London-based Protagonist Pictures has signed on as the international sales agent for the comedic biopic The Stunt Driver from Canadian writer-director Michael Dowse (Stuber).

The company will debut the film, currently in post-production, to buyers at the American Film Market, which runs in L.A. from Nov. 11 to 16. Toronto-based Mongrel Media is the Canadian distributor, while UTA Independent Film Group holds U.S. rights.

The Stunt Driver stars Jay Baruchel (BlackBerry; pictured left) as Montreal-born stunt driver Ken Carter, who sets out to realize his dream of jumping a rocket-powered car from Canada to the U.S. across the St. Lawrence River.

Alongside Baruchel, the lead cast features U.S. actors Ed Helms (The Office; pictured right), Ben Foster (Leave No Trace) and Dan Bakkedahl (Veep), as well as Canadian Laurence Leboeuf (Transplant).

Jennifer Wilson is producing the film under her and Dowse’s Film Cardinal banner. Baruchel is an executive producer, alongside Mongrel Media co-president Andrew Frank, Joe Iacono and Lisa Wolofsky. The film is supported by Telefilm Canada and SODEC.

Carter’s plan to jump the St. Lawrence River was previously depicted in Robert Fortier’s 1981 National Film Board of Canada documentary The Devil at Your Heels. Carter died in September 1983 after a failed jump in Peterborough, Ont.

“Ken Carter’s story will resonate with anyone who’s faced long odds and been kicked in the teeth for trying,” said Dowse in a statement. “He’s an inspiring, beautifully flawed, hilarious underdog. There’s a piece of Carter in all of us.”

Photo by Philippe Bossé