Sebastian Stan (Thunderbolt, apprentice) and Leo Woodall (Prime Target, 1st) will lead the next feature of acclaimed Australian director Justin Cruzel (Macbeth, Macbeth, The Order), Burning Rainbow Farm. The film will tell the tragic true story of a rural Michigan couple whose peaceful pro-marijuana community ends in one of America’s most dramatic sieges.
Rocket Science will announce the film to international buyers in the Cannes film market, and CAA Media Finance will handle North American rights.
Based on a shocking story
The film is an adaptation of how Stoner Utopia fell into smoke, along with a script by Dean Kuipers’ 2006 non-fiction book Burning Rainbow Farm: Tommy Murphy (Holding the Man). It centers around Tom Crosslin and Laurie Rohm, gay couples who created Rainbow Farm, a cannabis-friendly utopia in Cass County, Michigan. Their son was taken away from them and following a series of conflicts with authorities, the couple became the focus of the FBI siege, which ended in tragedy a few days before the 9/11 attacks.
Woodall, who comes out of projects like One Day and Prime Target, will play Rorime Rohm, the other side of Stan’s Tom Crosslin.
Sebastian Stan has long defended the story
Stan had been eyeing the project for several years before they finally got together. The actor told Indiewire in January. “But I knew about six years or something. I’ve been tracking it through different evolutions. Finally I landed with Justin. I was basically tracking him for two years to give him a chance.
He also described a unique combination of true story activities, love and controversy. “They were raising children. They were real activists in several ways, and this rainbow farm was also very controversial, and there was a controversy.”
A director depicted in difficult history
Known for true story-driven projects such as Snowtown, True History of the Kelly Gang, Nitram, and last year’s The Order, Kurzel is considered a good option to bring this unforgettable chapter of American history to the screen with equal parts of glory and empathy.
Speaking about the film, Kruzel said in a statement: “Burning the Rainbow is a love story about two outliers who raise their middle fingers and declare them hated.
The film is produced by third parties Nicole O’Donoheugh, Cruzel and Alexandra Tausig, along with anonymous content Adam Schulman, Mad Dog film Alix Madigan, Justin Rothrop and Voting Brent Stiffel.
Source: Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter
Justin Kurzel (left), Tye Sheridan (center), and Jude Law (right) “The Order” set | Image credit: Chris Large/Vertical
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