Saoirse Ronan has been tapped as the lead in “The Outrun,” the memoir of alcoholism and nature from writer Amy Liptrot.
“The Unforgivable” helmer Nora Fingscheidt is set to direct.
In “The Outrun,” four-time Oscar nominee Ronan stars as recently-out-of-rehab Rona who heads for home in Scorland’s wild Orkney Islands after an absence of over a decade. There she “reconnects with the dramatic landscape where she grew up.”
As Rona lingers in the Orkneys, she begins to piece together her childhood, memories of which “merge with the more recent challenging events that have set her on the path to recovery.”
Fingscheidt and Liptrot have co-written the adaptation.
Liptrot’s prize-winning book has been translated into more than a dozen languages, hit The Sunday Times’ top ten bestsellers list and sold over 110,000 copies in the U.K. It has been added to publisher Canongate’s “modern classics” list.
Ronan, who has appeared in “Little Women” and “The French Dispatch,” among other fare, will next be seen in murder mystery “See How They Run” from Searchlight Pictures, which she stars in alongside Sam Rockwell.
As well as recently directing Sandra Bullock in Netflix hit “The Unforgivable,” Fingscheidt is known for her debut feature “System Crasher,” which won the Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize at 2019’s Berlinale as well as eight German Film Awards.
Protagonist Pictures are representing worldwide sales on “The Outrun,” with buyers getting an opportunity to be introduced to the project at European Film Market.
Protagonist will co-rep North American sales with CAA Media Finance.
“It was Amy’s voice that first drew me to ‘The Outrun,’” Ronan said in a statement. “Her unusual way of seeing things in a way that perhaps you only can when you’ve been to the darkest place you can go within yourself. I have been waiting to play a part like this – the messiness, hopefulness, dreaminess, authenticity and humor we want to achieve – I’ve been scared of it, but with Nora I feel ready.”
Fingscheidt said: “Amy´s intriguing and poetic story shows how one can find their lives broken into pieces, and that recovery can happen in the most unexpected of ways and places. There are wonderful gifts already in place to make this a powerful and immersive film. One is the setting, the vast and cinematic landscapes of the Orkney islands; the other is our main actress, Saoirse Ronan, who brings magic to the screen with her unique mix of charisma and emotional depth!”
Janina Vilsmaier, Protagonist Pictures’ head of sales, added: “Nora, with her mesmerizing filmmaking style, and Saoirse, with her endless skill and bravery are the perfect team to bring Amy’s award-winning memoir to screen. ‘The Outrun’ will be an incredibly cinematic and powerful film, which will offer us a glimpse into the life of this amazing young woman, transporting us on an emotional and ultimately life affirming journey.”
Brock Media will produce the film alongside Ronan, Jack Lowden and Dominic Norris under their banner Arcade Pictures. Mogambo’s Ignacio Salazar-Simpson and Ricardo Marco are also set to produce along with Jonas Weydemann and Jakob D. Weydemann of Weydemann Bros.
Protagonist Pictures is executive producing and arranging the financing.
Brock Media founder Sarah Brocklehurst optioned and developed the film with the support of BBC Film and Screen Scotland.
Rebecca Watson of VHA negotiated the film deal for the book on behalf of James Macdonald Lockhart of Antony Harwood Ltd.
Fingscheidt is repp’d by Casarotto Ramsay and Associates, Ilene Feldman Management and Agentur Homebase.
Ronan is represented by CAA and MacFarlane Chard.