Frears Tackles Graphic Novel; "Tamara Drew" at Sony Classics

Stephen Frears earlier this year in Cannes. Photo by indieWIRE

A film adaptation of Posy Simmonds' graphic novel "Tamara Drewe," being directed by Stephen Frears, has landed at Sony Picture Classics. The company announced a deal for North American and Latin Americas rights to the upcoming project, set to begin shooting later this month. It is being produced by Alison Owen ("The Other Boleyn Girl," "Elizabeth") and Tracey Seaward ("The Constant Gardener," "The Queen").

Inspired by Thomas Hardy's "Far From The Madding Crowd," "Drewe" first ran as a comic strip in the Guardian from 2005 - 2007, before being published as a graphic novel in '07.

It's described as the story of, "an attractive young newspaper columnist who returns to the bucolic English country town of her youth to prepare her childhood home for sale.  After a recent nose job transforms her into a seductive flirt, her presence in the hamlet sends ripples through a local writers retreat, awakening long dormant feelings with old friends and re-igniting former relationships."

The film stars Gemma Arterton, Roger Allam, Dominic Cooper, Luke Evans, and Tamsin Greig. The director of photography is Ben Davis with production design by Alan MacDonald, editing by Mick Audsley, costumes by Consolata Boyle and music by Alexander Desplat.