Elizabeth Banks will star in a medical drama called “A Mistake,” in which she plays a surgeon fighting for her career after the death of a patient.
Christine Jeffs (“Sunshine Cleaning,” “Sylvia,” “Rain”) will write and direct the film that’s based on a novel by Carl Shuker. The film will be shopped to buyers at the upcoming Cannes market, and principal photography is meant to begin on Aug. 15 in New Zealand.
“A Mistake” stars Banks as Elizabeth Taylor, a gifted surgeon and the only female consultant at her hospital. But while operating on a young woman, something goes horribly wrong. In the midst of a new scheme to publicly report surgeons’ performance, her colleagues begin to close ranks, and Elizabeth’s life is thrown into disarray. Tough and abrasive, Elizabeth has survived and succeeded in this most demanding field, as well as navigated years of casual sexism at her hospital. But can she survive a single mistake?
“A Mistake” is Jeffs’ first film since 2008’s “Sunshine Cleaning.” She’s also producing the film along with Matthew Metcalfe and Dean Spanley for GFC Films.
Alison Thompson and Mark Gooder for Cornerstone, which is handling international sales, are executive producing. The Company is co-repping the U.S. together with UTA Independent Film Group.
Film financing has been offered by the New Zealand Film Commission and Te Puna Kairangi, the New Zealand Government’s Premium Productions for International Audiences Fund.
Cornerstone and GFC Films have a close working relationship and are currently collaborating on “Whina” starring Rena Owen as the trailblazing Māori leader and Scott Walker’s creature feature “The Tank.”
Production heads will include cinematographer John Toon who previously worked with Jeffs on “Rain,” “Sylvia” and “Sunshine Cleaning” and production designer Gary Mackay (“Cowboy Bebop”).
“I have wanted to work with Christine, one of the most talented filmmakers to ever emerge from New Zealand, for some ten years now and when she first discussed her vision for ‘A Mistake’ with me, I knew immediately that I wanted to support her to bring it to the screen,” Metcalfe said in a statement.
Banks will next be seen this fall in the abortion drama “Call Jane,” which stars Sigourney Weaver and premiered at this year’s Sundance. She recently wrapped production on Imagine Entertainment and Apple Original Films “The Beanie Bubble” opposite Zach Galiflinakis and Sarah Snook.
Banks is represented by UTA, Untitled Entertainment and attorney PJ Shapiro at Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole. Jeffs is represented by UTA.