Spanning over a decade from the early 1950s through to the mid-60s, NOVITIATE is about a young girl’s first experience with love. In this case, her first love is God. Raised by a vehemently non-religious, single mother in rural Tennessee, a scholarship to Catholic school soon finds Cathleen drawn into all the mystery and romanticism of a life devoted to the worship and servitude of God. With the dawn of the Vatican II era, radical changes in the Church are threating the course of nuns’ lives. Cathleen finds herself struggling with issues of faith, sexuality, and the changing administration. As she progresses from the postulant to the novitiate stage of training, she finds her faith repeatedly confronted and challenged by the harsh, often inhumane realities of being a servant of God.

Good News! Novitiate, starring Melissa Leo, Margaret Qualley, Dianna Agron, Morgan Saylor, Maddie Hasson and directed by Maggie Betts will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in september.

Oscar winner Melissa Leo (The Fighter) oversees a bevy of up-and-coming female actors in this drama about aspiring nuns at an isolated Catholic school in 1964, who are forced to re-examine their faith and their calling in light of the liberal reforms of Vatican II.

I’ve found 2 new portraits from the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Check them out in the gallery!

‘Novitiate’ director Margaret Betts and stars Dianna Agron, Margaret Qualley, and Morgan Saylor discuss female-driven stories, religion, and other films about nuns, at the Variety Studio, presented by Orville Redenbacher’s, at the Sundance Film Festival.

More portraits from Sundance have been added to the gallery

GALLERY LINKS
Photoshoots > 2017 > Session 004 (THR)
Photoshoots > 2017 > Session 005 (Variety)
Photoshoots > 2017 > Session 006
Photoshoots > 2017 > Session 007 (IndieWire)
Photoshoots > 2017 > Session 008 (The Wrap)

Sony Pictures Classics has nabbed worldwide rights to “Novitiate,” a religious drama that is set against the backdrop of Vatican II. The pact is in the mid-seven figure range.

For readers who didn’t grow up taking communion, Vatican II was a council that introduced a series of reforms meant to modernize the Catholic Church. It remains controversial.

“Novitiate” marks the narrative feature directorial debut of Maggie Betts. Melissa Leo stars as a mother superior with Margaret Qualley as a young woman who is called to a life in the seminary. Reviews for the film have been strong. Variety critic Guy Lodge praised “Novitiate” as an “…intelligent, ambiguous nunnery drama.” Leo’s performance has been singled out for particular praise.

Before the festival had even started, Sony Pictures Classics picked up rights to “Call Me By Your Name,” a gay love story with Armie Hammer. It premieres Sunday.

There’s been a lot of grousing from buyers that the films that are debuting at this year’s festival are almost aggressively uncommercial, but that hasn’t stopped there from being a steady stream of sales. Variety broke the news that Amazon had landed “The Big Sick,” a romantic comedy from Kumail Nanjiani in a massive $12 million pact. “Mudbound,” a drama about the segregated South, premiered to a rousing standing ovation on Saturday and should score a sizable distribution deal.

CAA brokered the deal for “Novitiate.”

Source VARIETY

110+ pictures of Morgan at the Sundance Film Festival have been added to the gallery. Check them out!

GALLERY LINKS
Candids > 2017 > At the Salt Lake International Airport (January 19)
Public Appearances > 2017 > “Novitiate” Premiere (January 20)
Public Appearances > 2017 > AT&T At The Lift (January 20)
Public Appearances > 2017 > At the Variety Studio (January 21)
Public Appearances > 2017 > Acura Studio At Sundance Film Festival (January 21)
Public Appearances > 2017 > At The Hollywood Reporter 2017 Sundance Studio (January 21)
Public Appearances > 2017 > Directv Verge 5th Anniversary Sundance Party (January 21)
Photoshoots > 2017 > Session 001
Photoshoots > 2017 > Session 002
Photoshoots > 2017 > Session 003