be who he truly is, all while risking losing those he cares about most.

The film stars newcomer Luka Kain as Ulysses, alongside Margot Bingham (who co-stars in Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It Netflix series) and Regina Taylor (Dig, The Unit). Marquis Rodriguez, MJ Rodriguez, Indya Moore, Alexia Garcia, Kate Bornstein and Jaylin Fletcher round out the cast.

Samuel Goldwyn Films has acquired USA distribution rights to Saturday Church and has set a January 12, 2018 release in theaters, on VOD and digital. The indie distribution company has also unveiled a first trailer and poster for the film which are both embedded below.