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My Dead Friend Zoe

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My Dead Friend Zoe
Directed byKyle Hausmann-Stokes
Screenplay byKyle Hausmann-Stokes
A. J. Bermudez
Based onMerit x Zoe
by Kyle Hausmann-Stokes
Produced by
StarringSonequa Martin-Green
Natalie Morales
Ed Harris
Morgan Freeman
Gloria Reuben
Utkarsh Ambudkar
Production
companies
Distributed byBriarcliff Entertainment[1]
Release dates
  • March 9, 2024 (2024-03-09) (SXSW)
  • February 28, 2025 (2025-02-28) (United States)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

My Dead Friend Zoe is a 2024 American war comedy-drama film written by Kyle Hausmann-Stokes and A. J. Bermudez, directed by Hausmann-Stokes and starring Sonequa Martin-Green, Natalie Morales, Ed Harris, Morgan Freeman, Gloria Reuben and Utkarsh Ambudkar. It is based on Hausmann-Stokes's short film Merit x Zoe. It is also Hausmann-Stokes's feature directorial debut.[2][3] It premiered at South by Southwest on March 9, 2024, where it won the Audience Award, and is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on February 28, 2025 by Briarcliff Entertainment.[4]

Cast

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Production

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According to Variety, it's the first film ever to be financed using green energy tax credits under an innovative model created by Mike Field and Ray Maiello at Radiant Media Studios (Maiello produced the film).[6] Radiant Media Studios brought Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce to the project as executive producer (Kelce's first production credit). Legion M co-financed under their crowdfunding model.

In May 2023, it was announced that Harris, Martin-Green, and Morales were cast in the film.[2] In June 2023, it was announced that Freeman, Reuben, and Ambudkar were cast in the film.[3] Filming occurred in Portland, Oregon, Forest Grove, Oregon and Molalla, Oregon in 2023.[7]

In September 2023, it was announced that filming wrapped.[8]

Reception

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Critical response

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On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 100% of 17 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.9/10.[9] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 72 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[10]

Valerie Complex of Deadline Hollywood called the film "a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit."[11] Matt Donato of Collider praised Martin-Green's performance,[12] while Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com also commended Harris, describing him as "one of our best living actors" in the supporting cast.[13]

Accolades

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Award Date Category Result Ref.
SXSW Film & TV Festival Audience Award 26 March 2024 Narrative Spotlight Won [14]

References

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  1. ^ Lang, Brent (18 June 2024). "Briarcliff Entertainment Buys SXSW Audience Award Winner 'My Dead Friend Zoe'". Variety. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b Grobar, Matt (May 17, 2023). "Ed Harris, Sonequa Martin-Green & Natalie Morales Board Dark Veteran Dramedy 'My Dead Friend Zoe'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Grobar, Matt (June 27, 2023). "Morgan Freeman, Gloria Reuben & Utkarsh Ambudkar Board Veteran Dramedy 'My Dead Friend Zoe'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  4. ^ Grobar, Matt (September 11, 2024). "Briarcliff's SXSW Audience Award Winner 'My Dead Friend Zoe' Pushes Release To 2025". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  5. ^ Gervasi, Alessia (September 29, 2023). "Actor from Buffalo uses comedy to tell serious stories". WGRZ. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  6. ^ Siegel, Tatiana (February 13, 2024). "'Travis Kelce's Debut as a Film Producer Is Also the First Movie Financed Using President Biden's Green Energy Tax Credits (EXCLUSIVE)'". Variety. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
  7. ^ Bourgeois, Michaela. "Oregon-made film 'My Dead Friend Zoe' set for world premiere at SXSW". KOIN. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  8. ^ Grobar, Matt (September 12, 2023). "'Star Trek: Discovery's Sonequa Martin-Green Inks With IAG". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 20, 2023.
  9. ^ "My Dead Friend Zoe". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  10. ^ "My Dead Friend Zoe". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  11. ^ Complex, Valerie (10 March 2024). "'My Dead Friend Zoe' Review: Kyle Hausmann-Stokes Film Unveils The Invisible Wounds Of War — SXSW". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  12. ^ Donato, Matt (11 March 2024). "'My Dead Friend Zoe' Review: Sonequa Martin-Green Gives One of the Year's Best Performances | SXSW 2024". Collider. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  13. ^ Tallerico, Brian (10 March 2024). "SXSW Film Festival 2024: Babes, My Dead Friend Zoe, Y2K". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  14. ^ Cruz, Olivia (26 March 2024). "2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival Audience Award Winners Announced". South by Southwest. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
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