Indie distributor Film Movement has acquired U.S. rights to “Paying for It,” an indie comedy about an introverted cartoonist who starts sleeping with sex workers that premiered positively in Toronto.
Set in the late ’90s, “Paying for It” is a live-action adaptation of Canadian alternative-cartoonist Chester Brown’s bestselling graphic novel. In the partly autobiographical film, when Chester’s girlfriend announces she wants to explore other romantic options, Brown opts to sleep with sex workers and discovers a new kind of intimacy.
“Paying for It” is directed by multidisciplinary artist Sook-Yin Lee, who was Chester Brown’s real romantic partner when the real-life story took place.
The film – which is executive produced by John Cameron Mitchell (“Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “Shortbus”) and Dan Beirne – stars Beirne (“Twentieth Century,” “Priscilla”), emerging actor Emily Lê (“Riceboy Sleeps”) and acclaimed activist, author and performer Andrea Werhun (“Modern Whore, Thriving: A Dissociative Reverie”).
“Paying for It” launched from Toronto’s Platform section in 2024 and was named by TIFF programmers one of Canada’s top 10 films of the year.
“With a distinctive voice and a lot of humor, Sook-Yin Lee has really captured the complications and contradictions surrounding intimate love and sex with ‘Paying for It,’” said Film Movement president Michael Rosenberg in a statement. “And when you add the fact that Sook-Yin also happens to be Chester Brown’s real-life ex, it adds an additional layer to a movie we’re sure audiences will find quirky, funny and moving.”
The U.S. deal was inked by Rosenberg and Arnaud Godart of Paris-based Loco Films, which is handling world sales on “Paying for It.”
Film Movement is planning to give “Paying for It” a U.S. theatrical release in 2025, followed by a debut on leading digital platforms and the home entertainment marketplace, the statement said.
“Paying for It” is produced by Matt Code of Wildling Pictures (“See for Me,” “Mary Goes Round”) as well as Sonya Di Rienzo (“Brother,” “The Young Arsonists,” “The Players”) and Aeschylus Poulos (“Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe,” “Brother,” “Sleeping Giant”) of Hawkeye Pictures. The film was made with the participation of Telefilm Canada, Ontario Creates and in association with Bell Media’s Crave and CBC Films. Co-producers are Natalie Urquhart (“Suits,” “Stardust”) and Lee.
The acquisition adds to Film Movement’s growing slate, which includes “Happy Holidays” by Oscar-nominated Palestinian director Scandar Copti; Leonardo Van Dijl’s tennis drama “Julie Keeps Quiet,” which debuted in Cannes’ Critic’s Week and was Belgium’s official Oscar candidate for best international film; and “An Unfinished Film,” directed by Chinese director Lou Ye, which recently won the top prizes at the Golden Horse Film Festival in Taiwan.
