Versatile acquires “The Wonder Girls” Cold-War set drama

PanARMENIAN.Net - Paris-based Versatile has acquired international sales rights to Anthony Meindl’s “The Wonder Girls”, a Cold-War set drama based on the East German doping scandal in 1976, according to Variety.

Exec produced by Chris Contogouris (“Spring Breakers”), the $2.5 million drama sheds light on the journey of young East German women who were unwillingly doped by their coach ahead of the 1976 Summer Olympic Games in Montreal. The young women, who were mostly victorious, were hailed as national heroes and later vilified once the doping scandal erupted.

Slated to start shooting in June, “The Wonder Girls” stars Thomas Kretschmann as the coach. Casting is under way for the four young female swimmer role.

The film centers around the fight for survival of one of the girls who realized she was being drugged and tried to run away while in Montreal.

“It’s a fascinating story that is still relevant today as cases of doping sport professionals are so frequent, and pressure to over-perform is also still very present,” said Violaine Pichon, who co-founded Versatile with Pape Boye and is shopping the project at the EFM.

In Berlin, Versatile is also showing Sebastian Silva’s “Nasty Baby,” which just world premiered at Sundance, in the panorama section, and is selling Jerome Bonnell’s “All About Them” with Anais Demoustier, as well as showing a teaser of “Abattoir.”