The second Sundance Film Festival pick-up for Phase 4 Films that we've announced.
First, last week, they acquired all North American rights to Shaka King's Newlyweeds, which made its world premiere at the festival, in the NEXT <=> section.
This afternoon, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Phase 4 has also picked up Milkshake, which also premiered in the NEXT <=> program of the Sundance Film Festival this year.
David Andalman's Milkshake stars Tyler Ross, Shareeka Epps, Georgia Ford, Eshan Bay, Leo Fitzpatrick, and Danny Burstein.
Its synopsis, which is sure to raise a few antennae, reads:
In mid-1990s America, we follow the tragic sex life of Jolie Jolson, a wannabe thug (and great-great-grandson of legendary vaudevillian Al Jolson) in suburban Washington as he strives to become something he can never be – black.
So he's the great-great-grandson of a legendary entertainer who frequently performed in blackface makeup, sung black music, like jazz and blues (although he also promoted equality for black performers), who also wants to be black himself.
We've certainly had our share of white-boy-wants-to-be-or-acts-black films over the years, and, from Zeba Blay's review of it (HERE), this one doesn't seem to do all that much to separate itself from the others.
Phase 4 will release the film in theaters in the summer and on VOD across all cable, and digital platforms.