Charades Secures Global Sales Rights for Leah Nelson’s Animated Alzheimer’s Film “Tangles”
Charades, the international sales company, has successfully secured the global sales rights for the animated feature “Tangles,” directed by Canadian filmmaker Leah Nelson. This marks her debut in feature filmmaking. The film features an impressive voice cast including Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, and Seth Rogen, and is set to have its world premiere at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
The financing for “Tangles” was orchestrated by UTA Independent Film Group in collaboration with CAA Media Finance, who together are handling the sales across North America and globally.
“Tangles” is an adaptation of Sarah Leavitt’s poignant graphic memoir, “Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer’s, My Mother and Me.” The film is scheduled for a Special Screening at Cannes, before moving on to compete at the Annecy International Film Festival in June.
Synopsis of “Tangles”
The narrative of “Tangles” centers around Sarah, who abandons her dynamic life as an activist and artist in 1990s San Francisco to return to her quirky family in a conservative small town from which she had previously escaped. As Alzheimer’s disease begins to diminish her mother’s once-vibrant personality, Sarah initially believes she can handle the challenges on her own. However, she soon confronts the brutal and disorienting reality of the illness and must adapt to meet her family’s needs.
Production and Support
The production of “Tangles” involves a notable team including producers Vicky Patel, Steve Barnett, and Alan Powell from Monarch Media; Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Alex McAtee, and Madeline Blair of Point Grey Pictures; Ross Murray and Teresa Toews from director Nelson and Jay Grandin’s Giant Ant Films; Lauren Miller Rogen, Jen Ray, and Sophie Hoegh from LYLAS Pictures; and Julia Louis-Dreyfus herself.
Producers Patel, Rogen, and Miller Rogen have a personal connection to Alzheimer’s activism, driven by their own experiences with the disease. Patel became a leading fundraiser for brain science research following her father’s diagnosis in 2003. Miller Rogen, along with her husband Seth Rogen, established Hilarity for Charity after multiple family losses to Alzheimer’s, aiming to support affected families nationwide.
The voice cast is further enriched by Emmy winners and notable actors including Abbi Jacobson, Beanie Feldstein, Samira Wiley, Sarah Silverman, Wanda Sykes, Bowen Yang, Pamela Adlon, and newcomer Fern Grandin.
The screenplay for “Tangles” was co-written by Nelson, original memoir author Sarah Leavitt, and Trev Renney.
Nelson is represented by Brillstein Entertainment Partners, Louis-Dreyfus by CAA and Latham & Watkins, and Rogen by UTA, Principal Entertainment, and Toczek Suddleson Law Group.
With a strong presence in Cannes this year, Charades will showcase a total of 10 films including “Tangles.” Their lineup features potential Palme d’Or winners “Parallel Tales” and “A Man of his Time,” the Cannes Critics’ Opener “In Waves,” and “I See Buildings Fall Like Lightening” by Clio Bernard in the Directors’ Fortnight selections.
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