Two high school friends reunite after almost 20 years when FRAN, determined to have a child and build a family on her terms, reaches out to the kind, eclectic BEN for a highly organized weekend to optimize do-it-yourself semen donations. However, Fran's impeccable plan begins to fall apart after some mental and physical obstacles keep Ben from delivering on time. Improvising to salvage the weekend, the two friends start to reconnect about life and loss, including Ben’s struggle with suicidal thoughts and his late in life diagnosis as Autistic, resulting in personal discovery and restoration for both.

Synopsis

LONE WOLVES is an awkward, laugh packed romantic comedy in the tone of You Can Count on Me and Cha Cha Real Smooth, about infertility, Autism and suicide . . . no really . . . it’s funny.

Cora Vander Broek (Grace & Frankie, Law & Order: SVU, Tony Nominee) and Matt Foss (Kennedy Center Award Winner, AFF Top 25 Writers to Watch) star as two late Gen X’ers still fighting to build a life and find a family.

Directed by Ryan Cunningham (Broad City, Inside Amy Schumer) co-written by Matt and Cora and produced by Heidi-Marie Ferren (ABC, Shondaland, Disney), LONE WOLVES offers a hilarious and aching perspective into the life-affirming and altering issues that often only get discussed in the privacy of somewhat affordable motel rooms.

LONE WOLVES was born when Matt came across several fascinating articles on women taking their fertility journeys into their own hands. In an effort to forgo expensive IVF treatments and sperm banks, these women were finding creative and safe routes to volunteer sperm donors. He felt there was a screenplay here and Cora agreed. They were both excited to explore fertility and aging from this nuanced and comedic perspective, while, at the same time, diving into themes of friendship and belonging, especially through the lens of neurodiversity and all of the social and internal complexities associated that come with feeling alien in a social media driven self-diagnosing and aggrandizing society. 

They joined forces with the incredible Ryan Cunningham, who immediately saw where they were going and through blood, sweat and some miracles shot the entire feature for 20k. They modeled it after old school indie films, with a core group of like minded, smart creatives they knew and trusted. Despite the tight budget they remained committed to quality and excellence believing that working within constraints could actually amplify creativity and risk taking. It’s a model that they feel works, especially in the midst of the huge shifts that are happening in the industry, and honors the true meaning of “independent” film.

Overview

RYAN CUNNINGHAM (she/her) is a queer writer/director and Emmy and Peabody award-winning producer. She's EP/Director on the docuseries EXPECTING AMY (HBO Max) about Amy Schumer’s pregnancy, and the standup specials ILANA GLAZER: THE PLANET IS BURNING (Amazon), and CLUB CUMMING PRESENTS A QUEER COMEDY EXTRAVAGANZA! (Showtime), hosted by Alan Cumming. LONE WOLVES is her feature debut. In 2023, she also directed Sam Morrison’s critically acclaimed and award-nominated SUGAR DADDY for its extended off-Broadway run at Soho Playhouse in NYC and sold-out run in London at Soho Theatre. The show will premiere on Broadway early 2025. She is currently directing a monthly run of the live show SAMANTHA BEE PRESENTS WITS END, a comedy trivia game show with guests including Eugene Mirman, David Cross, John Hodgman, Phoebe Robinson, Sam Morrison, Dylan Adler, Wyatt Cenac, Martin Urbano, Doug Benson, Jon Glaser, and Samantha Bee in NYC, NY Comedy Festival, and 2024 SXSW showcase. She has 5 shows at Edinburgh Fringe 2024, for the performers Kelly Bachman, Ricky Sim, Kenice Mobley, Chanel Ali, and Star Stone. Ryan is also slated to direct the docuseries JOHN LENNON 1980 for XTR.

Ryan owns the development company Running Woman to promote women’s issues, LGBTQ+ stories, and neurodiversity in her work, with the goal of telling stories we haven’t heard before. She represented the TV projects THE FUGITIVE GAME (2018), TRANSMANIA (2019) and MARY (2020) in The Gotham Week, and currently has shows in development with FX, Ilana Glazer’s Starrpix, Samantha Bee’s Swimsuit Competition, and The Lonely Island’s Party Over Here. 

Select TV producer credits include BROAD CITY and INSIDE AMY SCHUMER (Comedy Central), SEARCH PARTY and THE LAST O.G. (TBS); ZIWE (Showtime); LOUIE (FX); STRANGERS (Facebook); THE SHIVERING TRUTH (Adult Swim); HORACE AND PETE (Hulu); THE ELECTRIC COMPANY (PBS). 

