Danielle Deadwyler is stepping into full survival mode in 40 Acres, a pulse-pounding, post-apocalyptic thriller that was recently acquired by Magnolia Pictures setting it up for a theatrical release this summer.
Set in a famine-stricken future where animal life has been wiped out and humanity is barely holding on, 40 Acres follows Hailey Freeman (Deadwyler), a former soldier who has built a fortress-like existence on her ancestral farm—by any means necessary.
Her family’s land traces back to African American farmers who settled in rural Canada in 1875 after the first Civil War. Now, nearly 200 years later, the Freemans are the last of their lineage, defending their home from the ruthless raiders and cannibalistic factions that roam the lawless wasteland.
Hailey and her partner Galen (Michael Greyeyes, True Detective) have trained their children to fight, knowing that mercy is a luxury they can’t afford. But when their eldest son, Emanuel (Kataem O’Connor, The Way Home), ventures beyond their borders and falls for a mysterious young woman (Milcania Diaz-Rojas, The Bold Type), his desire for connection threatens to unravel everything they’ve fought to protect. The film’s ensemble cast also includes Leenah Robinson (1923), Jaeda LeBlanc, Haile Amare, Elizabeth Saunders, and Tyrone Benskin.
Directed by R.T. Thorne (The Porter) in his feature debut, 40 Acres turned heads at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, where it earned a coveted spot among Canada’s Top 10 films of the festival. With its U.S. premiere set for SXSW in March, the film is gearing up for a major stateside rollout. According to Thorne, 40 Acres is more than just an action-packed thriller—it’s a tense family drama at its core.
“Beneath the surface of a suspenseful thriller, 40 Acres is a story about Hailey, an ex-military matriarch trying to prepare her children for an unforgiving world and how her philosophy clashes with the views of her eldest son, Emanuel,” Thorne shared.
Produced by Jennifer Holness (Home Again) under Hungry Eyes Media, 40 Acres was made under the SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, with backing from Telefilm, CMF – PPRC, NOHFC, Crave, Ontario Creates, and CBC. The film’s executive producers include Taj Critchlow, Sudz Sutherland, John Lang, Mark Gingras, Andrew Frank, Thorne, and Deadwyler herself.
