Paris– and Berlin-based Salaud Morisset has secured international rights to the anticipated feature film If I Go Will They Miss Me, marking a significant moment before its global unveiling at the Sundance Film Festival in the Next section. With UTA Independent Film Group managing U.S. rights, this collaboration highlights the film’s growing international appeal.
Launch of a Remarkable Debut
Directed by Walter Thompson-Hernández, If I Go Will They Miss Me is an expansion of his acclaimed short film, which garnered the Short Film Jury Award in the U.S. Fiction category at Sundance in 2022. The project is produced by Josh Peters, Saba Zerehi, and Ben Stillman, who bring depth and vision to this immersive storytelling experience.
Exploring Magical Realism
The film weaves social and magical realism through the eyes of 12-year-old Lil Ant. As he navigates his relationship with his father, he encounters ethereal visions of spectral boys drifting through his neighborhood. This narrative arc reveals connections between father and son, exploring themes of family, legacy, and belonging.
Insights from Salaud Morisset
François Morisset, founder of Salaud Morisset, shared his enthusiasm: “We were immediately drawn to Walter Thompson-Hernández’s singular voice. Set within a working-class neighborhood of Los Angeles, the film explores complex family bonds with both lyricism and deep authenticity, while highlighting the power of dreams and imagination to carry us forward. We are proud to stand behind Walter’s vision and accompany a filmmaker whose work feels both intimate and quietly powerful.”
Thompson-Hernández’s Impressive Journey
An alumnus of the Sundance Lab and native of Southeast Los Angeles, Thompson-Hernández is an accomplished writer-director who began his career as a global subculture reporter for the New York Times from 2018 to 2021. He wrote the book The Compton Cowboys: The New Generation of Cowboys in America’s Heartland, which is being adapted by Searchlight Pictures.
In 2021, he earned a spot on Variety’s “10 Storytellers to Watch” and was recognized by Filmmaker Magazine as one of the “25 New Faces of Film” in 2022. His success continued with directing the feature-length documentary Shooting Guards for Netflix in 2025, and his narrative debut Pipas (Kites) premiered at Tribeca, winning a Special Jury Prize for bold storytelling. Variety recently named him one of the “10 Directors to Watch.”
The boarding of If I Go Will They Miss Me by Salaud Morisset underscores the film’s promising journey in the international film landscape, bringing a unique blend of intimate storytelling and magical realism to a wider audience.
