Ellen Page to star in 'Freeheld'

3:49 AM PDT 10/14/2010 by Gregg Kilday, AP

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Cynthia Wade's doc expanding to a feature film

CANNES -- Endgame Entertainment is developing a dramatic feature based on Cynthia Wade's award-winning short documentary "Freeheld," with Ellen Page set to star.

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Ron Nyswaner, an Oscar nominee for "Philadelphia," is writing the screenplay based on the true story of New Jersey car mechanic Stacie Andree, who'll be played by Page, and her police detective girlfriend Laurel Hester, who both battled to secure Hester's pension benefits after she was diagnosed with a terminal illness.

Wade's doc won the Oscar for best short documentary in 2008.

The Endgame-financed film will be produced by Endgame's James D. Stern, Double Feature Films' Michael Shamberg and Stacey Sher, Vie Entertainment's Kelly Bush, and Wade. Endgame's Doug Hansen and Adam Del Deo will exec produce.

"As a documentarian and feature producer, you always look for powerful stories with subject matter that will resonate with audiences, and Cynthia's remarkable chronicle of the battle forged by two women did just that," Stern said.

Nyswaner's adaptation of "Hamlet" for director Catherine Hardwicke is currently in production; he is repped by UTA. Page, repped by WME and Vie Entertainment, will next be seen opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Christopher Nolan's upcoming "Inception."