Fortissimo hops on Quentin Lee's White Frog

Kevin Iwashina’s Preferred Content is handling North American rights.

The cast features rising talents Booboo Stewart (Twilight), Harry Shum Jr. (Step-Up 2 & 3D), Gregg Sulkin, Tyler Posey, Manish Dayal and Justin Martin, as well as Joan Chen, BD Wong and Kelly Hu.

The story is about a family - including two teenage boys, a popular Ivy-League-bound star and a younger brother with Asperger’s - that encounters a tragedy.

Producers are Chris Lee for Chris Lee Productions, Joel Soisson and Ellie Wen for Wentertainment, with David Henry Hwang and Iwashina executive producing.

The film is currently in post and will be readied for a 2012 launch; Fortissimo has early promo footage to show buyers here.

Mother-daughter screenwriters Fabienne and Ellie Wen wrote the script, with playwright David Henry Hwang serving as script advisor.

The deal was negotiated by Iwashina and Elsa Ramo on behalf of the production with Fortissimo’s Michael J. Werner.

Werner said, “White Frog is one of those special, infrequent projects where the power and the message of the script is so intense that it cannot be ignored. Quentin and this stellar cast were the final key elements which make this project irresistible. I believe the result will be a film like Ordinary People or Stand By Me that one remembers for their entire life.”

Quentin Lee added: “I’ve known and admired Michael, the late Wouter and Fortissimo’s work since the beginning of my filmmaking career. It’s absolutely an independent filmmaker’s dream to have my latest project White Frog join the distinguished slate of a sales company with such excellent taste and reputation.”

Former Sony and Legendary exec Chris Lee is also now developing further projects with Lee.

Lee’s previous films are The People I’ve Slept With and Ethan Mao.