Toronto-based Motel Pictures has acquired the film and television rights to Sabrina Reeves’ debut novel Little Crosses.

The novel, from the Boston-born, Montreal-based author follows a daughter who is forced to examine her complicated relationship with a charismatic, narcissistic mother, who now lives with alcohol-related dementia.

Motel’s plan is to develop a feature for theatrical release, and subsequent TV broadcast, a spokesperson for the prodco told Playback Daily.

“We are incredibly honoured to work with Sabrina Reeves in adapting Little Crosses for the screen,” said Nicole Hilliard-Forde, producer and founder of Motel Pictures (pictured), in a statement. “Her audacious novel tells such a visual and deeply moving story about memories, mothers and resilience, and we believe it will translate powerfully to the screen.”

Published in March 2024, the novel won that year’s Concordia University First Book Prize and the 2024 Paragraph Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction.

Motel Pictures was behind 2024’s indie feature, We Forgot to Break Up, which is shopped internationally by Montreal’s Filmoption International.

Image courtesy of Motel Pictures