After much anticipation in the indie film circuit, the captivating drama "Fancy Dance" has finally found a distributor in the form of tech behemoth Apple. The company confirmed it secured global rights to the film, which made its initial splash at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. According to a statement obtained by Variety, "Fancy Dance" is set to make its theatrical and Apple TV+ debut later this year, although an exact date hasn't been dropped.
Lily Gladstone, best known for her Oscar-nominated role in "Killers of the Flower Moon," leads the cast of "Fancy Dance." The film's arrival at Apple syncs with Gladstone's rising stardom, still flying high from a recent IndieWire Performance Award in December 2023, as reported by A Tribe Called Geek. Unfortunately won the Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in November, she has been critical in garnering attention for the film despite the previous lack of a distribution partner.
Director Erica Tremblay, who also shouldered the mantle of co-writer and producer, is breaking new personal ground with "Fancy Dance." In a moment bursting with emotion, Tremblay, as mentioned in an interview with the Seattle Times, reflected on the arduous journey from conception to distribution, a testament to the effort poured into bringing the film to fruition.
Highlighting the cultural significance of "Fancy Dance," Tremblay, celebrating the partnership with Apple, enthusiastically said, “Our film ‘Fancy Dance’ has found the perfect home with Apple, and I am thrilled to share this beautiful story of two Seneca-Cayuga women with a global audience." Tremblay, a Native American filmmaker, values the opportunity to weave her community's narratives into the wider cinemagraphic landscape as "a dream come true," which was mentioned in a statement given to Variety. Apple's prior investment in Gladstone's work, including the well-received "Killers of the Flower Moon," has undoubtedly paved the way for the tech company to continue its expansion into original film content with rich stories like "Fancy Dance".