VICE Boards Somali Pirate Movie 'Fishing Without Nets' as Producer, Marketer

VICE, the youth media brand, is teaming up with THINK Media Studios’ to help take Sundance grand jury prize-winning short film Fishing Without Nets to the big-screen.

Picture Farm, the shingle run by Planet of the Apes director Rupert Wyatt, is also on board.

Nets, which has proven to be a sensation on the film festival circuit, takes the well-worn path of the Somali pirates story and gives it a fresh perspective, specifically that of the pirates.

Production is due to begin later this month in East Africa starring Somali refugees and former pirates. Cutter Hodierne wrote the script and is making his feature directorial debut.

VICE will produce, finance and market the movie, with the company’s Eddy Moretti and Shane Smith acting as executive producers alongside THINK’s Joe LoConti.

The team who produced the short - Raphael Swann, John Hibey, and Hodierne - are returning as producers. Brian Glazen and Stephanie Pinola of THINK will also act as producers. Wyatt and his Picture Farm partner Ben Freedman are also producing as is Victor Shapiro.

WME Global assembled financing for the film and is repping worldwide rights.

Net is the first in a series of films that VICE plans on producing and financing.