Pamela Anderson, having underlined her indie film credentials last year thanks to her Golden Globe and SAG nominated turn in “The Last Showgirl,” has landed herself another lead role.
The star is set to join renowned British writer/director Sally Potter‘s latest feature “Alma,” leading the cast alongside Golden Globe nominee Dakota Fanning (“Ripley,” “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood”) and BIFA Award winner and BAFTA nominee Lindsay Duncan (“Birdman,” “Le Week-End”). Joining the ensemble will be Arinzé Kene (“I’m Your Woman,” “Harvest”), Esther McGregor (“Babygirl,” “We Were Liars”) Esmé Creed-Miles (“Hanna,” “Silver Haze”) and Earl Cave (“The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry,” “The Sweet East”), with further casting to follow.
Bankside Films have boarded “Alma” for worldwide sales ahead of the Cannes Film Festival and will be introducing the film to buyers there. The film is currently in pre-production and set to start shooting on location in England in September.
The story follows an extended family who meet to scatter the ashes of their mother only to find that her continued haunting presence explosively, and often comically, unravels the secrets of their lives.
“Looking for the alchemical mix of great screen presences to bring a script into vivid life can feel like a treasure hunt,” said Potter. “Three of the cinematic jewels now set to be at the centre of the cast of ‘Alma’ are Pamela Anderson, Dakota Fanning and Lindsay Duncan … three brilliant actors I have wanted to work with for some time. Their remarkable individual qualities will combine with, amongst others, Arinzé Kene and three exciting young actors: Esther McGregor, Esmé Creed-Miles and Earl Cave.”
“Alma” is produced by Potter’s longstanding collaborator Christopher Sheppard of Adventure Pictures (“The Roads Not Taken,” “The Party,” “Orlando”) and Rebecca O’Brien of Sixteen Films (“The Wind that Shakes the Barley,” “I, Daniel Blake,” “The Old Oak”). Co-producers on the project are Les Films d’Antoine, under the direction of Antoine Simkine, in France and Komplizen, led by producers Jona Dornbach, Janine Jackowski and Maren Ade in Germany. Stephen Kelliher serves as executive producer for Bankside Films.
“It’s an honour to work with Sally on this brilliantly clever, funny and poignant story of a family in conflict at the most sensitive of times,” said Bankside managing director Kelliher. “Sally’s script is endlessly entertaining and the cast she has drawn to the project speaks for itself. We can’t wait for audiences to enjoy it.”
Known for her innovative arthouse style and risk-taking subject matter, Potter made her breakthrough in 1992 with her bold adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s classic novel “Orlando,” starring Tilda Swinton. Since then she has written and directed eight feature films, including “The Tango Lesson” (1996), “The Man Who Cried” (2000), “Yes” (2004), “Rage” (2009), “Ginger & Rosa” (2012), “The Party” (2017) and “The Roads Not Taken” (2020). Potter’s films have won more than 40 international awards and landed both Oscar and BAFTA nominations. As a composer/lyricist, Potter released her debut album “Pink Bikini” in 2023. “Anatomy,” her second album, is set for release on May 2
Potter is represented by Gersh / Bart Walker.
