UTA Signs Leah Nelson, Director of Cannes Hit 'Tangles'
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- UTA has signed writer-director Leah Nelson for representation in all areas as her profile rises on the strength of her directorial debut "Tangles"
- "Tangles" world premiered at Cannes in May to an emotional ovation and critical acclaim, telling the story of a young woman who returns home to Maine to care for her mother after an Alzheimer's diagnosis
- The animated feature's voice cast is led by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, Seth Rogen, Abbi Jacobson, Sarah Silverman, Bowen Yang, Pamela Adlon, Wanda Sykes, Samira Wiley, and Beanie Feldstein
- Sarah Leavitt's graphic memoir "Tangles: A Story About Alzheimer's, My Mother and Me" served as the basis for the screenplay, which Nelson co-adapted with Leavitt and Trev Renney
- "Tangles" has continued its festival run at France's Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June and is set for its North American premiere at TIFF in the Centrepiece sidebar
- Giant Ant, the multiple Emmy Award-winning Vancouver animation studio Nelson co-founded after earning her film degree from Emily Carr University, established her internationally across film, television, and advertising
- Nelson continues to be represented by Brillstein Entertainment Partners alongside her new UTA deal
Why it matters: Nelson's UTA signing lands as "Tangles" moves through Annecy and toward TIFF, formalizing her transition from commercials into long-form feature filmmaking — a shift she initiated in 2018 when she co-founded Kiddo Films.
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