Zack Gottsagen and Anna Enger Ritch Lead Rom-Com 'A Reason to Stay'

Zack Gottsagen, the breakout star of "The Peanut Butter Falcon," will star opposite "S.W.A.T." actress Anna Enger Ritch in "A Reason to Stay," a romantic comedy from director Rippin Sindher that has already wrapped principal photography in Ohio.

The film casts Gottsagen and Ritch as brother and sister. It reunites Gottsagen with producer David Thies of TVACOM Films, who worked with the actor on "The Peanut Butter Falcon." Kelli A. White of With-An-i Productions also produces, alongside Promised The Moon Productions. Amy Russ, Melanie Forchetti, William Thies and Katie Cassidy serve as additional producers, with Sonein Noack and Emik David as executive producers and Ashla Soter as line producer.

What is the film about?

Sindher co-wrote the screenplay with Melanie Forchetti. Per the official logline, the story follows "Zach (Gottsagen), a young man with Down syndrome who helps run his family's struggling animal shelter alongside his sister Sophie (Ritch), who returns home following their mother's death. As Sophie confronts the life she left behind, an unexpected reunion with a former love forces her to decide whether to return to the future she planned or embrace a second chance at home." Spencer Neville also stars.

Who is Rippin Sindher?

The project marks a quick ascent for the filmmaker. Sindher broke out with her 2025 short "Flight 182," and "A Reason to Stay" is her feature directorial debut. In April, she was named one of seven fellows for the Sundance Institute's Cultural Impact Residency (a program supporting filmmakers from underrepresented communities).

Producer Kelli A. White framed the project's appeal in a statement. "This is a universal film about families we build and the power of people coming together for something bigger than themselves," White said. "Zack has an extraordinary ability to bring honesty and emotional truth to the screen, and Rippin is exactly the kind of filmmaker who can honor that while making a film that feels cinematic, funny and deeply human."

What does this change for Gottsagen and Ritch?

For Gottsagen, it's a rare leading role for an actor with Down syndrome in a romantic comedy. He made his big-screen debut starring alongside Shia LaBeouf and Dakota Johnson in "The Peanut Butter Falcon" (2019), and his most recent credit is the 2025 Netflix thriller "Night Always Comes," with Vanessa Kirby.

Ritch shifts from television to a feature lead. She's best known as Zoe Powell on CBS' "S.W.A.T." and as Joey on Netflix's "The Haunting of Hill House." Her last big-screen role came in Prime Video's 2023 drama "On a Wing and a Prayer," starring Dennis Quaid and Heather Graham.

Gottsagen is repped by Advanced Management. Ritch is repped by the Joseph Le Talent Agency. Neville is repped by Innovative Artists.

No distributor or release date has been announced. With photography complete and a Sundance-backed director at the helm, the film now heads into post-production — and likely into the acquisition market.