Frances McDormand is producing and starring in a film adaptation of the novel “Women Talking,” with Sarah Polley directing for MGM’s recently relaunched Orion Pictures.
Orion and Plan B announced the project on Thursday. Polley will direct from her own script, based on Miriam Toews’ bestselling novel. McDormand is producing via her Hear/Say Productions. She brought the project initially to Plan B after acquiring the rights.
“Women Talking,” which was published in 2018, follows a group of women in an isolated Mennonite religious colony in Bolivia as they struggle to reconcile their faith with a series of sexual assaults committed by the colony’s men. The book was named to several best-of-2018 lists, including those by The New York Times Book Review, NPR, The Washington Post and The New York Times.
McDormand stars in Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland,” a top contender for awards in the coming months. It’s the first movie to win the top prizes at both the Venice and Toronto film festivals. It also won best film, director and cinematography at the Boston Society of Film Critics Awards, and is nominated for best feature at the 2021 Gotham Awards, along with McDormand for best actress.
McDormand received best actress Oscars in Joel and Ethan Coen’s “Fargo,” and Martin McDonagh’s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.” She produced “Every Secret Thing” and “Olive Kitteridge,” receiving Emmys for actress in a limited series and for outstanding limited series, as an executive producer, for the latter.
Polley directed “Away From Her” and received an Oscar nomination for adapted screenplay. She also helmed “Take This Waltz” and “Stories We Tell.” She executive produced and wrote the Netflix limited series “Alias, Grace,” which she adapted from Margaret Atwood’s novel.
Polley is represented by WME, GGA and Circle of Confusion. McDormand is represented by UTA and Circle of Confusion. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.