Oscar winner Charlize Theron is teaming with "Boys Don't Cry" helmer Kimberly Peirce on an adaptation of Mark Richard's novel "The Ice at the Bottom of the World."

At last month's Festival de Cannes, the actress confirmed that she and Peirce have been collaborating on the indie project which she said they are hoping to shoot sometime toward the fall of 2005. First, Theron will topline the Karyn Kusama-directed "Aeon Flux" for Paramount Pictures and producer Gale Ann Hurd followed by the Niki Caro-directed "Class Action" for Warner Bros. Pictures. She's also attached to star in and produce the graphic novel-based "Jinx" at Universal Pictures.

Described as a passion project for both Theron and Peirce, "Ice" is a collection of 10 short stories. Richard's novel carries a running theme of love and loss and birth and death and is primarily set in the American South, centering on a cross-section of redneck characters. It's unclear what story line Richard followed in adapting his own novel for the big screen.

Theron has been developing "Ice" at her production company, D and D Films, named for her dogs Denver and Delilah. She is producing along with her partner Meagan Riley-Grant. Peirce would likely receive some producer credit as well. Theron said that Newmarket Films -- which distributed her Oscar-winning performance in Patty Jenkins' "Monster" -- is expected to distribute and possibly finance.

Theron is repped by J.J. Harris at One Entertainment and attorney Steve Warren. Peirce is repped by CAA.