Film producing credits include RISD FAV Alumni Rachel Israel's feature KEEP THE CHANGE, starring the first leading cast of actors on the autism spectrum and winner of Best Narrative Feature at Tribeca Film Festival 2017 and Dan Powell & Liz Rohrbaugh’s lesbian love story BECKS, winner of the LA Film Festival 2017. 

She has also co-owned the NYC-based post house Running Man since 2009. She lives in Brooklyn with her 12-year-old daughter who is on the autism spectrum. Ryan is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design’s Film/Animation/Video department, a Trustee on RISD’s Board, and co-chair of the RISD Fund.

Matt Foss is an Autistic writer who writes original comedies and adapts a wide range of IP for stage and screen. He grew up on a cotton farm in West Texas, worked as a wildlife biologist in Montana before transitioning to working as a professional actor and playwright in Chicago and trained and performed at Russia’s famous Moscow Art Theatre. He has an MFA and PhD in theatre.
 
In 2023, the Austin Film Festival and Movie Maker Magazine named him one of the Top 25 Screenwriters to Watch and he was also named on Final Draft/Coverfly’s Best Unrepresented Writers List. He’s a two-time AFF Semi-Finalist, a Nicholls Quarterfinalist and a finalist in both the Final Draft/Big Break and Page Awards Screenplay Contests.
 
He is a recipient of the Kennedy Center’s David Mark Cohen National Playwriting Award and his adaptations and productions have won multiple Joseph Jefferson Awards-Chicago’s top theatre prize. His comedy feature, LONE WOLVES, directed by Ryan Cunningham (INSIDE AMY SCHUMER, BROAD CITY, SEARCH PARTY) will premiere in 2024.
 
He is a member of the WGA-East and a proud graduate of SPACE CAMP at the U.S. Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. He was twelve and it was amazing.


Cora Vander Broek is an actor, writer and producer based in Los Angeles with extensive Chicago and regional theatre credits. She received a Tony Nomination for “Actress in a Featured Role” for her Broadway debut as “Jules” in the World Premiere of Pulitzer and Tony Award winner Tracy Letts’ LINDA VISTA. Cora has been named an “Actor to Watch” by the Chicago Tribune, she is a Joseph Jefferson Award and Ovation Award nominee, and recipient of an After Dark Award for “Outstanding Performance.” She has appeared in Netflix’ GRACE AND FRANKIE (recurring) as well as LAW AND ORDER: SVU. Recent films: FOLLOW ME and SWITCH AND BAIT (Catalyst Studios and Beacon Pictures). Her feature film, LONE WOLVES, which she co-wrote, produced and starred in, is currently making the film festival circuit. For more info check out www.coravanderbroek.com


Heidi-Marie Ferren is an award-winning Cherokee/Sioux-Polish-American drama & dramedy writer who recently wrote on the hit Shonda Rhimes ABC show, Station 19. She is a 2023 Disney/ABC Fellowship recipient and her original pilots & screenplays have garnered awards & recognition from over three dozen film festivals worldwide. Heidi recently served under Showrunner/Creator, Jim O’Doherty (Third Rock From the Sun, Grounded for Life) developing two new comedy pilots and her pilot about the New York City Carpenter’s Union was recently named a finalist for the prestigious Josephson Entertainment Fellowship and a winner in Screenwriting at the Beverly Hills Film Festival. Heidi is an Executive Producer and Co-Creator of the Series The Countdown, which premiered at the Nashville Film Festival and has currently received over 27 awards for best new series pilot and women’s empowerment story. She is also a producer on the series, This Boy’s Vida: Made in America, which recently premiered at Series Fest and took home the distinguished Caz Matthews Award.

In addition to her work for the screen, Heidi has served United States and Allied Service Members and Veterans as the last and longest reigning Miss USO, performing and speaking across the globe as an ambassador and steward of gratitude in over 1,000 venues and before 4 U.S. Presidents. As a recording artist, Heidi’s credits include performances with Taylor Swift, Lady GaGa, Joan Jett, Patti LaBelle and Lee Greenwood. Heidi continues to support Service Members through time, song and service as an Ambassador, Performer, and Volunteer. As a former foster youth and survivor of homelessness and assault, she has also passionately dedicated herself to helping young people use their story for good. She is currently a Court Appointed Advocate (CASA) for foster youth and an advocate in the fight to end human trafficking and combat the epidemic of violence against Indigenous women throughout Canada, the United States, and Latin America. 

Creative Team

When a single, pragmatic forty-something recruits the eclectic guy she didn’t go to prom with back in high school to be her D-I-Y sperm donor, but learns that he’s Autistic and navigating some significant mental health issues, her carefully planned hopes are turned upside down in one crazy weekend in Toledo, Ohio.

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