Fortissimo Films has picked up global sales rights to Hal Hartley’s upcoming Ned Rifle, set to star Gemma Arterton, Parker Posey and Thomas J Ryan.  

Expected to start shooting this autumn for completion in early 2014, the film is the third in Hartley’s tragi-comic trilogy following Henry Fool (1998) and Fay Grim (2007).

The story follows Henry and Fay’s son Ned, played by Liam Aiken, who sets out to kill his father for destroying his mother’s life, but is distracted by a troublesome sexy woman (Arterton) with connections to the Grim family.

The deal with Fortissimo was negotiated by Fortissimo managing director Nelleke Driessen and Bruce Weiss, who produced Hartley’s Trust and will co-produce Ned Rifle with Hartley and Matthew Myers.

Fortissimo also recently picked up Sue Brooks’ Driving Back From Dubbo, starring Mirando Otto and Richard Roxburgh.