According to Variety, Oscar nominee Lesley Manville has signed on for the leading role in in the upcoming Winter of the Crow movie, based on Olga Tokarczuk’s short story Professor Andrews Goes to Warsaw. Production on the project is currently underway in Poland.
“As a Cold War spy thriller, Winter of the Crow feels truly original in that the lead protagonist is an everyday woman who is challenged to step up and make a difference in a completely unique situation,” HanWay Films CEO Gabrielle Stewart said in a statement. “Lesley Manville will be simply brilliant and we can’t wait to reveal footage of this incredible film.”
Manville most recently starred as Princess Margaret in the final season of The Crown. In addition to Winter of the Crow, she will also next be seen in the Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black and Luca Guadagnino’s Daniel Craig-led romance drama Queer.
What to expect in Winter of the Crow?
Set in the surreal and cinematic world of 1981 Warsaw, Winter of the Crow is being directed by Kasia Adamik. In addition to Manville, Tom Burke, Zofia Wichłacz, and Andrzej Konopka have also been cast. It is produced by Olga Chajdas, Stanislaw Dziedzic, Katarzyna Ozga, Nicolas Steil, Sam Taylor, and Douglas Cummins, with Tomasz Naumiuk serving as the cinematographer. Executive producers are Agnieszka Holland, R. Paul Miller, James DeMasi, Jonny Boston, Archil Gelovani, and Ursula Romero Gerberding.
“When martial law is imposed overnight, shutting down the country, visiting guest lecturer British psychiatry professor Dr. Joan Andrews (Manville) arrives just as taxis have been replaced by tanks and citizens are treated like criminals,” reads the synopsis. “But as chaos engulfs the city, armed with her camera she witnesses a brutal murder by the secret police. In mortal danger and trapped as Poland is closed down, Joan becomes a hunted fugitive running for her life.”