‘CODA’ Filmmaker Sian Heder To Direct & Adapt Sarah Lotz Novel ‘Impossible’

Anthony D'Alessandro
·3 min read
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Filmmaker Siân Heder, whose Sundance hit CODA was recently sold to Apple for a festival record of $25M, is set to direct and write a feature take of Sarah Lotz’s upcoming 2022 novel Impossible.

The Penguin Group Berkley Books novel tells the story of Nick, a ghostwriter who is a disappointment to himself and his soon-to-be-ex-wife, and Bee, a commitment-phobe content on repurposing wedding dresses rather than finding a reason to wear one herself. The two are meant to be together, but fate has other plans. They have an instant connection after a misdirected email lands in Bee’s inbox, and over time they develop real feelings for each other. Eventually, Nick and Bee come to the conclusion that they have to meet in person, yet when they both arrive at their planned destination, they discover it’s love at the right time, but in the completely wrong place.

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Patrick Wachsberger’s Picture Perfect Federation and Black Label Media are producing with Marsh Entertainment. Wachsberger and Ashley Stern will produce via Picture Perfect Federation while Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill, and Thad Luckinbill through the Black Label Media banner, and Sherry Marsh via Marsh Entertainment.

“I am pleased to once again work with the incredibly talented Siân Heder, one of the world’s most promising writer-directors,” said Wachsberger. “Along with Ashley, we look forward to developing and producing a romantic comedy for our time with Molly, Trent, and Thad of Black Label as well as Sherry on board to produce.”

In a joint statement, the producers of Black Label Media added, “We are so excited to re-team with Patrick Wachsberger who we have worked with for many years and collaborated with on such films as Sicario and La La Land. Impossible is an incredible novel and we are thrilled to be working with the wonderfully talented Sian Heder on the adaptation.”

Heder added, “Impossible takes an inventive and surprising look at the choices we make and how they have a butterfly effect in shaping who we are. It’s a funny, captivating novel and I’m thrilled to be working with this team to adapt it.”

Heder wrote and directed CODA which follows Ruby who is a child of deaf adults (CODA) and the only hearing person in her family. When the family’s fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her love of music and her fear of abandoning her parents. Wachsberger produced CODA with Philippe Rousselet, Fabrice Gianfermi, and Jérôme Seydoux. Heder also directed Tallulah, starring Elliot Page and Allison Janney, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2016 and was picked up by Netflix. Her other credits include serving as showrunner on Apple’s Little America and writing on Netflix’s Orange is the New Black.

Impossible will also be published by HarperCollins in the UK, and Rowholt in Germany. Lotz is the author of five thrillers including The Three and The White Road.

Heder is represented by Mosaic, ICM Partners, and Mitch Smelkinson at Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher. Alan Grodin of Weintraub Tobin and Suzanne Rosencrans represented the deal on behalf Picture Perfect Federation and Black Label Media, respectively. Lotz is repped by APA and Blake Friedmann Literary Agency / A.M. Heath Literary Agency. Marsh is represented by David Markman at DLA Piper, LLP.

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