Entertainment
Theodore Ushev to present 'Light Boxes' adaptation at Venice Gap-Financing Market
The Oscar-nominated director's five-country co-production combines stop-motion and live-action to adapt Shane Jones' novel.
The short version
- Filmmaker Theodore Ushev is developing a feature adaptation of Shane Jones' novel 'Light Boxes' and presenting it at the Venice Production Bridge's Gap-Financing Market.
- The project blends live-action set in a war-torn Ukrainian town with stop-motion puppet animation representing an imaginary realm.
- Led by Bulgarian production company Cinelibri, the five-nation project is slated to become Bulgaria's largest-ever animated feature production.
Key facts
- Theodore Ushev is in pre-production on 'Light Boxes,' an adaptation of Shane Jones' novel being pitched at the Venice Production Bridge's Gap-Financing Market from Sept. 4–6.[Variety]
- The project is a five-country co-production involving Bulgaria, Canada, France, Belgium, and Poland, led by producer Jacqueline Wagenstein of Cinelibri.[Variety]
- The narrative depicts a 13-year-old girl in a Russian-occupied Ukrainian town who discovers an imaginary double trapped in an eternal winter.[Variety]
- The film utilizes live action featuring a predominantly Ukrainian cast for the realistic setting, paired with stop-motion puppetry designed by Ushev for the imaginary world.[Variety]
- Screen adaptation rights for the novel were previously held by director Spike Jonze before being acquired by Cinelibri.[Variety]
What remains uncertain
- The film's overall budget, production timeline, casting specifics beyond the Ukrainian ensemble, and target release date have not been disclosed.[Variety]