Marleen Gorris has signed to direct the sexually-charged drama Rosa for Bold Films as part of the fledgling Los Angeles-based production company's growing slate.

Principal photography is scheduled to begin on Rosa on June 7 in Florence, Italy. Bold Films principal Edward Bass and debut screenwriter Athena Stensland are producing, and Michel Litvak and Bold's two other principals Gary Michael Walters and Dan Grodnik are serving as executive producers.

"The majority of our projects have had first-time directors, but here it's great to have the chance to launch a debut screenwriter," Bass said in a statement.

"Obviously, Marleen's participation will add even more sensitivity to the writer's vision, and the artistic sophistication and discrimination she shows in her choice of projects gives us further confidence that this will be another signature Bold production." Gorris' credits include Mrs Dalloway and The Luzhin Defence.

As part of its annual slate of 12 projects budgeted in the $12m-$15m range, Bold is about to begin shooting the directorial debut of Chasing Amy actress Joey Lauren Adams, entitled Come Early Morning. Starring Ashley Judd, production is set to begin in May in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The company is also preparing the first feature from Domenica Cameron Scorcese, an adaptation of Sara Gran's novel, Saturn's Return To New York.

Bold recently produced first-time writer-director Nick Guthe's upcoming dark comedy, Mini's First Time, starring Alec Baldwin, Nikki Reed, Luke Wilson, Carrie-Anne Moss and Jeff Goldblum, and will screen debut director Jay Alaimo's drama Slingshot, which stars David Arquette, Thora Birch, Balthazar Getty and Julianna Margulies, at Tribeca later this month.

Businessmen Bass, Waltersand Grodnick set up Bold Films last year, backed by equity investment. The company also has offices in New York and London.

Topics