EXCLUSIVE: A24 is heading to the EFM in Berlin with Joaquin Phoenix’s first movie post-Joker.

As we revealed late last year, the untitled drama has been written and directed by 20th Century Women and Beginners filmmaker Mike Mills. A24 is producing and financing and will launch sales next week. The project is likely to be in-demand.

Oscar-winner Phoenix will play an artist left to take care of his precocious young nephew as they forge an unexpected bond over a cross country trip.

Also starring are Gaby Hoffman (Transparent), Woody Norman (Poldark) and Kenneth Kynt Bryan (Claws). The project, budgeted in the $10m range, recently wrapped in New Orleans.

Producers are Chelsea Barnard (Booksmart), Lila Yacoub (Eighth Grade) and Andrea Longacre-White (20th Century Women). Robbie Ryan (The Favourite) is DoP. We hear a script is due to be sent out to buyers this week.

Phoenix is coming off rave reviews and a host of awards season accolades for his startling performance in Joker. We understand the actor’s new project will also touch – albeit tangentially – on mental illness as the boy’s father struggles with bipolar disorder.

A24 will also be at the EFM with David Lowery’s Green Knight, which is in post-production. A re-telling of the medieval fantasy epic of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, the film stars Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Sarita Choudhury, Sean Harris, Kate Dickie and Barry Keoghan.

Release is scheduled for May 29 in the States. A24 financed with Ley Line and BRON Creative and Peter Jackson’s Weta Digital has been working on the special effects. We can reveal that Entertainment Film Distributors pre-bought the film for the UK.