Celluloid Dreams has boarded Philip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut, an adaption of the stage play "Jack Goes Boating," which had an award-winning Off Broadway run in 2007. The company has taken international rights to the film, which is an Overture Films release in the U.S.
The Paris-based sales and distribution company will be introducing "Boating" to buyers at the Berlinale, handing out copies of its screenplay.
Hoffman also stars in "Boating," playing opposite Amy Ryan ("Gone Baby Gone"). Cast also includes John Ortiz and Daphne Rubin-Vega. All three thesps originated the roles onstage.
Marc Turtletaub and Peter Saraf of Big Beach and Emily Ziff of Cooperstown are producing, along with independent producer Beth O'Neil. Overture will co-finance "Boating" with Big Beach.
Hoffman and John Ortiz, artistic directors of LAByrinth Theater Company, where the stage play was originally developed and produced, are executive producing.
Bob Glaudini adapted his own play for the bigscreen. Pic begins shooting Monday in New York.
Panahi described the film as "an unconventional love story" between Jack, a working-class fan of Rastafaria who lives in New York, has a job as a limo driver and is set up for a date with Connie, who works phone sales for Dr. Bob's Funeral Home in Brooklyn.
While Celluloid Dreams looks set to continue taking small and highly upscale art films from all over the globe, "Boating," like Bruce Beresford's upcoming "Mao's Last Dancer," which is also sold by Celluloid Dreams, reps CD's parallel acquisition of films with wider distribution outlets in the international market.
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