Helena Bonham Carter will star in the film adaptation of The Offing, the bestselling novel by Benjamin Myers, a poignant tale of an unlikely friendship. Jessica Hobbs, who won an Emmy for The Crown, will direct the period drama, with Bonham Carter serving as executive producer. Beta Cinema is kicking off pre-sales at the Berlin Film Festival.
The film is set in North-East England shortly after World War II. It opens on Robert, 16, the shy, nature-loving son of a miner, who sets out to see a little more of the world before he follows his father down the pit. He gets as far as Dulcie (Bonham Carter), a hard drinking, foul-mouthed, bohemian recluse several times his age.
Under her eccentric tutelage, his life opens up to food, girls, and the transformative beauty of poetry as Dulcie recognizes a potential in Robert that he doesn’t yet see in himself. But while Dulcie’s cottage and garden by the sea are idyllic, this place holds a tragic secret about Dulcie’s great love. When Robert discovers the truth, his brave and tender friendship compels Dulcie to open her own heart and re-engage with the world.
The Offing is produced by Charlotte Walls and Emily Barttelot at Catalyst Global Media who developed the film with support from Beta Cinema. Amy Roberts (The Winter King, Call the Midwife, Shameless) is writing the screenplay. Shooting is lined up for later this year.
Read more about it in Variety
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