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PRODUCTION / FUNDING Switzerland / Germany / USA

Juliette Binoche, Frank Grillo and Morgan Freeman to topline Paradise Highway

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- Anna Gutto's feature recently wrapped filming and has been already pre-sold to Lionsgate for distribution in North America and world sales

Juliette Binoche, Frank Grillo and Morgan Freeman to topline Paradise Highway
Morgan Freeman and Juliette Binoche in Paradise Highway (© Lionsgate)

Filming on Anna Gutto's new endeavour has finally wrapped. The feature, titled Paradise Highway [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, is penned and helmed by the Norwegian filmmaker, who recently co-directed the Netflix original series Home for Christmas. According to the official press release disclosing the news, her script was “the result of years of research and immersion into the trucking community” and received Columbia University's Zaki Gordon Memorial Award for Excellence in Screenwriting.

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In Paradise Highway, we follow Sally (played by Juliette Binoche), a truck driver who has been forced to smuggle illicit cargo to save her brother Dennis (Frank Grillo) from a deadly prison gang. With FBI operative Gerick (Morgan Freeman) hot on her trail, Sally's motivations and conscience are challenged when the final package turns out to be a teenage girl (Hala Finley). Other members of the main cast include Cameron Monaghan (the TV series Shameless and Gotham), Veronica Ferres (Crisis, Every Breath you Take), Christiane Seidel (the TV series The Queen's Gambit and Boardwalk Empire) and Walker Babington (The Hunt, The Magnificent Seven).

Speaking about her new effort, Gutto said: “It’s an honour to work with Juliette Binoche and Morgan Freeman. Their performances are…electric. And, on top of that, having young talent Hala Finley come in and unapologetically impress us. Seeing powerhouse Juliette in generous awe of Hala, I knew we’d create a uniquely powerful connection on screen. The whole cast; Frank, Cameron, Veronica, Christiane, Walker – embracing their conflicted characters, working alongside real women truckers Desiree Woods and Dianne McNair-Smith – it fills the story with passion and truth.”

Producer Claudia Bluemhuber continues, “Having Juliette take on this brave, gutsy role in a deeply thought-provoking and thrilling story is incredibly exciting. Seeing Morgan Freeman on screen with Juliette for the first time is magical. With Lionsgate and ZDF we have found the perfect partners to bring this film to a global audience.”

Finally, Barry Brooker, president and CEO of Grindstone Entertainment Group, which is handling the release for Lionsgate, added: “We’re thrilled to be adding this film to Lionsgate's slate. The cast's performances combined with Anna's deeply researched story elevate this thriller. Paradise Highway will keep audiences riveted, and the questions it raises will stay with them long after viewing.”

Paradise Highway is being produced by Claudia Bluemhuber, Georgia Bayliff and Mike Leahy for Zurich-based studio Silver Reel. Executive producers are Barry Brooker of Grindstone Entertainment Group (USA), Florian Dargel, Alexander Jooss, and Karol Griffith for Silver Reel, Gary Leff for Southland (USA), Dorothea Sick Thiess for Protect the Planet (Germany) and Silke Wilfinger for Silkway Films (Germany). Pubcaster ZDF boarded the project as co-producer and German distributor. Moreover, it has been pre-sold to Lionsgate for distribution in North America and international sales.

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