Bleecker Street and Participant Media have jointly acquired North American rights to Andrew Garfield-starred true-life medical drama "Breathe." The film is directed by Andy Serkis.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the acquisition of "Breathe" was negotiated by Kent Sanderson and Avy Eschenasy on behalf of Bleecker Street, Jonathan King and Gabriel Brakin for Participant Media, and Embankment's Tim Haslam on behalf of Imaginarium. Embankment also represents international rights. The film has been presold in more than 30 territories.
The "Breathe" film tells the life story of a polio survivor Robin Cavendish (Garfield). Cavendish is one of the longest-living polio survivors in Great Britain. He had the disease at the age of 28. He is paralyzed from the neck down and relied on a machine to keep him breathing. He was first given only three months to live but became a medical miracle when he lived for years.
In "Breathe" plot, Cavendish and his devoted wife Diana Blacker (Claire Foy from "Wolf Hall") travel the world together instead of surrendering to the devastating diagnosis, Variety reported. They campaigned for people with disabilities. Cavendish died at the age of 64.
Other cast members of "Breathe" are "Downtown Abbey" actor Hugh Bonneville and "The Night Manager" star Tom Hollander. The film is written by "Shadowlands" screenwriter William Nicholson. "Hugo" cinematographer Robert Richardson is also on board.
Jonathan Cavendish for The Imaginarium Studios is the producer of "Breathe." Silver Reel, BBC Films, and the BFI is financing it. The executive producers include Phil Robertson for The Imaginarium, Claudia Bluemhuber and Ian Hutchinson for Silver Reel, and Christine Langan for BBC Films.
"Breathe" is expected to be released on Feb. 1, 2017, at Switzerland.
Watch the video of Andrew Garfield portraying World War II hero in new Mel Gibson movie "Hacksaw Ridge":