’45 Years’ Director Andrew Haigh is Heading to Berlin With New Film

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As “45 Years” continues to collect the buzz it deserves — Charlotte Rampling is up for Best Actress at this year’s Oscars — writer-director Andrew Haigh isn’t slowing down, and his highly anticipated follow-up, “Lean On Pete,” has just been picked up The Bureau Sales and Celluloid Dreams, who will take the film to the European Film Market at Berlin and handle international sales rights. At last year’s Berlinale, “45 Years” premiered in Competition, where the film’s two lead actors, Rampling and Tom Courtenay, each collected a Silver Bear for their performances.

The official synopsis reads: “Adapted from the acclaimed novel by Willy Lautin, ‘Lean On Pete’ follows 15-year-old Charley as he embarks on a perilous journey in search of his long lost aunt and a possible home. Charley’s quest carries him from the horse-racing track at Portland Meadows, through the sagebrush of the Oregon desert, to the city streets of Denver, his sole companion the stolen racehorse Lean on Pete. The story of Charley is never sentimental but always compassionate, a heartbreaking and unadorned portrait of American life.”

With support from the BFI and Film4, who both also backed “45 Years,” Haigh’s latest production will begin shooting this summer in the Pacific Northwest. Production is expected to last until spring 2017. While the film has received development support from Film4, Tristan Goligher from The Bureau will serve as producer. Casting has begun and sales will start in Berlin.

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