EXCLUSIVE: Oscar nominee Mariel Hemingway (Manhattan) and Sophia Adler (Harlan Coben’s Shelter) are set to star in Deborah Kampmeier’s upcoming independent feature drama, Holy Whore.
Filming is due to get underway in Mexico this summer on the project, which marks a first feature in six years for Kampmeier, the filmmaker whose movies include Sundance pic Hounddog and Elisabeth Moss-starring Indie Spirit nominee Virgin.
Written and directed by Kampmeier, the film is described as the “true story of Carmine, a modern day courtesan. As the story weaves past and present we see the ways Carmine moves from prostitution and drug addiction into a healing journey that leads her to become a sex therapist. Ultimately, she reclaims her vocation as a sex worker as her chosen path for healing others.”
Hemingway will star as Carmine present day, with Adler playing the younger Carmine. Kampmeier will also produce along with Iris Torres and Raye Dowell for Full Moon Films and Vicky Mara Story for Sunshine in South Central.
Through her company Full Moon Films, Kampmeier has written, directed and produced four features. The first, Virgin, starring Elisabeth Moss and Robin Wright, was nominated for two 2004 Independent Spirit Awards, including the John Cassavetes Award and Best Actress for Elisabeth Moss. Her second feature, Hounddog, starring Dakota Fanning and Robin Wright, was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Kampmeier’s third feature, Split, won Best of Show at the 2016 Female Eye Film Festival. Her fourth feature, Tape, starring Isabelle Fuhrman, was scheduled to open in theaters March 2020 but Covid prevented its theatrical release.
In recent years, she has been directing TV including multiple episodes of series including The Gilded Age, Outer Range, Harlan Coben’s Shelter and Star Trek: Picard.
Kampmeier said: “I’m interested in the complexity of sexuality and how sexual violence informs that complexity. As a survivor, these are the stories that compel me. Carmine is a profoundly inspirational person for me, and for everyone who knows her. It’s an incredible honor to share her journey. And what a dream to work with Mariel and Sophia, both fearless actresses who bring a vulnerability and truth to their work that will add a fierce and complex depth of humanity to this character.”
Hemingway added: “I’m excited to be part of Holy Whore because it approaches human intimacy and connection with honesty and compassion. What makes working with Deborah Kampmeier so special is that she brings a perspective that feels emotionally truthful and deeply human. The film isn’t interested in easy judgments. It’s interested in people, in vulnerability, and in the difference between how we’re perceived and what we actually carry inside.”
Hemingway’s film credits include Manhattan, Personal Best, and The Contender. Adler’s credits include collaborating with Kampmeier on Tape, as well as The Gilded Age and Star Trek: Picard.
Hemingway is repped by Insurge-Ent. Kampmeier is repped by IAG and Echo Lake Entertainment.
