Postigo preps for 'Operation'

Writer to pen Screen Gems drama

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Screen Gems has set Jessica Postigo to write "Operation Checkmate," a drama based on the recent rescue of hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Simon Brand is directing the drama, which will be produced Vertigo's Doug Davison and Roy Lee, Anadale Pictures' Sergio Aguero and Alejandro Arango Gomez of Colombia-based RCN-TV.

Pic will tell the story of the rescue from the viewpoint of military rescuers who duped FARC and freed 15 hostages, which included former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt. Plan is to have the final 22 minutes of the rescue unfold in real time.

Postigo most recently adapted the Nancy Farmer novel "House of the Scorpion" for Warner Bros.

She is repped by UTA and Hohman Maybank Lieb.