‘Euphoria’ Star Barbie Ferreira to Lead XYZ’s Rom-Com ‘Mile End Kicks’ With Devon Bostick, Stanley Simons, Juliette Gariepy (EXCLUSIVE)

“Euphoria” breakout Barbie Ferreira is set to star in the indie Montreal-set rom-com “Mile End Kicks” for XYZ Films. Starring alongside in the feature from writer-director Chandler Levack (“I Like Movies”) are Devon Bostick (“Oppenheimer”), Stanley Simons (“The Iron Claw”) and Juliette Gariépy (“Red Rooms”).

Production is currently underway in Montreal, with XYZ financing through its New Visions initiative. The film is a Banner House Productions/Zapruder Films production, in association with Rhombus Media.

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Set in the summer of 2011, “Mile End Kicks” follows Grace Pine (Ferreira), a 24-year-old music critic who moves to Montreal intending to write a book about Alanis Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill.” Her plans take an unexpected turn when she becomes romantically involved with two members of the same struggling indie rock band and decides to become their publicist.

The film aims to capture the essence of Montreal’s Mile End music scene that spawned artists like Mac DeMarco, Arcade Fire and Grimes. It explores themes of romantic obsession and a young writer finding her voice.

Levack, whose debut feature “I Like Movies” premiered at Toronto in 2023, and won the Independent Spirit Award at Santa Barbara, based the script on her experiences as a young female music critic.

“Mile End Kicks” is produced by Matthew Miller (“BlackBerry”) and Pat Kiely (“Three Night Stand”) with Niv Fichman, Kevin Krikst, Fraser Ash, Barbie Ferreira, Matt Johnson Adrian Love, Olivia Nasner, Tim Ringuette, Haley Vickers, Tim Godsall, Ian Webb and Benji Weinstein executive producing with Todd Brown and Nate Bolotin from XYZ Films and Julie Groleau (“The Decline”) as supervising producer.

The film is produced with the participation of Telefilm Canada and SODEC. Elevation Pictures will handle distribution in Canada, with Entract Films releasing in Québec. XYZ is managing worldwide sales outside of Canada.

“With her debut feature ‘I Like Movies,’ Chandler proved she has a rare ability to balance humor, pathos and style. She can make the turn from laughs to tears on a dime and with ‘Mile End Kicks’ she so effortlessly captures the anxiety of young adulthood in the style of timeless classics like ‘Reality Bites’ and ‘Almost Famous,'” said XYZ’s Todd Brown. “It’s charming and truthful and funny and we are so thrilled to help bring it to the world.”

Ferreira is repped by Aperture Talent, Authentic Talent and Literary Management, Highlight PR and Felker Toczek Suddleson McGinnis Ryan LLP.  Bostick is repped by Gersh, Principal Entertainment, Noble Caplan Abrams and Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light. Simons is repped by Gersh and M88. Gariépy is repped by Agence La Suite. Levack is repped by WME and Artists First.

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