Hollywood actress and director, Angelina Jolie is working with Netflix on a new original movie.
The Unbroken director will helm the upcoming adaptation of First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers – the memoir published by human rights activist Loung Ung. Jolie has co-written the screenplay, and will also serve as producer on the project. Jolie’s Cambodian-born son Maddox, who is now 13 years old, is reported to be joining his mother on the project.
Jolie’s Cambodian-born son, Maddox is set to work with his Mother on the upcoming film.
Speaking of the source material, Jolie stated: “I was deeply affected by Loung’s book. It deepened forever my understanding of how children experience war and are affected by the emotional memory of it. And it helped me draw closer still to the people of Cambodia, my son’s homeland. It is a dream to be able to adapt this book for the screen, and I’m honoured to work alongside Loung and filmmaker Rithy Panh.”
“Films like this are hard to watch but important to see,” she added. “They are also hard to get made. Netflix is making this possible, and I am looking forward to working with them and excited that the film will reach so many people.”According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix plans to make the film available to subscribers in Autumn 2016, and has suggested that it will be submitted to all the major film festivals.
Ung also commented on working with Jolie: “Angelina and I met in 2001 in Cambodia, and immediately, I trusted Angelina’s heart. Through the years, we have become close friends, and my admiration for Angelina as a woman, a mother, a filmmaker and a humanitarian has only grown. It is with great honour that I entrust my family’s story to Angelina to adapt into a film.”
Jolie is also set to work on a Catherine the Great biopic, focusing on the exploits of the 18th century empress of Russia. Watch the trailer for her last film, Unbroken, below.
