Mandate Pictures announced that the company has optioned The Young, The Hot, And The Bothered, an original screenplay written by Leah Rachel. The coming-of-age comedy about the delusion, desperation, and absolute euphoria of first loves will be produced by Academy Award® winning producer Dan Jinks (Milk, American Beauty, Big Fish). Mandate president Nathan Kahane (Young Adult, 50/50, Juno) will executive produce. Adam Kossack and Adam Shulman of Anonymous Content will co-produce. Nicole Brown, EVP of Production, is overseeing the project on behalf of Mandate Pictures.

Producer Dan Jinks shared, "Leah Rachel, at only 25 years old, is the freshest and funniest writer I've come across in some time. Her script has the potential to become a touchstone movie for a generation like American Graffiti or Sixteen Candles were years ago."

Leah Rachel is a very talented young writer working in both film and television who has sold 2 pilots over the past 12 months. The first, entitled Starf*cker, is set up at HBO with Stephen Levinson and Mark Wahlberg producing. It is about a group of female friends establishing careers and finding romance in Los Angeles. The second pilot, which she is currently writing, is entitled BAMFS. It is a single camera half-hour set up at ABC with Jamie Tarses and Julia Franz producing, and originated from a blind deal Leah Rachel had with Sony Television. On the feature side, Leah is currently penning an adaptation of the book “Here Lies Bridget” for Preferred Content. Kat Coiro (L!fe Happens) is directing.