A feature is in development based on the life late singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse. Irish filmmaker Kristen Sheridan (August Rush) is committed to both write and screenplay and direct the film for Lotus Entertainment with Swedish actree Noomi Rapace (Prometheus) in talks to portray the tragic performer. Lotus is currently trying to spur potential buyers for the title at the continuing American Film Market. The film is titled, simply Amy Winehouse.
The narrative treatment for Amy Winehouse’s story comes right off the phenomenal critical and commercial success of Amy, documentary about the rise and fall of the soulful singer. Director Asif Kapadia (Senna) rifled through countless hours of archival materials of Winehouse to compose his documentary, which made its world premiere at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. While Winehouse’s father- Mitch Winehouse- was reportedly unhappy with the documentary, the film is currently one of the highest grossing documentaries in history and the title is hoping to garner awards season support with an assist from stateside distributor A24 Films.
The documentary, if nothing else, brought back to the forefront the magnificent talent of Winehouse, whose ‘Back to Black’ album was a huge best-seller and five-time Grammy Award winner- that album made hit singles out of the title track as well as zeitgeist-spurning ‘Rehab.’ Aside from her talent, Winehouse was equally well known for troubles with drugs and alcohol. She died of alcohol poisoning in July 2011 at the age of 27. Sheridan spoke of Winehouse, saying “Amy’s music is felt so deeply by the audience because it was deeply personal. Her vulnerability was her strength. She was called many things — a diva, a lost soul preyed upon by tabloids, a tortured genius; our aim is an innovative, emotional and life-affirming approach as we go through the looking glass into her life and art.”
Sheridan previously directed the 2007 drama August Rush which starred Keri Russell (Waitress), Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (Stonewall) and Freddie Highmore (Bates Motel). She is also the daughter of filmmaker Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot) and co-wrote the Oscar nominated screenplay In America (2003) with her father and sister Naomi Sheridan.
Rapace made bid for international stardom as the first cinematic Lisbeth Salander in the original Swedish The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo films. She has since caught the attention of Hollywood with roles in films as varied as Prometheus (2012) and The Drop (2014). Earlier this year, Rapace co-starred in the Tom Hardy thriller Child 44 and may soon reprise her Elizabeth Shaw role in the upcoming Prometheus sequel which is called Alien: Paradise Lost.
Leave a Comment