Number 9’s Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley on ‘The Salt Path’, ‘The Assessment’ and future projects

UK producer pair Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley of Number 9 Films have launched two features – The Salt Path and The Assessment – at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this year as special presentations.

Marianne Elliott’s The Salt Path stars Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs as a real-life couple who trekked the UK’s 630-mile, shoreline-hugging South West Coast Path from Dorset to Somerset after losing their house and receiving life-threatening medical news.

In Fleur Fortuné’s UK-US-Germany co-production The Assessment, Alicia Vikander and Elizabeth Olsen go head-to-head as the former assesses the latter’s eligibility to bear a child in a world ravaged by climate change and low on resources.

Prime Video lands international rights to TIFF sci-fi ‘The Assessment’

Prime Video has acquired international rights excluding Germany to TIFF sci-fi drama The Assessment starring Alicia Vikander and Elizabeth Olsen.

The film marks the feature directorial debut of Paris-based commercials, shorts and music video director Fleur Fortuné and will receive its world premiere in Special Presentations on Sunday.

‘A Pale View of Hills,’ Debut Novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, Now Filming for Japan’s Bunbuku and U.K.’s Number 9

“A Pale View of Hills,” the debut novel of Nobel Prize-winning author Kazuo Ishiguro, is being adapted as a feature film. The picture is now in production and being directed by Japan’s Ishikawa Kei.

The film is presented by U-Next, Japan’s leading local streaming company. Production is by Bunbuku in association with Number 9 Films, the U.K. company headed by Stephen Woolley (“The Crying Game”) and Elizabeth Karlsen.

Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Olsen to star in ‘The Assessment’ for Number 9 Films, Augenschein

Alicia VIkander and Elizabeth Olsen have signed to star in The Assessment, the debut feature from French filmmaker Fleur Fortuné, which is gearing up for a shoot in Cologne this summer at MMC Studios.

The futuristic drama is a co-production between Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen’s UK-based Number 9 Films and Germany’s augenschein Filmproduktion, and has received €1m from Cologne regional film fund Filmstiftung NRW. German distributor Capleight is already in place to release the film.

Gillian Anderson, Jason Isaacs to star in Marianne Elliott’s feature debut ‘The Salt Path’

Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs have signed on to star in UK drama The Salt Path, the feature debut of acclaimed theatre director Marianne Elliott. Rocket Science is launching world sales on the title at Cannes.

The story is based on Raynor Winn’s memoir about trekking 630 miles of UK coastline with her husband after they were forcibly removed from their home. Rebecca Lenkiewicz, who wrote the screenplay for She Said, wrote the film adaptation.

Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley of Number 9 Films produce with Shadowplay Features.

Viv Albertine’s memoirs to be adapted for TV

Viv Albertine, the guitarist with the Slits who was at the core of the British punk movement, is to have her life story adapted for a television series.

A deal has been struck with producers Stephen Woolley, Elizabeth Karlsen and Rachael Horovitz for the rights to develop Albertine’s candid hit memoirs – Clothes, Clothes, Clothes. Music, Music, Music. Boys, Boys, Boys (2014) and To Throw Away Unopened (2018).

‘Mothering Sunday’: Odessa Young, Josh O’Connor, Olivia Colman & Colin Firth Set For Drama From ‘Carol’ Producers & ‘Succession’ Scribe — Cannes

EXCLUSIVE: Rising actress Odessa Young (Assassination Nation), BAFTA-nominee Josh O’Connor (The Crown), Oscar-winner Olivia Colman (The Favourite) and Oscar-winner Colin Firth (The King’s Speech) are set to star in drama Mothering Sunday for Carol producers Number 9 Films. The blue chip period-drama becomes one of the hottest UK projects at the Cannes virtual market where Rocket Science is launching world sales. Eva Husson (Girls Of The Sun) will direct from Succession and Normal People scribe Alice Birch’s adaptation of Graham Swift’s acclaimed novel.

Shochiku Backs U.K.’s Number 9 Films With First-Look Deal

Number 9 Films has signed a first-look distribution deal for its films in Japan with Japanese studio Shochiku, the British independent announced Wednesday. As part of the multi-year deal, which will focus on Number 9’s slate of theatrical films, Shochiku will contribute to the production company’s overhead as well as development funding.

Elizabeth Karlsen & Stephen Woolley – Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema

With one win and nine nominations between them, Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen are certainly no strangers to BAFTA voters. Yet that’s only a part of the story. From The Company of Wolves (1984) and Mona Lisa (1986) to Little Voice (1998) and Carol (2015), the producing partners have shown a staunch commitment to independent cinema that has been celebrated by audiences, critics and awards bodies alike. Despite this, the news they had been chosen to receive BAFTA’s Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award came as a shock. “We were thrilled, honoured and pleased for everybody who’s been associated with our films and us,” says Woolley. “Our career has been about making films without money under a kind of duress, and yet through that process we’ve been able to make some good movies.”

‘Carol’ Producers Elizabeth Karlsen, Stephen Woolley to Receive BAFTA Honor

“Elizabeth Karlsen and Stephen Woolley, the powerhouse production duo behind Number 9 Films, are set to receive the outstanding British contribution to cinema award at the BAFTA ceremony on Feb. 10.

“Previous recipients of the prize, presented annually in honor of British producer Michael Balcon, include Mike Leigh, Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jarman, Mary Selway, Ridley and Tony Scott, Working Title Films, Lewis Gilbert, the Harry Potter series of films, John Hurt, Peter Greenaway, Tessa Ross, BBC Films, Angels Costumes and Curzon. The National Film and Television School was the recipient at this year’s awards gala…”