Charlize Theron has lured Oscar-nominated British director Alan Parker from a five-year hiatus to helm her passion project "Ice at the Bottom of the World."

Theron is set to star in and produce the ensemble family drama about a Navy captain who returns home to the Chesapeake Bay to find his daughter a heroin addict and the single mother of a multi-racial child.

The estimated $20 million indie is being produced through Bob Berney's Picturehouse, Theron's production company Denver & Delilah Films and Parker's Dirty Hands. New Line International is on board to handle worldwide distribution and marketing.

Theron pursued Parker ("Mississippi Burning") after studying his films, then made an initial overture to the director in early spring. Berney met with the director in London to firm up the deal after May's Festival de Cannes.

"When she told me she was interested in Alan Parker (for 'Ice'), I was really excited," Berney said. "He is one of our most illustrious filmmakers who time and time again has shown his ability to mine true emotion from characters.

"When you go back to 'The Commitments' or even 'Shoot the Moon' you see how passionate he is about family stories. He'll bring amazing storytelling experience to ('Ice'), which is an uncompromising drama, tinged with black humor, about the way people try to connect at times when those connections have broken down."

"Ice" is based on a collection of short stories by Mark Richard, who also adapted the screenplay. Theron has owned the film rights to "Ice" for more than a decade.

"Ice" represents something of a reunion for Berney and Theron, who collaborated on 2003's independently produced "Monster." Berney marketed and distributed "Monster"; Theron produced the film and went on to win an Oscar for best actress.

"My understanding of what Charlize is capable of came from 'Monster,' " Berney said. "She's publicly known as an amazing actress, but I was equally impressed with her producing capability. And as far as finding material and getting it made -- that's what I love about Alan directing this project."

Parker is doing a script polish on "Ice" and is scouting the mid-Atlantic states for an anticipated fall start of production. His filmmaking career spans four decades and includes a Oscar nominations for 1979's "Midnight Express" and 1989's "Mississippi Burning."

Parker's films include "Fame," "Pink Floyd the Wall," "Birdy," "Angela's Ashes" and "The Life of David Gale."

Beth Kono is overseeing production for Denver & Delilah.

The deal was brokered by UTA, attorney Alan Werthheimer and ICM U.K. on behalf of Parker and by Bob Berney and Carolyn Blackwood on behalf of Picturehouse and New Line International.