Sarah Gadon, Raoul Trujillo and Rosanna Arquette are starring in Sook-Yin Lee’s ghost story “Octavio Is Dead!” Variety has learned exclusively.
“Octavio” will shoot in and around Toronto between Jan. 22 and Feb. 13. Written and directed by Lee, the film is produced by the Film Farm’s Jennifer Weiss, Simone Urdl and Jamie Manning.
Gadon is also acting as an exec producer on the project. She portrays the daughter of her overbearing mother (Arquette) and enters the rich and strange world of her deceased father (played by Trujillo) — a man she never knew. Sexual identity, the occult, and the power of will versus imagination confront her on the journey. Dimitris Kitsos also stars as Octavio’s student Apostolis.
The film is produced with the participation of Telefilm Canada and the Ontario Media Development Corporation. It’s represented internationally by sales agent WTFilms.
Gadon will be seen in the title role of the Netflix-CBC production “Alias Grace,” based on the Margaret Atwood novel and in “The Death and Life of John F. Donovan” directed by Xavier Dolan.
Trujillo starred in Denis Villeneuve’s “Sicario” and recently completed filming on the sequel “Soldado.” His credits include Mel Gibson’s “Apocalypto,” “The Blacklist,” “True Blood,” “CSI: NY” and “DaVinci’s Demons.”
Arquette’s recent credits include “Ray Donovan” and “Girls.” Kitsos starred in “Park,” which screened at the Sundance and Toronto International festivals.
Sook-Yin Lee starred in “Shortbus,” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and earned her the best supporting actress award from the International Cinephile Society. She made her directorial debut in “Year of the Carnivore,” starring Cristin Milioti, Ali Liebert and Sheila McCarthy.
Film Farm credits include Atom Egoyan’s films “The Captive,” starring Ryan Reynolds; “Chloe,” starring Julianne Moore and Amanda Seyfried; and “Adoration.” The company also produced “Away from Her,” directed by Sarah Polley and starring Julie Christie; Brian De Palma’s “Redacted,” Silver Lion winner at the Venice Film Festival; and “Foxfire,” directed by Laurent Cantet.
