EXCLUSIVE: Julie Baldassi of Younger Daughter Films and Brian Robertson of Low End announce Britt Lower (Severance), Tom Mercier (We Are Who We Are), Jean Yoon (Kim’s Convenience) and Sook-Yin Lee (Shortbus) will star in the drama/thriller/romance The Incident Report.
The film is executive-produced by Academy Award-winning Charlie Kaufman (I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Anomalisa), and written/directed by Naomi Jaye’s (The Pin). Principal photography runs from August 2-29, 2022, in Hamilton and Toronto, Ontario.
Librarian Miriam Gordon (Lower) lives in a fog of grief while working amidst marginalized members of the public who populate her downtown public branch. When a burgeoning love-affair with Janko, a younger foreign cab driver (Mercier) coincides with her receiving a series of oddly threatening letters addressed to her, Miriam’s sheltered existence is cracked open.
The Incident Report is Jaye’s sophomore adaptation of the novel written by Martha Baillie. It is produced by Julie Baldassi (Wildhood) and Brian Robertson (Birds Without Feathers) with executive producers Aditya Chand, Jonas Prupas, Dean Perlmutter, Charles Baillie and Martha Baillie, and Harland Weiss, Donovan M. Boden, Isil Gilderdale, and Emily Harris.
“I’m thrilled to be making The Incident Report into a film after living with Martha Baillie’s novel for more than a decade,” says writer/director Naomi Jaye. “This is a dark, absurd, sometimes uncomfortable, and in my mind deeply spiritual story about a woman who finds her bravery. It’s an immense privilege to be joined by such a talented cast to help bring it to life.”
Cinematography by Michael LeBlanc (The Young Arsonists) with production design by Brendan Callaghan (American Gods), and costume design by Emma Doyle (Slash/Back). Casting by Rori Bergman and Karlee Fomalont (I’m Thinking of Ending Things), as well as Marsha Chelsey, CDC (The Pin).
Made in association with Through The Lens Entertainment, with participation from Telefilm Canada, and Ontario Creates; Game Theory Films will be distributing the film domestically in Canada.
Lower is managed by Kirsten Ames and repped by Jo Yao at UTA. Mercier is represented by Fred Malek at Caractères and managed by Brennan O’Donnell at Grandview. Jean Yoon is represented by Kishwar Iqbal at Gary Goddard Agency. Sook-Yin Lee is represented by MaryJane MacCallum at The Arc.
