Chris Columbus’ 1492 Pictures Partnering With ro*co prods. to Adapt Docs Into Dramas

Filmmaker Chris Columbus‘ 1492 Pictures is partnering with ro*co productions to adapt documentary films into narrative dramas, the companies announced Saturday afternoon.

The first film of the new partnership is slated to be an adaptation of Yoav Potash‘s 2011 Sudance documentary Crime After Crime, which follows two young attorneys trying to free from prison Debbie Peagler, who was sentenced to life behind bars for her role in the murder of a man who abused her.

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“This extraordinary documentary has great potential as a narrative feature film,” said Michael Barnathan, president of 1492 Pictures, in a statement. “While this will be our first documentary-to-dramatic-feature adaptation project, we certainly hope it is not our last.”

The documentary version of Crime After Crime had its television debut on OWN last fall.

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1492’s producing credits include The Help, Night at the Museum, Rent and Fantastic Four; ro*co productions is the production arm of ro*co films international, which has distributed such documentaries as Born into Brothels, The Garden and Jesus Camp. 

The deal was negotiated by Sue Turley for ro*co films international and Barnathan for 1492 Pictures.

ro*co films international has four films at Sundance, including documentary We’re Not Broke, which centers on the recession and the government’s relationship with corporations.