Independent feature BEST FRIENDS FOREVER has locked in its key cast, with Kimia Behpoornia (Abbott Elementary, Good Trouble), Eliza Bennett (Dynasty, Sweet/Vicious), Catherine Corcoran (Terrifier, Return to Nuke ‘Em High), Jessie Ennis (Mythic Quest, Better Call Saul), Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live, Mr. Mayor), Aparna Nancherla (Another Simple Favor, The Great North), Esther Povitsky (Drugstone June, Alone Together), and Rekha Shankar (Dropout.tv’s Gamechanger, Dimension 20).
The film is written by Amy Taylor and Liz Manashil and will be directed by Liz Manashil (Bread and Butter, Speed of Life). The picture is produced by Laura Reich and Pardis Sullins, line produced by Elena Weinberg, and executive produced by Tiffany L Gray, Katie Leary, Charlie and Will Pigott, and Debra Treviño.
The horror-comedy follows the bachelorette party reunion of five high school friends as they become exposed to toxic positivity turned supernatural and start to turn against each other. With performers assembled by casting director Cara Chute Rosenbaum, and associate produced by horror mavericks Emily Hagins (Sorry About the Demon), Ted Geoghegan (We Are Still Here), and Carter Smith (The Ruins), the film explores all the things women don’t say and show to their friends.
Says actor Jessie Ennis, “I’m eager to tell this story of friendship shifting with age and the true horrors that come from having to attend a bachelorette party.”
“I’m thrilled to be collaborating on a project that explores the themes of female friendship in the horror genre,” adds actor Eliza Bennett. “Most women understand the turmoil of losing a female friend, and we get to explore that experience on every level.”
Manashil, who previously managed Sundance Institute’s Creative Distribution Initiative and is a producer’s rep for independent features, is embarking on this project for multiple reasons.
Says the filmmaker, “Making a feature in 2025 requires a lot of reflection on how to create something both boundary-pushing content-wise as well as sustainable. Our producers are on board for the long haul to create opportunities for this film outside of the traditional distribution deals. We’re looking to prove something with this picture: that the people who have committed their lives to telling stories can carve a path to do so for the long term. Creatively, our predominantly women-led team is working to tell a story that makes people laugh, cry, and want to throw up. That’s the sweet spot.”
