'Charliebird' Courtesy of Freestyle Digital Media Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment After flourishing on the festival circuit, Charliebird is ready to spread its wings theatrically. Freestyle Digital Media has acquired director Libby Ewing's Charliebird and will release it in theaters in late February, The Hollywood Reporter has exclusively learned. Freestyle Digital Media, which is the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen's Byron Media Group, will also release the project via digital formats and DVD at that time. Making her feature directorial debut, Ewing helmed the indie film from a script by Samantha Smart (Jane Austen's Period Drama), who also stars. Gabe Fazio (Is This Thing On?), Maria Peyramaure (Ferdinand) and newcomer Gabriela Ochoa Perez round out the cast. Smart, Ewing and Elliot Gipson serve as producers on the movie that hails from The Smart Space and Art Brut Films. Related Stories Movies Comedian Catherine Cohen and 'Other Two' Star Heléne Yorke to Lead Movie 'Transcendent' (Exclusive) Movies Jane Rosenthal Talks Tribeca Festival Lisboa, New CEO and NY Fest's 25th Edition in 2026 Charliebird centers on Al (Smart), a music therapist who works at a children's hospital and struggles to make ends meet. Al finds new direction upon meeting teenage patient Charlie (Perez), and the two bond over a secret passion project. The film premiered at this year's Tribeca Festival, where it won the Founders Award for best U.S. narrative feature, in addition to Perez winning best performance in a U.S. narrative feature. Other accolades have included best narrative feature at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival. "The team at Freestyle has been incredible champions of Charliebird from the very beginning," Ewing says. "They have a deep understanding of the film's vision, heart and soul, so it was a natural alignment for our team. I am thrilled to be partnering with them to bring Charliebird to a wide audience. It is an honor to share this film with the world, and we are grateful to be on this journey with the folks at Freestyle." Adds Smart, "We are so grateful to be working with Freestyle. Very aware of the current landscape for independent cinema, we are humbled to have the chance to distribute our film. Freestyle has championed us since Tribeca, and we love that they are supporting female voices. We look forward to being able to share this in theaters and reach as many people as possible." Freestyle Digital Media and Glen Reynolds of Circus Road Films negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers. Ewing is represented by UTA. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up Sinners Michael B. Jordan on Being a First-Time Golden Globe Nominee, Why He Isn't Sure He Wants to Play Two Characters in a Film Again Wicked: For Good Golden Globe Nominations Snubs: Sydney Sweeney's 'Christy' Shut Out as 'Wicked: For Good' Misses Best Picture Nod Zach Cregger Amy Madigan May Be a Golden Globe Nominee for 'Weapons,' But Stays Cautious About That Aunt Gladys Prequel: "Until It's Real, It's Not Real" Raoul Peck "You Have to Trust That the Story Will Reveal Itself": Top Doc Directors on Following Real Lives When the Stakes Have Never Been Higher Warner Bros. Ryan Coogler on Huge 'Sinners' Golden Globes Noms and WB-Netflix Sale News: "Theatrical Releases Mean Everything to Me" Sony Pictures animation 'KPop Demon Hunters' Snags Three Golden Globe Nominations - Including One Surprising Nod Sinners Michael B. Jordan on Being a First-Time Golden Globe Nominee, Why He Isn't Sure He Wants to Play Two Characters in a Film Again Wicked: For Good Golden Globe Nominations Snubs: Sydney Sweeney's 'Christy' Shut Out as 'Wicked: For Good' Misses Best Picture Nod Zach Cregger Amy Madigan May Be a Golden Globe Nominee for 'Weapons,' But Stays Cautious About That Aunt Gladys Prequel: "Until It's Real, It's Not Real" Raoul Peck "You Have to Trust That the Story Will Reveal Itself": Top Doc Directors on Following Real Lives When the Stakes Have Never Been Higher Warner Bros. Ryan Coogler on Huge 'Sinners' Golden Globes Noms and WB-Netflix Sale News: "Theatrical Releases Mean Everything to Me" Sony Pictures animation 'KPop Demon Hunters' Snags Three Golden Globe Nominations - Including One Surprising Nod