Netflix is in final negotiations to acquire The Perfect Neighbor, the Geeta Gandbhir-directed documentary that won the Documentary Directing Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. The deal is expected to be around $5 million, though it has yet to be signed.
According to various reports, The Perfect Neighbor uses police bodycam footage to chronicle how a seemingly minor neighborhood dispute in Florida escalated into a shocking act of violence. The film examines the state’s controversial “stand your ground” laws through the tragic story of Ajike “AJ” Shantrell Owens, who was shot and killed by her neighbor, Susan Lorincz, after repeated complaints about children playing near her apartment. The documentary has been widely praised for its powerful storytelling and is believed to have strong awards potential.
Director Geeta Gandbhir, who has a personal connection to the case—Owens was her sister-in-law’s best friend—chose to center the film on police footage rather than traditional interviews. In an interview with Variety, she explained, “You see Susan’s interactions with the police over two years… the issue gets worse. You see the inability and the helplessness of law enforcement to really manage it or to even see her as a threat.” She also highlighted how the film captures the resilience of a “beautiful, diverse and close-knit community” in contrast to Lorincz, whom she described as a “looming threat.”
Cinetic Media handled the sale of the film. With Netflix leading acquisitions at this year’s slow-moving Sundance market, The Perfect Neighbor joins Train Dreams—starring Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones—as the streamer’s latest festival pick-up. Other major deals include A24’s acquisition of Sorry, Baby, Sideshow and Janus Films landing Peter Hujar’s Day, and NEON securing Together, a body-horror thriller featuring Dave Franco and Alison Brie.
However, there has been no response from Netflix about the deal.
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