Secretary director Steven Shainberg and screenwriter ErinCressida Wilson have been hired to adapt Arbus, Patricia Bosworth's acclaimed biography ofphotographer Diane Arbus, for Edward R Pressman Film Corporation, BonnieTimmermann and Vincent Farrell's Iron Films.

Michael Roban, who served asexecutive producer on Secretary,will serve in the same capacity on the project along with Alessandro Camon.Content International will handle international rights.

"Secretary was one of the smartest films I've seen in the lastcouple of years, and Steven and Erin are a truly talented team. We're veryexcited to have them on board the project," Pressman said in a statement.

He added he hoped to havethe project in production next year.

Edward R Pressman FilmCorporation's head of business affairs Jon Katz negotiated Shainberg's dealwith Andrew Hurwitz of Bodine, Hurwitz, Epstein, Levinsohn & Weinstein andWilson's deal with Koethi Zan of Schreck Rose & Dapello.

"Diane Arbus is one of themost mysterious, enigmatic, and frighteningly daring artists of the 20thcentury," Shainberg, a lifelong fan, said in a statement.

"Her work emerged from adeeply private place and profoundly affected all those who came into contactwith it."

Shainberg's next directingproject is Urban Townie forWarner Bros, which will star Tobey Maguire, for Warner Bros. Wilson's firstnovel will be published by Simon and Schuster in 2004.

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