EXCLUSIVE: Following the sale of the Sydney Sweeney movie Reality to HBO out of Berlin, there’s a lot of eyes on her next movie, Americana, with Paul Walter Hauser and singer Halsey making her big screen debut, at SXSW. The acquisition title makes its world premiere this Friday at 1:30pm CT at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, TX.
Here’s a taste of what to expect in this first feature from filmmaker Tony Tost which follows waitress Penny Jo (Sweeney) and lonesome cowboy Lefty (Hauser) as they plan to steal a mythical Native American artifact called the Lakota Ghost Shirt from criminals. It’s all part of a plan to fund Penny’s big Nashville dreams. Things get complicated when the lead criminal’s long-suffering girlfriend Mandy (Halsey) decides to take the artifact for her own personal reasons.
In this clip, Mandy has just pulled into a remote gas station unaware Penny Jo and Lefty have been tailing her. It’s the first time these three key characters directly intersect.
“It’s one of my favorite scenes because none of these characters are smooth, experienced criminals in the slightest, and I love how Sydney, Paul, and Halsey all play their desperate intentions and discomfort to quietly comedic effect,” Tost tells Deadline.
Pic is produced by Alex Saks. EPs are Aaron L. Gilbert, Steven Thibault, Alison-Jane Roney, Jason Cloth, Paris Kasidokostas-Latsis, Terry Dougas, Jean-Luc De Fanti, Michael Williams and Suraj Maraboyina. Americana also stars Eric Dane, Zahn McClarnon, Gavin Maddox Bergman, Simon Rex, Derek Hinkey, Toby Huss and Harriet Sansom Harris Bron Studios financed. WME Independent and Bron are handling worldwide sales. The movie is part of SXSW’s narrative spotlight.
