AFM 2012: 'Union Square' Director Nancy Savoca Joins 'Secret Magdalene'

4:44 PM PDT 10/31/2012 by Scott Roxborough

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Based on the novel by Ki Longfellow, the film tells the story of biblical figure Mary Magdalene.

Director Nancy Savoca (Union Square, Dogfight) has joined Secret Magdalene, a $7 million biblical period drama based on the novel of the same name by Ki Longfellow.

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Jack Lechner (Blue Valentine) is on board to executive produce the feature together with Richard Guay. New Toronto-based international sales venture Double Dutch Media is handling international sales for the project at AFM.

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Pitched as an alternative to traditional religious films with a more literal interpretation of the Bible, Secret Magdalene is more a "what if" tale re-imagining the life of Mary Magdalene, one of the female followers of Jesus. According to Double Dutch president Jason Moring, the film casts the early Christian movement in a political context, seeing Jesus as part of a religious cult bent on toppling the political order of the time.

Also new on Double Dutch's AFM slate is The Spider, an action adventure tale budgeted at $10 million set to begin shooting in Malta and Turkey early next year. Malcolm McDowell is attached to the film in a supporting role. The plot involves a young archeologist who uncovers an ancient artifact and unwittingly unleashes the evil spirt of the spider god Arachne.