Michael Caton-Jones is confirmed to direct an Amsterdam-set road-trip dramedy titled “Baggage,” which centers around a Holocaust survivor and her family.
The logline reads, “A dysfunctional family embarks on a road trip to their matriarch’s Holocaust hero ceremony, but their decades-old secrets threaten to derail the European vacation.”
Penned by Ryan Elkins, the script was previously recognized as a semifinalist for the 2017 Academy Nicholl Fellowship. “Baggage” marks Elkins’ feature film debut, but the up-and-comer is currently in production on another movie as well, which has yet to be announced.
Caton-Jones most recently directed, wrote and produced 2019’s “Our Ladies,” which is nominated for two awards, including best feature film, at the 2022 BAFTA Scotland Awards. The Scottish-born filmmaker garnered critical acclaim for his direction on features like 1990’s “Memphis Belle” and the rom-com “Doc Hollywood” the following year. Other notable works include 1997 action thriller “The Jackal,” starring Bruce Willis, Richard Gere and Sidney Poitier; the 2015 coming-of-age drama “Urban Hymn,” starring Letitia Wright; and the 2012 miniseries “World Without End,” based on Ken Follett’s 2007 novel of the same name.
A UCLA School of Film and Television graduate, Elkins has previously written, directed, edited and produced various short films, including “Home Late” and “Sexiled.” Elkins, a WGA member, is unrepresented for “Baggage.”
Producers attached to the film include Ibrahim Karatay at Alchemic Film, Mehmet Gungoren at ZeroPoint MK and Reinier Selen at Rinkel Film — the latter of which is a Dutch production company, as the film is primarily set in Amsterdam.