WestEnd soars with Little Birds starring Juno Temple

London-based sales outfit WestEnd Films is taking wing with new US-set project Little Birds. It plans to start sales in Cannes.

The new project, which is currently shooting in Los Angeles, sees WestEnd joining forces with producer Jamie Patricof (Blue Valentine, Half Nelson) and Alan and Gabe Polsky (Bad Lieutenant). Kevin Iwashina of IP Advisors is handling domestic rights, while WestEnd is handling international sales.

US-set Little Birds is the first feature from Elgin James, a formerly homeless gang leader turned writer-director whose script passed through the  Sundance lab. It tells the story of two young girls living in a dead- end town, who try to escape their boring lives by running away to Los Angeles with a group of charismatic street kids.

“I grew up suffocating in a small rural town, longing for the rush and chaos of the city. When I finally made it out, I ended up homeless and in a gang.  I believe I survived the streets to tell this story, hoping to mine the ghosts of John Ford and George Stevens and weave a classic adventure of two modern day fifteen-year old  girls,” James said.

Upcoming talents Juno Temple (Kaboom, Dirty Girl, Atonement) and Kay Panabaker (Fame, Nancy Drew) are attached in the two leads. Leslie Mann (Knocked Up), Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns), Kyle Gallner (Jennifer’s Body, Nightmare On Elm Street), Neal McDonough (Desperate Housewives, Band of Brothers), Chris Coy (True Blood) and Carlos Pena (Big Time Rush) are also in the cast.

“Elgin James has a rare combination of creative talent and unmatched personal experience that come together to make a strong and moving first feature,’ producer Patricof said. ‘He brings a different perspective to the film making community that I have never seen before.’