Lenny Abrahamson (Frank, What Richard Did) has begun principal photography on his adaptation of Emma Donoghue’s best-selling novel Room. Element Pictures’ Ed Guiney (‘Frank’, ‘The Guard’, ‘What Richard Did’) is producing with David Gross (‘What If’, ‘Goon’). Executive producers are Andrew Lowe (‘Frank’, ‘The Guard’, ‘The Wind that Shakes the Barley’) for Element Pictures and Jeff Arkuss (‘What If’) and Jesse Shapira (‘What If’, ‘Goon’) for No Trace Camping. Emma Donoghue, Rose Garnett (Film 4) and Tessa Ross (Film 4) also serve as executive producers.
The film stars Brie Larson (‘Spectacular Now’), Jacob Tremblay (‘The Smurfs 2’) and William H. Macy (‘Shameless’) and is being filmed at Pinewood Studios and on location in Toronto, and will be post produced at Screen Scene in Dublin.
Donoghue is adapting her own novel, which tells the story from the perspective of a five-year-old boy, Jack, who is being held captive in a small room along with his mother. Told through the eyes of five-year-old-Jack (Tremblay), Room is a thrilling and emotional tale that celebrates the resilience and power of the human spirit. To Jack, Room is the world…. It’s where he was born, it’s where he and his Ma (Larson) eat and sleep and play and learn. But while it’s home to Jack, to Ma it’s a prison. Through her fierce love for her son, Ma has managed to create a childhood for him in their ten-by-ten-foot space. But as Jack’s curiosity is building alongside Ma’s own desperation – she knows that Room cannot contain either indefinitely.
Producer Ed Guiney commented: ‘Room is a collaboration between two of Ireland’s greatest creative talents; Emma Donoghue, who wrote the screenplay based on her bestselling and international lauded book and Lenny Abrahamson, undoubtedly one of the most gifted film makers working anywhere right now. I am certain that they will deliver something truly extraordinary and I am thrilled to be part of this amazing venture.’
‘Room’ is an Element Pictures and No Trace Camping production, in association with Telefilm Canada, Film4, and the Irish Film Board. A24 has acquired rights to the film in the US, and Elevation Pictures is distributing the film in Canada. UTA handled the domestic sale. FilmNation Entertainment is handling international sales.
