Freddie Gibbs Movie Debut ‘Down With The King’ Gets Sales Deal – Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: Visit Films has acquired worldwide sales rights to Down With The King starring Grammy-nominated rapper Freddie Gibbs.

The film, produced by Breaker Studios, will have its world premiere in the ACID lineup which runs parallel to the Cannes Film Festival.

In his feature debut, Gibbs plays Mercury Maxwell aka “Money Merc,” a famous rapper who has been sent by his manager to a rural house in the Berkshires to focus on his next album. Unbeknownst to his manager, however, Mercury has neither the desire nor the intention to record any music. Disenchanted with his rap career and the 24/7 upkeep that such fame entails, Mercury spends his time on his neighbor’s farm and pours his energy into learning about farming and country living. After Mercury abruptly announces his retirement over social media and his decision to focus on farming, his manager tries everything he can to lure his most lucrative client back to the music scene.

The film also stars Jamie Neumann (Lovecraft Country), David Krumholtz (The Plot Against America), Sharon Washington (Joker) and Bob Tarasuk (Bob and the Trees).

The project is the second feature from Diego Ongaro, whose feature debut Bob and the Trees premiered at Sundance 2015 and went on to win the Grand Prix at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.

Pic is written by Ongaro and Xabi Molia, and produced by Rob Cristiano (The Miseducation of Cameron Post), Kim Jackson (Blue Caprice) and Zach LeBeau (Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain). Production companies are Breaker Studios and Inside Voices.

Ongaro said: “I’m thrilled to work with Visit. They have been well known over the years for their commitment and beliefs in original independent films and I can’t imagine of a better partner to represent the unique film we made.”

Visit President Ryan Kampe added: “Diego has made a movie in the rural area where I grew up, which in itself is an amazing accomplishment. To add a premiere in Cannes makes me incredibly proud to represent the film for sales and to honor my Western Massachusetts roots and the unique way of life there that Diego explores with Freddie Gibbs’ moving performance.”

Visit is also repping sales on Cannes Classics entry The Storms of Jeremy Thomas about the auteur UK film producer.