Despite being a two-time Oscar-winning actress, in recent years, Jodie Foster is probably best known for her work behind the camera. Over the last decade, she’s directed episodes of popular TV series “Orange is the New Black,” “House of Cards,” and “Black Mirror.” Foster has also helmed two features, including “The Beaver” and most recently, “Money Monster.” And for her next directorial project, she’s tackling a English-language remake of an acclaimed Icelandic film, where she’ll also star.
According to Deadline, Foster has signed on to direct, produce, and star in a remake of the recent film “Woman at War.” The Icelandic film debuted earlier this year at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the screenwriter award at Critics Week. “Woman at War” is a film that follows a woman, Halla, who is a choir conductor with a bit of an illegal extracurricular activity – she enjoys tampering with and destroying pieces of an aluminum processing plant that she feels is destroying the environment. However, her pastime comes into play when she is approved to adopt a child internationally, but Halla’s illegal activities threaten to derail everything.
READ MORE: ‘Woman At War’ Offers A Dynamic, Delightful Portrait Of Iceland [TIFF Review]
“This movie thrilled me beyond words,” Foster said. “I am so excited to helm a new American imagining of this relevant, beautiful, inspiring story. The character of Halla is a warrior for the planet, a strong woman who risks it all to do the right thing. But not without some serious mishaps along the way.”
The most major change to the original film will be the setting. Foster says she is moving the film from taking place in Iceland to the American West, which obviously makes more sense considering the director will also star in the film.
“I can’t wait to play her,” Foster said. “I’m always drawn to a bold and quirky mixture of humor and emotion. This one speaks for our time. It is an honor to take the reins from the talented director Benedikt Erlingsson and his producing partner Marianne Slot.”
Slot also spoke about the news that the Academy Award winner is helming a remake of the recent film, saying, “Jodie Foster is a unique artist. She’s a very sharp woman with a beautiful sense of humor and a very engaged human being. I can’t imagine anyone more perfect than her, to incarnate ‘Woman at War’ and to have the artistic freedom to direct her as well.”
There’s no word on when production will begin or a time-frame for release.