Beta Cinema has closed the first pre-sale for historical dramas Departure with Helena Bonham Carter. Curzon, Cineart and Madman joined forces to acquire all rights in the UK/Ireland, Benelux and Australia/New Zealand in a so-called competitive situation. The distributors will work on a coordinated campaign across markets. Beta was launched first Departure at the EFM in February. Filming is planned for this year.
The UK project is led by Emmy winner Jessica Hobbs (The crown) with Bonham Carter among the executive producers. The screenplay is by Amy Roberts (The Wren, call the midwife).
Based on the bestseller by Benjamin Myers, the story takes place in north-east England just after the Second World War. It begins with Robert, the shy 16-year-old son of a nature-loving miner, who wants to see a little more of the world before following his father down the drain. He falls for Dulcie Piper (Bonham Carter), a hard-drinking, snotty bohemian recluse several times his age. Under her eccentric guidance, his life opens up to food, girls and the transformative beauty of poetry, while Dulcie sees a potential in Robert that he doesn’t yet see in himself. But while Dulcie’s seaside cottage and garden are idyllic, this place harbors a tragic secret about Dulcie’s love. When Robert discovers the truth, his brave and tender friendship forces Dulcie to open her own heart and reconnect with the world.
The novel was published by Bloomsbury in August 2020 and was selected as Times Book of the Year, BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick, Reading Agency Book of the Year and iBook of the Year.
Hobbs is currently co-director of the HBO limited series The palace with Stephen Frears. She won the Emmy for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series for War and was nominated for an Emmy in 2020 for the Season 3 finale Cri DeCoeur. Hobbs and Oscar nominee Bonham Carter have worked together before The crown.
Departure is produced by Charlotte Walls and Emily Bartelot of Catalyst Global Media, who developed the film with support from Beta Cinema.
The deal was brokered by Beta Cinema’s Thorsten Ritter and Tassilo Hallbauer, along with Louisa Dent, Marc Smit and Paul Wiegard on behalf of Curzon, Cineart and Madman.
Bonham Carter is represented by Conway van Gelder Grant. Hobbs is repped by Casarotto Ramsay and Associates and CAA.
Source: Deadline
Bernice Bonaparte is an author and entertainment journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a passion for pop culture and a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest entertainment news, Bernice has become a trusted source for information on the entertainment industry.
