Andrew Adamson, director of the first two Shrek and Chronicles Of Narnia films, has written and will direct an adaptation of Lloyd Jones’ novel, Mister Pip.

Producer Robin Scholes plans to film Mister Pip in Australia, post-produce in New Zealand, and complete the sound in the UK. It is likely to be a three-way co-production.

The project has no formal attachments but has just won the right to be presented at London’s Production Finance Market (PFM) in October. Scholes was one of 70 producers pitching at the Melbourne International Film Festival’s co-financing market, 37º South.

Mister Pip will be principally set in the Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville during an ongoing war between soldiers and rebels over copper mining. It tells the story of a young girl who becomes transfixed by the Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations, which is being read at school by the only white man in the village.

“The overarching theme is the power of the human imagination to be used for both good and evil,” Scholes told ScreenDaily. “Meeting 37º South’s guests in an atmosphere in which they were not distracted by the need to sell films, was a great advantage.”

Miranda Culley, associate producer on Catch A Fire and Rabbit-Proof Fence, “won” the place available at the Abu Dhabi Circle, which also takes place in October. She principally pitched The Little Death, the first feature for comic actor/writer Josh Lawson. It explores desire, especially sexual desire, through the very personal stories of five couples.