Jeff Bridges and Diane Lane will star in a new drama from The Handmaid Tale’s Reed Morano
Bankside Films today announced that Academy Award winner Jeff Bridges and Academy Award nominee Diane Lane will star in an upcoming project from director Reed Morano. Reed Morano is currently receiving rave reviews for her work as executive producer and director on the pilot and episodes two and three of Hulu‘s hit The Handmaid’s Tale. The untitled project, formerly known as First Chair, was written by Academy Award nominee Stuart Blumberg (The Kids Are All Right) and marks the first film developed by Bankside Films, an international sales and film finance company that has recently taken a more active role in production.
The film begins when a regimented, self-obsessed virtuoso violinist (Bridges) is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and is forced to move back in with his estranged wife (Lane) as he begins treatment. As they attempt to learn how to live with each other again, he experiences a profound change in his behavior which compels him to learn to connect with the music and the people that surround him in astonishing and unexpected ways.
“The project has brought together some of Hollywood’s most exciting talent to tell an intensely moving story in a unique, refreshing and dynamic way,” says Bankside Films’ Stephen Kelliher. “We could not be more excited to be working with such a prestigious team and to be working with our co-producers EMJAG Productions to bring this very special story to the world.”
“The film has a lot going for it,” adds Bridges. “A wonderful script by Stuart Blumberg, to be directed by Reed Morano who directed ‘Meadowland,’ which I thought was a terrific film and the opportunity to work with Diane Lane again (we worked together in ‘Wild Bill’); plus, it involves music, which always warms my heart.”
“This is a wonderful story,” says Lane. “I’m thrilled to have Reed behind the camera as our director and appreciate her keen eye and talent thanks to her previous work as a cinematographer.”
Alexandra Milchan and Scott Lambert for EMJAG Productions, David Schiff for MGMT Entertainment, Phil Hunt and Compton Ross for Head Gear Films will produce the film with Hilary Davis, Stephen Kelliher and Patrick Howson executive producing. CAA, WME and Bankside Films will co-represent domestic rights with Bankside exclusively handling foreign sales. The untitled Reed Morano drama will shoot October 2017 in Boston and will be presented to buyers at Cannes.
(Photos by Jim Spellman / JB Lacroix / WireImage)
