Exclusive: Thomas Sadoski & Lucy Walters-Led GROUP: THE SCHOPENHAUER EFFECT Acquired by Abramorama

BroadwayWorld can exclusively reveal that Abramorama has acquired the North American theatrical rights to the group therapy drama Group: The Schopenhauer Effect from New York-based Helix Pictures.

Adapted from the Group web series, the film features a cast of stage and screen actors, including Tony Award-nominated actor Thomas Sadoski (The Newsroom) and Lucy Walters (Power), alongside real-life psychoanalyst Dr. Elliot Zeisel. 

Abramorama will release Group: The Schopenhauer Effect in theaters beginning with a special engagement at the QUAD cinema in NYC on Thursday, March 5th, on the heels of the American Group Psychotherapy Association Connect 2026 Conference in NYC, followed by a weeklong run at the QUAD commencing on Friday, March 13th and expanding thereafter to select cities across North America.

“Alexis Lloyd has created something truly remarkable with 'Group: The Schopenhauer Effect',” said Karol Martesko-Fenster, CEO and President of Abramorama. “It’s a film that doesn't just observe therapy, but creates an experience that feels both deeply cinematic and startlingly real. We’re thrilled to collaborate with the producers to bring this compelling exploration of human vulnerability and connection to audiences across North America.”

The film explores the ever-shifting interpersonal dynamics of eight participants in a Manhattan therapy group. When newcomer Alexis reveals he wants to write a TV series based on their sessions, it threatens the group’s balance and exposes everyone’s vulnerabilities. The final film blends scripted and improvised elements to offer a realistic portrait of group therapy, blurring the line between performance and reality.

“When I first encountered The Schopenhauer Cure, a novel by Irvin Yalom,” said director Alexis Lloyd, “I felt there was a unique territory for cinema there: raw, unpredictable, profoundly human. Group therapy exposes fears, desires, and conflicts that no traditional screenplay can fully capture. My ambition was to convey that intensity, humor, and emotional truth with authenticity.”

Group premiered at the Naples International Film Festival, where it won the Programmer’s Choice Award. First developed as a web series (GROUP - the series), with two seasons released on YouTube and later acquired by AllArts (PBS), Group was met with public and critical acclaim, earning over 700,000 views. The feature film was shot three years later with the same cast and crew, with the addition of Thomas Sadoski in the role of the newcomer.

“What began as an innovative web series has evolved into a powerful feature film that pushes the boundaries of narrative cinema,” said producer Jack Lechner. “Alexis's vision to capture the unpredictable dynamics of group therapy—with all its humor, tension, and breakthrough moments—required a unique approach that honors both the craft of performance and the authenticity of real therapeutic process."

Directed and written by French filmmaker Alexis Lloyd (30 Beats), the film stars Teresa Avia Lim, Ezra Barnes, Bernardo Cubría, Gabriela Kohen, Elisha Lawson, Cara Ronzetti, Thomas Sadoski, Lucy Walters, and Dr. Elliot Zeisel. The film is produced by Alexis Lloyd, Molly Conners, Ronald Guttman, Jack Lechner, and Alex Spatt, and executive produced by Thomas Sadoski, Doug Schwalbe and Dr. Elliot Zeisel.

Abramorama's recent releases include last summer’s The Last Class, Elliot Kirschner’s documentary on economist and former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich, which broke records across the country and has surpassed $700,000 at the box office in its 15th week of release.

Abramorama also released the Richard Gere and Oren Moverman executive-produced Wisdom of Happiness. In addition to the film’s theatrical run, Abramorama hosted a special one-night-only coast-to-coast theatrical simulcast screening event in October, which was introduced by Gere and followed by a live panel discussion with Gere and guests.

Another recent release was Steve Schapiro: Being Everywhere, spotlighting the renowned photojournalist, executive produced by Michael Rosenberg, Sid Ganis, and Rob Friedman at the tail of 2025; and recently opened Adam Bhala Lough’s Deepfaking Sam Altman and Benjamin Flaherty’s NY Times Critics’ pick, Shuffle.

Watch the trailer for Group: The Schopenhauer Effect: