Magnolia Pictures and RIP Medical Debt announced today an unprecedented collaboration on the Zoey Deutch-starring film Buffaloed to eliminate $1.5m of medical debt. The film, directed by Tanya Wexler, is an engrossing comedy about a natural-born hustler and her descent into the unorthodox world of debt collection as a way out of her seemingly dead-end life in Buffalo, New York.

Buffaloed might take a comic look at the issue of medical debt, but treats it with the seriousness it deserves. Magnolia will release the film February 14 in theaters and on demand.

 

RIP Medical Debt is a national 501c3 nonprofit organization that uses donations to purchase bundled medical debt portfolios that have gone through collection agencies for months or years. Using third-party credit data providers, it targets debts specifically incurred by people facing financial hardship, and then forgives them for a small fraction of the initial cost.

As part of this partnership, the first of its kind for a feature film, Magnolia will eliminate $1.5m of medical debt. A campaign launched through RIP Medical Debt's platform, Qgive, encourages people to contribute. Magnolia will offer ten prize packages to ten people, selected at random, who donate to the campaign. Said RIP co-founder Craig Antico.

"Buffaloed highlights the business of the debt collection world, and how hard-working people can make a good living. But, over half of all bill collectors collect medical debt- especially against people that can't pay. The filmmakers understand this plight of the debtor, and are doing something about it. They are abolishing over $1 million in debt to help those Americans most burdened by un-payable medical debt."

Buffalo is the debt collection capital of America, though Peg Dahl (Zoey Deutch) never saw herself in that world. She's bet on her sharp mind-and even sharper mouth-to get her out of town and into an Ivy League university. But when an acceptance letter to the school of her dreams arrives, she quickly realizes the cruel impossibility of paying tuition. A chance phone call changes everything and leads her into the lucrative yet complex and shady business of delinquent debt collection. She's a natural and soon running her own shop, but at what cost? Also starring Judy Greer, Jai Courtney and Jermaine Fowler, Buffaloed is a hilarious and timely comedy about one woman rewriting the rules of The Man's game.

Directed by Tanya Wexler, Buffaloed was written by Brian Sacca. The film is a Lost City production, a Bold Crayon production in association with MXN Entertainment. Producers are Mason Novick, John Finemore, Bannor Michael MacGregor, Jeffrey Katz, Zoey Deutch and Brian Sacca. Executive producers are James Hoppe, Elizabeth Grave, Brooke Davies, Kirsten Ames, Mary Anne Waterhouse, and Phil Quartararo. You can check out the poster along with the trailer direct from Magnolia Pictures.