Netflix has picked up Liz Garbus’ upcoming true-story drama “Lost Girls,” individuals with knowledge of the project have confirmed to TheWrap. The film, previously held by Amazon Studios, will star Amy Ryan in the lead role .
The pickup reunites Garbus with Netflix after the streaming service distributed her documentary, “What Happened, Miss Simone?”, which explored the life and legacy of musician and African-American activist Nina Simone. The doc was nominated for an Academy Award and won an Emmy.
Based on the nonfiction book of the same name by Robert Kolker, “Lost Girls” will star Ryan as Mari Gilbert, the mother of a kidnapped girl who demands that Long Island police stay on the search for her child. As her struggle continues, Gilbert soon uncovers crimes far beyond her daughter’s abduction — a string of unsolved murders of young female sex workers on the South Shore.
Garbus will direct from a script by Michael Werwie, with Amy Nauiokas and Rory Koslow as executive producers. Anne Carey (“20th Century Women”) of Archer Gray and Kevin McCormick (The Goldfinch) of Langley Park Pictures are producing the film.
Ryan is currently filming the comedy “Late Night” with Mindy Kaling, Emma Thompson and John Lithgow; and will next be seen in the Amazon drug drama “Beautiful Boy,” which stars Steve Carell and Timothee Chalamet and will be released this October. Ryan is repped by The Gersh Agency and Bloom Hergott. Garbus is repped by ICM and Frankfurt Kurnit.