Dan Perlman has wrapped production on his first feature film, an untitled coming-of-age comedy that recently completed its New York City shoot. The project marks the feature directorial debut of the Flatbush Misdemeanors co-creator while bringing together rising young actors and a large group of established comedians. There is no announced theatrical or streaming release date yet, making the completion of production the latest major development for the film.
The story follows two eighth-grade students, played by Romo Lee and Lucas Adler, at an elite New York City prep school. Hoping to avoid their final exams, the boys recruit a group of misfits and attempt to shut down their school one day at a time. The premise puts teenage friendship, school pressure and rebellion at the center of the comedy.
Dan Perlman wrote and directed the film, which is based on his award-winning short film Cramming. However, the feature is not simply an expanded version of the short, as it introduces a new storyline. The project has been described as a combination of the school comedy spirit of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Election, giving an indication of the tone Dan Perlman is aiming for.
The cast is one of the film’s biggest attractions. Maria Bamford, Gary Gulman, Jamie Lee, Sean Patton and Yamaneika Saunders are among the stand-up comedians appearing alongside the young leads. Tony Award winner Laura Benanti and Connie Shi are also part of the ensemble. Romo Lee is known for The Kindergarten Teacher, while Lucas Adler appeared in The Plague, which premiered at Cannes.
For Dan Perlman, completing the film represents the next stage in a career that has already included television, short films and comedy. He previously co-created Flatbush Misdemeanors with Kevin Iso, writing and starring in the Showtime series. The comedy ran for two seasons and became an important part of Dan Perlman’s screen work. His earlier projects also include the short films Practice Space and No Sex, as well as the documentary short Being Bublé.
The feature also has an interesting development history. It was selected for The Gotham’s Project Market through Gotham Week’s Shorts to Features track and received support from Rooftop Films’ Filmmakers Fund. Those opportunities helped the project develop from Dan Perlman’s earlier short-film work into a feature production.
Lucien Formichella and Charlotte Gilbert produced the movie, with Charlotte Kassimir, Amer Hilal and Dan Perlman serving as executive producers. With filming now complete, the production can move into post-production before its eventual distribution plans are announced.
The completion of production shifts the film from filming to the next stage of its journey. The project began with a shorter piece of work and has now grown into Dan Perlman’s first feature, making the production wrap a significant milestone. Further details about its distributor, festival premiere or release date have yet to be announced.
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