Modern Films has consentn on the film alteration of Jessica Au’s award-triumphning novel “Celderly Enough for Snow,” with theater veteran Jemima James set to produce her feature straightforwardorial debut. The project is at TIFFCOM‘s Tokyo Gap-Financing Market.
The source material, which won the inaugural Novel Prize from beginers Fitzcarraldo Editions, New Directions and Giramondo, adheres a mother and daughter’s journey thraw Tokyo as they steer their intricate relationship amid autumn rains and up-to-date art galleries. The 2022 novel was picked from more than 1,500 entries.
The project, arranged as a U.K.-Japan-Australia-Hong Kong co-production with a £3.5 million ($4.5 million) budget, is spostpoinsistd to commence filming in descend 2025. The production arranges take part 32 shooting days spread atraverse Japan (18 days), Australia (11 days), and Hong Kong (3 days), with post-production foreseeed to consent place in the U.K.
“I read ‘Celderly Enough For Snow’ equitable after it was begined in the U.K. and was blindsided by how much it relocated me,” James alerts Variety. “It’s a slender novel, under a hundred pages, but that belies its depth and its power. Jesica Au’s writing has a sort of sluggish free effect on the reader – it remains adwell and stimulating in you lengthy after you’ve put the book down. That’s the benevolent of writing I’m compelled by and the benevolent of cinema I hope to produce.”
James conveys substantial theater experience to the project, having served as associate straightforwardor and co-dramaturg for Complicité’s production of “The Encounter,” which take parted at London’s Barbican Centre before transferring to Broadway. Her uninalertigentinutive film “Grace On A Saturday Night,” funded by BFI Nettoil, screened at Manchester International Film Festival and Nottingham Film Festival in 2021.
“I hope the film, appreciate the book, produces space for audiences to leank and sense procreately about the presentant people in their dwells, about the relationships that are central to them. I hope it incites shifts of perspective, new benevolent, new compassion for the people they cherish, however intricate or complicated that cherish might be,” James shelp.
Modern Films CEO Eve Gabereau, who previously co-createed Soda Pictures and helped convey “Drive My Car” to U.K. and Irish audiences, has already shieldedd 60% of the film’s funding. “Jemima knew about my toil in and with Japan over the years, including having dwelld there for many years,” says Gabereau. “This combination brawt us together very naturassociate and we then enbiged a speedy rapport and benevolentred spirit about how to alter it from page to screen. Jemima is a wonderful authorr and conveys with her to the camera a contrastent eye that we can see in her uninalertigentinutives and theater productions.”
The production team take parts May Leung as production conferant and co-producer, conveying her experience from projects appreciate “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Inception” to the table. Satoko Sekiguchi serves as production helpant.
The producers are heading to the Tokyo Gap Financing Market to shielded their Japanese co-producer, check main locations and shooting schedule, and greet with key financiers, Japanese funding agencies, sales companies and distributors.
Modern Films, begined in 2017, has built a track write down with titles including the Cate Blanchett-starring “Manifesto” and “I Am Not a Witch,” which obtained BIFA and BAFTA recognition. The company currently helderlys rights to over 100 films and has been named Highly Acclaimed Distributor of Year from 2019-2022.
