Oliver Damian’s Berlin-based 27 Films Productions, the German co-producer on Iron Sky, is turning to the First World War for an adaptation of DH Lawrence’s 1923 novella The Fox to be directed by Matthias Luthardt [pictured].

27 Films and UK-Polish production outfit Braidmade Films received €40,000 development support from the German-Polish Co-Development Fund for the story which Lawrence set in the English county of Berkshire, but is being relocated for the film to Upper Silesia in early 1918.

Two women, Luise and Thea, are living there alone in a secluded farm, cultivating the little land they own, but left without any livestock save for a few chickens which a local fox repeatedly plunders. A young deserter Hermann then appears and triggers an emotional conflict between the them. He quickly convinces Luise to marry him, but when the war ends, he leaves for a few days. The women grow close to one another again, but, on Hermann’s return, the situation escalates as Luise has to make a choice between the two.

The only other adaptation of The Fox in 1967 saw US director Mark Rydell transposing the action in his feature debut to contemporary Canada with the love triangle played out between Sandy Dennis, Anne Heywood and Keir Dullea.

Following its world premiere in the Berlinale’s Panorama in February, Iron Sky will open today (April 4) in Finland through Buena Vista International and Norway via Euforia, with Polyband releasing tomorrow (April 5) in cinemas in Germany, Austria and German-speaking Switzerland.

A theatrical release for the Finnish-German-Australian co-production has also been confirmed in Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, the UK, France, Former Yugoslavia, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czech Republic & Slovakia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China (pending government approval), Korea, Thailand, Middle East, Israel, US, Canada, Indonesia, Greece, India and Hong Kong.

“The crowd is an unstoppable force. Our fans are getting active in the countries that do not have distribution in place yet”, says producer Tero Kaukomaa. “Our fans include staff and owners at movie theaters in many places around the world, who have come directly to us to arrange a screening.”

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