Voltage Pictures will introduce international buyers at Toronto to Paul Bettany’s feature directorial debut produced and financed by Daniel Wagner of BiFrost Pictures. Bettany’s wife Jennifer Connelly and Anthony Mackie will star.

The UK actor also wrote the screenplay to the New York-set story and produces with Robert Ogden Barnum and Katie Mustard. Cassian Elwes, Aimee Sheih, Melanie Greene, Dana Brown and Clay Floren are the executive producers. 

Principal photography on Shelter is scheduled to commence later this year in Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs. UTA and Elwes co-represent domestic rights. 

“It’s my intention to surround myself with hugely talented people and then claim all the credit,” said Bettany. “I have great actors, great producers and a great city to shoot in – plus I’m hoping to keep alive the time-honoured tradition sacred to directors and seduce my leading actress.”

“We are excited and honoured for the opportunity to work with Paul on his directorial debut and on such a high-calibre project,” said Wagner. “This is a terrific story that will captivate audiences worldwide and we look forward to bringing it to the big screen.”  

Bettany recently completed filming Transcendence opposite Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Kate Mara, Morgan Freeman and Cillian Murphy.

Connelly recently starred in Stuck In Love opposite Greg Kinnear and stars in three forthcoming releases: Akiva Goldsman’s Winter’s Tale, Darren Aronofsky’s Noah and Claudia Llosa’s Cry Fly. Mackie most recently appeared in Pain & Gain and will next be seen in Runner, Runner.

BiFrost Pictures’ slate includes The Girl Who Conned The Ivy League, to be directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman and starring Amanda Seyfried, and the recently completed The World Made Straight directed by David Burris and starring Minka Kelly, Haley Joel Osment and Noah Wyle.

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