Cinedigm Acquires North American Rights to Fatima Ptacek’s Coming-of-Age Drama “Coast”

Fatima Ptacek will be coasting into a theater near you…

Cinedigm has acquired North American rights to Coast, a coming-of-age drama starring the 21-year-old half-Ecuadorian and part-Colombian American actress.

Fatima Ptacek, CoastIn addition to Ptacek, who has lent her voice as the lead role of Dora in Nickelodeon‘s animated television series Dora the Explorer since 2010, the film also stars stand-up comedian Cristela Alonzo, Melissa Leo and Ciara Bravo. 

Cinedigm plans to release Coast day-and-date in theaters and on VOD on April 8.

Set in a farming community along the Central California coast, the story revolves around 16-year-old Abby (Ptacek), who is desperate to escape the trappings of small-town life. Stuck in a loop of sameness, she refuses to believe the lives of those around her are all she has to look forward to, longing for something more. Everything changes when she falls for the lead singer of a touring rock band and must decide whether to leave her family and friends behind in search of a better life.

Jessica Hester and Derek Schweickart directed the film from a script by Cindy Kitagawa, which was based on her own childhood experiences.

Mia Frampton and Mia Xitlali round out its cast.

Hester and Schweickart produced alongside Dani Faith Leonard, Sonya Lunsford, Wendy Guerrero and Alex Cirillo.

“We are excited to partner with Cinedigm and VMI to help audiences get to know the amazing talent in Coast. It’s thanks to the nuanced performances of all of our actors that we can bring to life the complexity of Abby’s teenage heart,” said Hester and Schweickart in a joint statement. “Nobody lives in a vacuum, and through Coast we wanted to explore the tangled web of what ‘home’ means to each of us. Plus, who couldn’t use a dose of mosh pit fun?”

Coast reminds us of that exciting time when the world is a place of endless possibility, and we are searching for our place within it. Its rich, dimensional characters, including those of Latinx and Asian American heritage, are brought to life through the stellar cast,” added Cinedigm’s Chief Content Officer, Yolanda Macias. “Given its universally relatable storyline and fantastic soundtrack, we’re sure audiences will gravitate toward this rockin’ film when it releases in theaters and on digital this spring.”