Exclusive: Independent film distributor VMI Releasing announced that they had acquired the North American rights to Camera, a drama starring Beau Bridges. The drama revolves around a young boy who can’t speak and is bullied until a friendship emerges with an old camera repairman played by Bridges. Alongside news of the acquisition, VMI also revealed that they would be releasing the film on digital and cable-on-demand platforms on Tuesday, July 23, 2024.
Camera is directed by Jay Silverman (Saving Paradise) from a screenplay written by Jamie Murphy and Joe Gamache. Alongside Bridges, the film also stars Miguel Gabriel (Puss in Boots: The Last Wish), Jessica Parker Kennedy, Bruce Davison, Ross Partridge, Kitty Swink, Jorge-Luis Pallo, Scotty Tovar, and Connie Jackson.
“While my background as a photographer convinced me to pick up the script, it was my experience as a father that kept me turning the page and moved me beyond words. Having raised a child born with impaired speech, it was easy for me to relate to the story’s young protagonist, Oscar, and the older man who sees his artistic potential and dedicates himself to sharing it with the world. Their friendship is the beating heart of Camera,” stated director Jay Silverman.
What is Camera about?
“Camera is the heartwarming story of loss, hope, and healing, that follows Oscar (Gabriel), a nine-year-old boy who cannot speak — who has just moved with his widowed mom to a struggling fishing town,” reads the film’s official synopsis. “Picked on and bullied, nobody realizes that Oscar sees great beauty where others only see despair. Nobody, that is, until a broken camera brings him together with Eric (Bridges), an eccentric old repairman, and an unlikely friendship develops. Under Eric’s mentorship, Oscar finds his voice through photography, and in doing so, heals a wounded community.”
Jessica Russo, VMI COO and Head of Acquisitions, added: “Told through the beautifully crafted lens of Jay Silverman, Camera beautifully showcases a heartfelt story about a courageous child navigating life with speech impairment. We are proud to bring this movie to American audiences, celebrating resilience and the power of communication in all its forms.”
Artist View Entertainment reps the film Internationally. Bridges is repped by CAA and Wolf Kasteler.
More on the film can be found on its official website.
