Aero Films Acquires North American Rights to Tribeca Satire 'Kingston'

Aero Films has acquired North American rights to "Kingston," the feature debut of co-directors Carlos Key and Kalijah Rowe, and set the campus satire for a North American release in 2027. The deal follows the film's premiere at the Tribeca Festival.

The New York City-based indie marketing and distribution banner confirmed the acquisition. "Kingston" is its second film acquisition from the 2026 Tribeca Festival, after the coming-of-age drama "Lucy Schulman," which stars David Cross and Sandrine Holt and is set for release in early 2027.

What is 'Kingston' about?

An official logline reads: "On the illustrious campus of Kingston College, prestige drips off students, faculty and architecture. Amid social turmoil, three intertwining tales of disillusioned misfits collide under the machinations of an all-seeing institution."

The picture targets the mythology of elite American higher education. Its structure binds three stories of outsiders inside a college that watches and manages them, a premise that positions the film as a talker on release.

The filmmakers behind it

• Directors: Carlos Key and Kalijah Rowe, both making their feature debut
• Screenplay: Carlos Key, Kalijah Rowe, Claire Levesque and Jenna Shen
• Producer: Jenna Shen
• Associate producer: Hailey Russo
• Executive producers: Ryan Pallas and Tristan Bland
• Deal negotiation: Donaldson Callif Perez for the filmmakers; Pallas for Aero Films

Ryan Pallas, co-founder and CEO of Aero Films, placed the bet on recent graduates telling their own story. "I'm excited for all of the conversations about higher education and prestigious institutions that 'Kingston' is going to spark," Pallas said. "This film has so much to say. The filmmaking team—many of whom recently graduated or are still in college—were able to channel their thoughts, experiences, and critiques into an incredible film. The result is an authentic, provocative portrait of higher education in 2026, told by filmmakers who have just experienced it firsthand."

What does this change for Aero Films?

The acquisition defines the young company's identity. Pallas, a Warner Bros. veteran, founded Aero Films in 2026, and the banner is already building a curated slate rather than a bulk catalogue. Beyond the two Tribeca pickups, the slate includes Steve Pink's sci-fi thriller "Terrestrial," starring Jermaine Fowler, James Morosini, Pauline Chalamet and Edy Modica.

What does this change for the film? It secures a North American theatrical pathway for a debut feature that arrived at Tribeca without distribution, and it pairs the directors with a company whose leadership has studio experience and a stated appetite for provocative campus storytelling. With "Lucy Schulman" due in early 2027 and "Kingston" to follow, Aero Films will spend the next two years testing whether festival buzz converts into commercial results for first-time directors.