EXCLUSIVE: Gary Gilbert’s Gilbert Films, Mike Jackson and John Legend’s Get Lifted Film Co., and Harvey Mason Jr.’s Harvey Mason Media have set director Numa Perrier to helm The War and Treaty about the Nashville husband and wife vocal duo.
House of Numa
Oscar-winner Will McCormack (Best animated short film, If Anything Happens I Love You) and Oscar nominee Craig Borten (Dallas Buyers Club) are penning the screenplay which revolves around the true story of Michael, a soldier who has just returned from a tour in Iraq, who falls in love with Tanya, a singer with a deferred dream. The project was developed by and financed by Gilbert Films. Casting for the movie is underway.
The pic will be produced by Academy Award nominee Gilbert (La La Land), Legend, Jackson, Mason Jr., Peter Morgan and Perrier. EPs are War and Treaty’s Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, along with McCormack, Borten, Andrew Gould and Get Lifted Film Co.’s Ty Stiklorius, with Zach Levine and MacKenzie Marlowe co-producing.
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Known for their mix of Southern soul, gospel, country and rock, War and Treaty recently earned a nomination for Duo/Group of the Year at the 2022 Americana Honors & Awards Ceremony and just signed their first major record deal with Universal Music Group Nashville. They are recording now with new music expected later this year. The duo have opened for artists such as Al Green, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell, John Legend and Lauren Daigle and have collaborated with Dierks Bentley, Elvis Costello, Emmylou Harris, Leslie Jordan, Mumford & Sons, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Sturgill Simpson.
Rolling Stone hailed The War and Treaty’s debut album Healing Tide in 2018, describing the lead single as a “joyfully relentless title track, reminiscent of classic Ike and Tina Turner rock-infused soul.”
Perrier directed, wrote, produced and starred in the movie Jezebel which made its world premiere at the SXSW film festival in 2019. Her latest movie, The Perfect Find, is in post production, and based on the Tia Williams novel. Perrier has directed episodes of The Wonder Years and Sexless.
Erin Brooks
“Our hearts are overwhelmed at the chance to get to share our love story with the world,” said Michael and Tanya of The War And Treaty. “It’s filled with highs and lows, heartbreaks and heartstrings and it is threaded by the fabric of love and resilience that fuels our world. We are ecstatic to have Numa onboard, she is the perfect director to tell our story. To have this phenomenal producer team, along with our story scripted by the incredibly talented Craig Borten and Will McCormack exceeds our wildest dreams.”
“The rawness and tenderness of Michael and Tanya’s relationship, the themes of survival and redemption, and the power and passion of the music they create together is the Great American love story I’ve been seeking to tell as a filmmaker,” says Perrier
“When I sat down with Michael and Tanya and heard their incredible story, I was blown away and immediately knew I had to bring it to the big screen. Numa is the perfect director to make that happen,” says Gilbert.
“We are thrilled that Numa will direct The War and Treaty,” said Mike Jackson, John Legend, and Ty Stiklorius of Get Lifted Film Co. “Will McCormack and Craig Borten’s script is incredibly vibrant and powerful, and we are excited to see Numa’s vision brought to the big screen.”
McCormack is repped by UTA and Paul Hastings. Borten is repped by UTA and Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein. Perrier is repped by UTA and Yorn, Levine, Barnes, Krintzman, Rubenstein, Kohner, Endlich & Gellman.