Nikki Sermak January 18th, 2023 - 9:40 AM
Award-winning documentary filmmaker Lysa Heslov (Served Like a Girl) has signed with Gersh and is set to make her first narrative feature directional debut with Sex, Greed, Money, Murder and Chicken Fried Steak, written by Reinhard Denke in 2009.
Based on a true crime, known as the most notorious and shocking story to ever come out of Texas. Chicken Fried Steak follows a young DA trying to bring down an oil tycoon and accused murderer T. Cullen Davis. Davis was believed to be the wealthiest man ever tried for murder in the United States at the time.
This is the first feature from Dallas, Texas-based financier Amicus Picture – an investment firm seeking to make a global marketplace for quality-elevated feature films aimed at discriminating lovers of film. The firm plans to produce and finance 2-3 features a year for under $15 million.
Producers for the documentary include Marilee Albert, Joseph Groves, and Marla Watson. The executive producer will be Andrew Chooljian alongside Corey Trent Ackerman of the Cartel. Production will start in Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas, this summer.
“I have been looking for a feature project to direct for some time, and 10 pages in, I knew that this was the one,” Heslov tells Deadline. “I was blown away by the fantastic script and this story. It’s the most incredible true story that no one knows about. I can’t wait to share it with the world.”
Heslov is known for writing, directing, and producing the documentary Served Like a Girl. It followed a group of women transitioning from active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan to civilian life.
Heslov is still represented by Grade A Entertainment and attorney Robert Fyvolent. Denke is repped by The Cartel’s Ackermanl and Amicus is repped by Brandon Milostan of Greenberg Glusker.
