Another interesting film is heading to the Cannes Film Market, as Oscar-winner Mark Rylance, best known for acting roles in “Bridge of Spies” and “Dunkirk,” is making the jump to director with the comedy, “Nice Fish,” an adaptation of an award-winning stage play about two old friends going ice-fishing on the last day before the ice becomes unstable. It was a collaboration between Rylance and prose poet Louis Jenkins.
Rylance won’t just be helming the gestating comedy, his feature directorial debut, but will also co-star alongside a cast that consists of acclaimed actress Michelle Williams, Jim Lichtscheidl (“A Serious Man”), and Isabella LaBlanc (“True Detective: Night Country”). He’ll also be co-writing the script with Lichtscheidl.
The report from Deadline also adds the following synopsis:
“Hoping to rekindle an old friendship, childhood buddies Ron and Erik set out for a day’s ice-fishing on the last day of the ice-fishing season. However, they discover that now in adulthood their comradeship is on thin ice, which easily cracks; one man behaves like a child, the other man like a too-grown-up. Imagination and reason divided. With the help of three mysterious women they meet as they travel further on the ice, can Ron and Erik find a way to reconnect, reunite, and enjoy a new friendship? And more importantly, catch that elusive giant fish, as the ice begins to melt.”
Williams’ slew of fantastic credits includes roles in films like “Manchester By The Sea,” “The Fabelmans,” “My Week with Marilyn,” “Blue Valentine,” and “Brokeback Mountain,” which earned her five Oscar nominations. Most recently, she worked alongside Jenny Slate in the Emmy-nominated dark comedy series “Dying For Sex,” playing a terminal cancer patient seeking sexual adventures and the awkward events that play out.
“I grew up in the Midwest and later built my acting career in London, but returning to Minnesota reconnected me with the light, the cold, the distinct culture of Minnesota and Wisconsin,” said Rylance in an official statement. “An ice fishing trip and the work of a local poet inspired what became Nice Fish, an Olivier-nominated stage play, and now my first feature as a director. I’ve been fortunate to collaborate with an incredible team, drawing inspiration from filmmakers and classic comedic pairings that have long influenced me.”
Tamara Birkemoe, the CEO of Palisades Park Pictures, is behind the international sales at the Cannes Film Market next month, with CAA Media Finance handling the North American rights of “Nice Fish.”
- Christopher Marc
- Christopher Marc
- Christopher Marc
- Christopher Marc
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- Christopher Marc
