DEADLINE | ‘The S.H.U.’

The pic follows an affluent African American psychiatrist (Gathegi) into federal prison after he is found guilty of murdering his wife. A victim of systematic racism, he eventually finds himself in solitary confinement, slowly descending into madness and pushed to breaking point by an abusive female guard.

Melora Hardin, Angela Sarafyan, Tony Amendola, and James Jagger round out the key cast. Aaron Fjellman makes his feature film directorial debut from a script he co-wrote with James ‘Doc’ Mason. Pete Kirtley produced for Panic House Films alongside Matthew C. Temple, Jessa Zarubica, and Fjellman. Edi Gathegi and Ryan Sage served as executive producers.

“We were very impressed with this smart and timely elevated genre film and were eager to team up with Pete and Aaron. In the fashion of Jordan Peele and his iconic films Get Out and Us, The S.H.U. promises to thrill and entertain audiences but more importantly it delivers a relevant social message,” says Carlos Rincon, Premiere’s VP of Acquisitions. “The film not only underlines the significance of the Black Lives Matter movement but also explores the psychological and torturous effects of extreme isolation.”

“After a global pandemic sentenced the world to solitary confinement, George Floyd’s tragedy inspired a moment in time where it seems change is finally within our grasp” says Aaron Fjellman of Panic House Films. “Premiere Entertainment share our creative vision and have the expertise to present this project to a global audience, making them the perfect partner.