Toronto-based production outfit The Film Farm is set to produce Atom Egoyan's untitled next picture, an original screenplay, and two films from Brian de Palma.
Headed by producing partners Simone Urdl and Jennifer Weiss, Film Farm produced Egoyan's Cannes competition entry Adoration as well as de Palma's 2007 Venice title Redacted and Sarah Polley's Oscar-nominated Away From Her. As with Adoration, Egoyan will also produce through his Ego Arts Films shingle.
First up from de Palma will be Print The Legend, a film that continues in the verite vein of Redacted, exploring the process of 'selling' the Iraq war to the US home-front. It follows a story similar to that of US female soldier Jessica Lynch, whose heroic battlefield exploits were later revealed to be concocted by the US military. The budget will be between $5m and $10m. The second project, also untitled, is a political thriller in the $15m-$20m range.
Urdle and Weiss also revealed they have landed a privately-financed development fund, a luxury rarely seen in Canada. While the duo declined to name their benefactors, Urdl said it is a Canadian company with a long history in the film and entertainment business.
Said Urdl, 'This will allow us to jump on projects and pay for them without going through the [public sector investment] application phase.'
Added Weiss, 'It gives us a lot of leeway we never had. And it's a tremendous endorsement from people who are interested in making their money back.'
Headed by producing partners Simone Urdl and Jennifer Weiss, Film Farm produced Egoyan's Cannes competition entry Adoration as well as de Palma's 2007 Venice title Redacted and Sarah Polley's Oscar-nominated Away From Her. As with Adoration, Egoyan will also produce through his Ego Arts Films shingle.
First up from de Palma will be Print The Legend, a film that continues in the verite vein of Redacted, exploring the process of 'selling' the Iraq war to the US home-front. It follows a story similar to that of US female soldier Jessica Lynch, whose heroic battlefield exploits were later revealed to be concocted by the US military. The budget will be between $5m and $10m. The second project, also untitled, is a political thriller in the $15m-$20m range.
Urdle and Weiss also revealed they have landed a privately-financed development fund, a luxury rarely seen in Canada. While the duo declined to name their benefactors, Urdl said it is a Canadian company with a long history in the film and entertainment business.
Said Urdl, 'This will allow us to jump on projects and pay for them without going through the [public sector investment] application phase.'
Added Weiss, 'It gives us a lot of leeway we never had. And it's a tremendous endorsement from people who are interested in making their money back.'
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